Contact:  Jim Rogers (202) 690-4755

Statement by

John Clifford, Deputy Administrator

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

August 3, 2005

            "The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa, has determined that the non-definitive test result reported on July 27 is negative for BSE.  Tests conducted by the Veterinary Laboratories Agency in Weybridge, England, are also negative for BSE.

               “NVSL and Weybridge conducted the additional testing after a non-definitive IHC test result was received last week.  The initial non-definitive result was caused by artifactual (artificial or untrue) staining and, while this staining did not resemble BSE, we felt the prudent course was to conduct the additional tests.

             “Needless to say, we are very pleased with these results. I do want to emphasize that the most important protections for human and animal health are our interlocking food-safety protocols. Our enhanced surveillance program is designed to provide information about the level of prevalence of BSE in the United States, which by any measure is extremely low."