Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["Laura McKenzie" <laurabrownmckenzie@worldnet.att.net>]

Paul, the following is the information I'm going on.  I haven't heard of 
anything new yet.  We don't eat cows either.  This is just our choice and 
I'm not telling everyone they must feel the same.

info.ag.vt.edu/vce/offices/newsletters/15Feb2004_letterhead.pdf
"Regarding the question of whether or not composting will destroy the prions 
associated with BSE, there is no evidence that suggests the prions are 
destroyed in the compost process. Prions are a special form of protein that 
can only be killed through incineration at excessively high temperatures and 
acid treatment."

http://extension.usu.edu/files/agpubs/Compost.htm
"Composting can destroy many disease causing agents, but not all spore 
forming bacteria. It is not yet known if composting will destroy the prions 
of TSE diseases, such as BSE or Mad Cow Disease. Research is currently 
underway in the U.S. and Canada to answer that question. Prions are very 
resistant to heat and many chemicals. They are also resistant to some 
enzymes but may be vulnerable to those present during the composting 
process. "

http://cwmi.css.cornell.edu/tirc/projectdescription.htm
" Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a prion disease that is of concern in 
wild populations. There is no evidence to show whether CWD would be killed 
in the composting process. Compost temperatures are not high enough to 
inactive prions, but it is possible that microbial and enzymatic activity 
could (Langeveld, et al; Kirill, et al.). "

Laura
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Laura's Homeschooling, Garden, and Genealogy Site
is found here: http://home.att.net/~ekyorigins
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