North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Donna &/or Kieran" <holycow@cookeville.com>]

Personally, I'm a little baffled that American farmers or the American Beef Industry or some other organization haven't jumped on the organophosphate (14% oil soluble Phosmet dribbled down the cow's spine 4x a year) connection to proclaim how American beef is better because we don't do that here and thus don't have BSE.  The British Ag dept and ICI, (the huge chemical company that made the unique Phosmet used in the anti warble fly campaign)  REALLY don't want to be sued for the unbelievable losses farmers suffered, not to mention the suicides, etc.  Therefore they don't want any research funded that might show that their actions caused the whole debacle.  But over on this side of the ocean, there would be money to be made in convincing European buyers that our beef was safer. 

    Something I found out in Europe was that because there are so many small countries there, all with their own govts and companies, you can read about what's really going on in your own country because some other country's newspapers are publishing your own country's coverups.  For example, we heard on Radio Deutshe welle that British Airways pilots were suffering from organophosphate poisoning from hydraulic leaks.  (Apparently these chemicals won't catch fire, so they are used in the hydraulics of planes, tanks, and ships.)  They interviewed a British dr about these pilots.  I doubt it was all over the British press, at least not till the story had leaked out in Germany.  

    I just finished Al Franken's book on Lies, etc, so my natural skepticism has been sharpened a bit more.  If you haven't read it, I can tell you it will make you laugh out loud.     Donna