Beef on the Bone

Jim Sutherland, a Personal View

"We are unbowed and pledged to fight for freedom to the best of our ability, whatever it takes."

"BSE is a dead disease in the UK. Thanks to the myriad of control measures put in place prior to 1997 there is now only a tiny number of infected animals remaining. However, both the Beef Export Ban and the beef on the bone ban remain in place.

The former is currently mired in Brussels politics and the latter retained because of the vulnerability of a Government Minister. Truth, science, reason, public opinion or freedom of choice matter little when those in power perceive a political advantage or find themselves with their backs to the wall.

By very basic application of logic (a rare skill in Westminster or Brussels), we can infer that, even if there is a link between CJD and BSE, it is now a hundred percent safe to eat not just beef but currently banned bones, spleen, brains and tonsils. This maxim holds good for beef under twenty four months of age in July 1998 but will be true of all beef by the end of the year. If there is no BSE in the cattle then there is no chance of catching CJD from any part of the animal.

By persisting with their ban the Government does a great injustice to the British Beef Industry. They continue to parrot the mantra that the ban is for the safety of the public and to make sure that there is no risk from British beef, and that it is part of their plan to have the Beef Export Ban lifted.

On the former point even the Chief Medical Officer does not agree with him. Recently, the scientist warned the public that a handful of people die every year from eating peanuts, making them at least a hundred times more dangerous than beef on the bone. Yet no peanut ban is planned.

It is high time that the European ploy of excluding our beef from world markets is exposed as a glaring example of exploitation of a supposed health issue for the protection of a particular commercial interest. Just as Beef on the Bone is now safe to eat so British beef is totally safe and is free from BSE. All the filibustering about traceability and special tagging schemes is being put up as a smoke screen when the real issue is that there can be no risk of nvCJD.

I now go back to the Selkirk Sheriff Court to have the remaining eighty percent of my argument ruled on before a very likely return to the High Court in Edinburgh."

Supporters

Existing supports of Jim Sutherland's crusade have already donated £8,000 towards the £20,000 legal bills he has already incurred. It is likely that he will spend another £15,000. Further donations are gratefully received at:

Carfraemill Warchest
Lauder
Berwickshire
TD2 6RA

1998-11-02
e-mail: newsdesk@bordernet.co.uk