Washington, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02), a member of the House Agriculture Committee, issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirmed a positive test result of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in a sample from an animal that was blocked from the food supply in November 2004:

“U.S. beef is safe. Since the USDA initiated its enhanced BSE surveillance program, more than 388,000 of our highest risk animals have been tested for BSE. 

“Through this rigorous testing, the USDA has confirmed a single case of BSE. Because of stringent food safety protocols, this cow was blocked from the food supply.

“As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, I strongly support the USDA’s decision to update their testing protocol. From here out, if an initial BSE screening test results in inconclusive findings, the USDA will automatically run further tests.

“All Americans should be confident that our beef is safe. Our safety measures work. Our testing measures are getting stronger every day.

“I look forward to working with the USDA as we learn more about this case and how we can continue to ensure food safety in the U.S.”

The USDA is conducting an investigation to confirm the animal’s herd of origin.