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Risks and implications of bovine spongiform encephalopathy for the United States: This paper was originally submitted in December 2002, and was accepted for publication prior to the announcement on December 22, 2003 that a cow in the US State of Washington had tested positive for BSE. Following that announcement, export markets including Japan and South Korea immediately ban-ttle that cannot w se practices to furt with nervous tissue, and plans to introduce a national animal iden tly discovered tha en imported fromwriting, the US do case of the disease.‘‘downers’ ’ (ca contamination was subsequen thus, as of this0306-9192/ $- see front matter# doi:10.1016/j.foodpol.2004.01.00t the cow in question had be es not yet have a native born2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 3her reduce the risk of tification program. It Canada in 2001, andulture announced additional m alk), changes in slaughterhouned US beef and, over the following 2 weeks, cattle futures prices fell by about 15%. On December 30, 2003, the US Secretary for Agric easures against BSE, including a ban oninsights from other countrie