EU Triffid (zero tolerance) vs. Negative Triffid Test Result vs. Consequences for All Crops

[ianben]

Hi Charlie
I think the numbers for BSE
are even smaller than the ones you are
quoting if you take world wide cattle
numbers and confirmed BSE cases.

Confirmed human cases are very very few
and I my view the link to eating beef
unproven.

Yet still countries ban and restrict
beef imports. Seeing the cost of BSE in
UK I can understand this reaction.

It is just plain risk management

Why take any risk no matter how small if
it can be avoided ?

[charliep]

Too much of an economist/numbers guy. I look at risk from two components. Probability and severity. Probability of the event is something I can for discussion as has been talked. Severity is another point altogether. Regardless of probability, CJD is not something to be ignored - pretty horrible death. Having said, myself combined with most Canadians have not reduced beef consumption much and likely for other reasons.

Don't understand the EU attitude toward risk. North America has been consuming GE crops for 15 years although most is not direct but indirect via meat. Europe and the UK are part of the process in that soybean meal makes up a major portion of your livestock feed. Suspect soybean oil also is a major component of your human consumption vegoil market. Parsley will site a number of different medical issues but I suspect even these are a result of a complex mixture of environmental/other issues.

Welcome. I appreciate both your and malleefarmers view from a different part of the world.

[ianben]

Perhaps it is the thought of CJD and its
awful consequence which induces the
horror and panic over BSE.
I have never understood why it became so
emotive even before the human link was
made.
Why would someone who smoked 40 a day
not eat beef?
Is lung cancer a better death?

I would guess almost every activity
carried out by man has a greater risk of
death than eating beef and contracting
BSE. Death by choking must be way higher
but does anybody live on soup.

Logic science risk are not why EU still
does not recognise GM.

Fear of an irrational public reaction if
some funding seeking scientist invents a
frankinstein senario and repeats the BSE
crisis

Perhaps you had to be in UK in the 90s
to understand.