USDA announced that the U.S. still intends to lift the suspension on import of Canadian cattle imposed two years ago. The American Meat Institute, which finds Canadian beef more profitable than the domestic product, declared that the discovery is “no cause for concern.”

Mad cow disease is a degeneration of brain tissue leading to erratic behavior and death. It is transmitted through feeding of infected brain and spinal tissues to other cows. Human consumption of infected beef leads to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a deadly dementia that may be confused with Alzheimer's disease.

Measures taken by U.S. authorities to protect public health have been grossly inadequate. Only a tiny fraction of cattle slaughtered are tested. Japanese and European authorities test every animal. The 1997 FDA ban on feeding infected body parts to other cows has lacked adequate enforcement.

Folks in the beef industry should seek a more secure and socially redeeming career. For the rest of us it's not too late for a New Year's resolution to replace beef in our diet with vegetables, fruits and grains.

Stanley Hartman

Salt Lake City