Audit Reveals Inadequate Imported Cattle Inspections

As reported in today’s Chicago Tribune, an audit, conducted by USDA’s inspector general earlier this year, shows that an undetermined number of Canadian cattle entered the United States without proper documentation. The audit took place in March, but the report on its findings was only recently made public.

Although the United States has confirmed three cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, often dubbed “mad cow disease”) since 2003, Canada has documented 13 cases, with the most-recent occurring in June 2008.

The report primarily blames USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) for breeches of protocol. “APHIS does not adequately track live animal imports and, if problems are detected, does not collectively analyze import violations,” notes the report. “Additional controls are needed at northern ports-of-entry to obtain stronger assurance that all animal shipments are inspected.”

For complete details, see the complete Chicago Tribune story.