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Mad cow testing to be cut back

WASHINGTON - The Agriculture Department is cutting its tests for mad cow disease by about 90 percent, drawing protests from consumer groups.

The current testing level - 1,000 each day - reflects the heightened concern that followed the discovery in December 2003 of mad cow disease in the United States.

Since then, tests have turned up two more cases of the disease, known medically as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE.

The government says there may be a handful of undetected cases.

"It's time that our surveillance efforts reflect what we now know is a very, very low level of BSE in the United States," Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said. "There is no significant BSE problem in the United States, and after all of this surveillance, I am able to say there never was."

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CHILD PREDATOR BILL: Convicted child molesters would face the death penalty for killing their victims and a felony charge for failing to update their whereabouts with authorities under a bill the Senate approved Thursday. The Senate approved the measure on a voice vote. The House is to consider it next week.

[Last modified July 20, 2006, 23:55:15]