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Video - Mad cow or mad policy. Presentation by Abra Brynne

At the 2012 Food Secure Canada National Assembly, Abra Brynne provides an overview of the history of Mad Cow Disease or Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) and the fallout in terms of management of risk material from Canadian cattle (brain, spinal cord and small intestine) from meat packing plants.

The need to manage these materials is immense ($62 million) for 1.7 million cattle slaughtered from January to June, 2012. Canada has only ever found 18 BSE infected animals.This process is about protecting export opportunities. A very expensive fix for a situation created when we fed herbivores infected meat and bone meal. Not sustainable for us or farmers. There are other options that Abra Brynne details.

Abra Brynne is the Sustainable Local Food Systems Network Coordinator with Food Secure Canada,