Meaty Profits

Re “U.S. Toughens Curbs in Bid to Stem ‘Mad Cow’ Disease,” Dec. 31: Is anyone else astonished to learn that up until now, federal law required beef to be tested for mad cow disease but allowed the meat to be sold and shipped before test results were known? Now that the cattle industry is threatened by international sanctions, the U.S. Department of Agriculture wants to fix this loophole. Is the USDA protecting the profits of the cattle industry or the health of the American people?

Joe Catanzarite

Long Beach