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Will Mad Cow Cripple Vt. Cattle Industry?

East Middlebury, Vermont - December 29, 2003

Nods from cattle buyers mean money for local beef producers. At Addison County Commission Sales, cows hit the auction block. Many animals up for bid are brought here by dairy farmers, the cull cows that don't produce enough milk to keep. They'll be slaughtered for beef.

"The beef income is instant cash so sometimes you can get a load of grain on your farm-- you might not be able to otherwise-- and sometimes it might get your help paid," says Lorenzo Quesnel of Perry Brook Dairy Farm.

But fears over mad cow disease already have Vermont farmers feeling the pinch.

"I think there could be some tough times ahead," says Quesnel.

With virtually all U.S. beef exports cancelled, agriculture officials expect beef will flood the domestic market. Already the price of dressed beef is dropping. Here in Vermont -- between 20-30%. Just a couple of weeks ago, the average price per pound was $1.15. Now it's about $0.80 per pound in some parts of the state.

But cattle dealers are cautiously optimistic that prices will come back in a couple of weeks.

"The market before this started was very good," says Tom Wisnowski of Addison County Commission Sales.

In the meantime, many people would like to see a better cattle tracking system put in place in the U.S. The current tagging method is not always fool proof.

"We need a better identification system in the country-- definitely. All the animals on the farm need to have a permanent ID so we can check the animal from birth to where it ends up at slaughter," says Darryl Kuehne of the Vermont Agriculture Department.

The U.S.D.A maintains the nation's beef supply is safe.

"It's safe and they'll just make it safer," says Wisnowski.

It's a statement beef producers hope consumers will buy.

Darren Perron - Channel 3 News