Komputer for Alle 1998 #6/1998 CD 6 (Gul).iso/web/ffa/wwwenv~1.org/arrs/digest/news3~10.htm/text0022.txt

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By Andrew Marshall

WOODBURY SALTERTON, England (Reuter) - A warehouse in this rural backwater is
filled with mountains of thick, brown powder -- all that remains of thousands
of boiled and pulverized British cattle.

Britain's beef industry remains in crisis and the ``mad cow'' affair could
see the election hopes of the ruling Conservative Party crumble into dust in
southwest England.

The small town of Newton Abbot, not far from the mad cow mountains of
Woodbury Salterton, has held a weekly livestock market for more than 700
years. The farmers who sell cattle there say there can have been few more
difficult years in the market's history than the one they have just suffered.


``It has been the worst year of my life. It has just been impossible to make
ends meet,'' said beef farmer John Reddaway. ``The farmers here have never
been so angry.''

The rural counties of Devon and Cornwall in southwest England are among
Britain's main dairy and beef farming areas. There are two targets for the
farmers' anger -- the European Union and Prime Minister John Major's
Conservatives.

``We've been let down by Major, but it's Europe that banned our beef. The
Conservatives just haven't fought for us like they should have,'' Reddaway
said. ``We've been sold down the river and they let it happen.''

The question of whether farmers decide to lay most of the blame with Europe
or the Conservatives could hold the key to Major's fortunes in rural areas in
Britain's May 1 election.

A YEAR OF DISASTER

Britain's beef crisis began in March 1996 with the announcement of a possible
link between bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), a disease which had
reached epidemic proportions among British cattle, and Creutzfeld-Jakob
disease (CJD), a brain-wasting disease in humans.

Panic ensued. Beef sales slumped and the European Union slapped a worldwide
ban on British beef. Efforts by Agriculture Minister Douglas Hogg to have the
ban lifted have met little success, to the fury of Britain's farmers.

``Sales here collapsed overnight,'' said Paul Griffin, a cattle auctioneer at
Newton Abbot market. ``We were auctioning a couple of hundred prime steer a
week, then after BSE it fell back to single figures for a while. Prices just
dived.''

Many farmers have been forced to cull their herds in an attempt to eradicate
BSE. Their remains lie in warehouses throughout the country awaiting
incineration. Not surprisingly, Hogg has become a hate figure.

``Hogg has been a diabolical disaster,'' said Ian Pettyfer, a beef farmer and
chairman of the Devon branch of the National Farmers Union (NFU). ``Most
farmers want him gone, there's no doubt about that, and they may well vote
accordingly.''

Major, who has stuck by Hogg, has consistently blamed the EU for the crisis.

Officials and ministers denied for years that there was any link between BSE
and CJD.

Many farmers argue that their beef is safe. Trucks at the Newton Abbot market
are plastered with stickers proclaiming ``We eat British beef with
confidence'' and ``British beef is best.''

``I'm waiting with bated breath, I've got my fingers crossed and I'm
practically praying every night that we don't get an epidemic,'' Pettyfer
said. ``The last thing you want is to produce beef knowing you're poisoning
people.''

With their livelihoods threatened, Britain's traditionally Conservative
farmers are demanding action, and some say they will punish Major for his
failure to solve their problems.

The south-west is dominated by the Conservatives but the Liberal Democrats,
Britain's third-largest party, came a close second in several seats in the
1992 election.

If even a small number of voters defect, the Liberal Democrats could capture
a number of seats from the Conservatives this time. The farming vote could be
crucial.

Europe, the issue which has recently dominated the election campaign and been
a thorn in Major's side, is at the center of the farmers' concerns. Their
main priority is to get the European beef ban lifted.

``I've been involved in every election in Devon and Cornwall since 1964,''
said Paul Tyler, regional spokesman for the Liberal Democrats and member of
parliament for Cornwall North. ``I have never known so many farmers not only
saying they are going to vote for us, but also demonstrating their support
for us.''

The Conservatives' handling of the beef crisis had alienated thousands of
farmers, Tyler said. ``The last 12 months have been so horrendous for the
livestock areas of the country that there is a recognition that the
Conservatives are the party of the suburbs and we have become the country
party,'' he said.

But the Liberal Democrats are seen as the most pro-European of Britain's
three main parties. The Conservatives hope this will undermine Liberal
Democrat support among farmers angry at perceived unjust treatment from the
EU.

In a campaigning visit to a cattle market in Tavistock, Devon, Major demanded
an end to the EU's beef ban and defended his government's record in handling
the crisis.

He said the crisis was not the fault of farmers but ``the result of market
panic and in some cases political panic in countries right the way across
Europe.''

To loud applause from farmers in the market, he told other EU countries to
improve their own meat hygiene. ``Firstly, begin to lift the ban on British
beef and secondly, since you have felt to strongly about us putting our house
in order, isn't it about time that you put your own house in order?''

Tyler, however, believes his party's pro-Europe stance will win votes among
farmers. ``Farmers think above all that the Conservative civil war over
Europe will damage their industry,'' he said. ``And they recognize that
theirs in an industry which will benefit from a stable currency
arrangement.''

While politicians argue, the farmers are just struggling to survive. ``If
they were to take away my beef subsidies tomorrow, it wouldn't be a case of
tightening my belt. I wouldn't have a belt,'' Pettyfer said. ``I'd have to
give up farming.''

09:19 04-22-97



Date: Thu, 01 May 1997 23:24:16 -0400
>From: Vegetarian Resource Center <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail]
Subject: soybean prices related to BSE concerns / interests
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Soybeans also drew support from floor sentiment that Wednesday's losses were
unfounded. Soybeans fell on Wednesday after rumors surfaced that an Indiana
man had died of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease.

The Indiana Health Department said it could not confirm the man died of CJD
but said the state has several cases of CJD annually. None have been linked
to any particular source.

Scientists in Britain last year said they may have found a link between some
strains of CJD and Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), the "madcow"
cattle disease.

That news caused a consumer panic in Europe but U.S.

sources have said no such link has been identified in this country. Still,
traders said a scare in the beef industry could limit consumer beef purchases
and lessen demand for livestock feed.

Traders continued to watch developments in Brazil's stevedores strike. Any
disruptions in exports from Paranagua port could attract buyers to the United
States, traders said.

The July/November spread gained 7-1/2 cents to close at $1.54, premium July.

Traders said FCC spread 1.2 million bushels July/November at $1.47 to $1.51,
premium July and Term Commodities spread 800,000 July/November at $1.48 to
$1.50.

On the day, Goldenberg-Hehmeyer bought five million bushels May and one
million July, ADM bought 3.5 million July and Rand Financial and Tenco Inc
each bought three million July, pit sources said.

ABN-AMRO Chicago Corp sold 12 million bushels July and Cargill Inc sold one
million each May and August.

In options trade, Lind-Waldock bought 900 November $7.00 puts and sold 900
November $6.50 puts at 26-1/2 cents.

Soybean volume was estimated by CBOT at 68,000 contracts, compared with
Wednesday's actual volume of 81,900.

((Emily Kaiser 312-408-8749))

16:35 04-17-97



Date: Thu, 01 May 1997 23:24:17 -0400
>From: Vegetarian Resource Center <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail], [e-mail]
Subject: Deaths in Japan linked to Mad Cow
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Mime-Version: 1.0
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By Maggie Fox

LONDON (Reuter) - The HIV virus that causes AIDS could be getting more
aggressive, Italian researchers reported Friday.

A study of nearly 300 people infected with HIV showed those infected after
1989 got sicker faster than those infected before, Dr. Allessandro Sinicco
and colleagues at the University of Turin said.

The virus could be mutating into stronger forms -- and early screening was
thus more important than ever, they said in a report in the British Medical
Journal.

``Our findings suggest possible changes in the course of HIV epidemic in the
1990s and raise intriguing issues on the course of HIV infection,'' they
wrote.

``The emergence of more virulent strains due to multiple biological
mechanisms may be responsible for a more aggressive course of HIV disease in
patients who have recently seroconverted,'' they added.

Seroconversion is when the body develops antibodies to HIV -- usually within
two weeks of initial infection.

If this was true, AIDS experts would have to think about different treatment
strategies, they said.

``In particular, if HIV disease has become more aggressive, more frequent
screening would be essential to identify patients who have just seroconverted
and could benefit from early antretroviral treatment.''

Experts now recommend treating HIV with a cocktail of anti-viral drugs as
soon as the immune system shows damage -- usually measured by counting immune
system cells known as CD4 cells.

Studies show this combination therapy can knock the virus back to
undetectable levels.

Sinicco's study included 285 patients infected with HIV recruited between
September 1985 to January 1995. They included women, drug users, homosexuals,
and a small group with other risk factors.

As the 10-year study progressed, more and more women showed up with HIV, as
did the number of men infected heterosexually.

Patients infected after December 1989 showed faster declines in immune system
function and a quicker build-up of the virus than those infected earlier,
they found.

``Consistent with previous reports, our data show that the first 12 months
after seroconversion are extremely critical for the future course of HIV
disease,'' they wrote.

People who seroconverted after December 1989 lost more CD4 cells every day,
they added.

Those infected later also developed AIDS sooner, Sinicco said.

It could take up to 10 years for those infected in 1985 to develop the
illnesses like pneumonia or Kaposi's sarcoma that define AIDS, while on
average it only took two and a half years for those infected between 1992 and
1995.

10:29 04-24-97



Date: Thu, 01 May 1997 23:24:23 -0400
>From: Vegetarian Resource Center <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: GREENLines Issue#370
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Subject: GREENLines Issue#370

GREENLines, Thurs. May 1, 1997 from GREEN,
the Grassroots Environmental Effectiveness Network,
A project of Defenders of Wildlife.
[phone]x290 or email [e-mail]

SENATE RIDER:  The Senate Approps. Committee yesterday attached a
broad waiver of the ESA for flood control or maintenance activities
onto the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill, according to a
Defenders of Wildlife press release.  Sen. Craig's (R-ID) rider is
similar to Rep. Pombo and Herger's (R-CA) H.R. 478.  "Here we go
again.  The Congress claims it is greener, but attaches a backdoor
rider to an appropriations bill that would devastate the Endangered
Species Act," said DOW President Rodger Schlickeisen.

GRAZING DESTRUCTION:  An archaeological treasure is being threatened
by the Bureau of Land Management's failure to enforce a ban on grazing
in the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area, reports the
Arizona Daily Star.  Area resident Al Anderson has seen the cattle
stray into the area that is protected by an almost nonexistent fence
and destroy valuable artifacts.  "I've been going out there since
1984, and each time the pottery pieces are smaller," said Anderson.  A
U.S. attorney is currently reviewing whether BLM officials are
violating the Archaeological Resources Protection Act and Antiquities
Act

RED ROCK WILDERNESS:  Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) and 103 cosponsors
yesterday reintroduced America's Red Rock Wilderness Act, HR 1500,
according to a Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance press release.  The
bill would designate 5.7 million acres of Utah public land that is
currently being managed by the Bureau of Land Management as
wilderness.  "This is an overwhelming endorsement for the citizen's
proposal for BLM wilderness, from every corner of the country.
Americans want wilderness lands in Utah protected and are sending that
message to congress," said SUWA Executive Director Mike Matz.

KANSAS ESA:  An unusual coalition of Kansas environmentalists,
government officials and agribusiness reps. drafted a state ESA that
was passed into law by the governor last week, reports the Topeka
Capital-Journal.  "The biggest winners in this are all the species out
there that need our help to continue to exist," said Duane Hund, a
task-force member representing landowners.

DUPONT PROTEST:  The  147 member Utah Wilderness Coalition denounced
DuPont's plans for oil drilling within the new Grand Staircase-
Escalante National Monument at the annual DuPont shareholders meeting.
 "We don't believe that DuPont shareholders want a few extra pennies
of profit per share, at the price of destroying America's newest
national monument," said Tom Price of the Southern Utah Wilderness
Alliance in a press release.


==========================================================
Roger Featherstone -- Director
GrassRoots Environmental Effectiveness Network
A project of Defenders of Wildlife
1101 14th St. NW, Suite 1400,  Washington,  DC  20005
[phone] x290  fax:[phone] e-mail:  [e-mail]
check out our web page at:  http://www.defenders.org/grnhome.html
==========================================
For correspondence regarding our listserve and GREENLines
contact: [e-mail]  (NOT [e-mail])
================================


Date: Thu, 01 May 1997 23:24:45 -0400
>From: Vegetarian Resource Center <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail], [e-mail]
Subject: rescue in Cairo
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

[AP, Cairo, Egypt, 31 Aug 1995 CAIRO, Egypt (AP)]
Six people drowned Monday while trying to rescue a chicken
who had fallen into a well in southern Egypt.
An 18-year-old farmer was the first to descend into the 60-foot well.
He drowned, apparently after an undercurrent in the water pulled
him down, police said.    His sister and two brothers, none of whom
could swim well, went in one by one to help him, but also drowned.
Two elderly farmers then came to help, but they apparently were
pulled by the same undercurrent.  The bodies of the six were later
pulled out of the well in the village of Nazlat Imara, 240 miles south
of Cairo.  The chicken was also pulled out.

The chicken survived.   ** yeah for the chicken!! **

Date: Thu, 01 May 1997 23:29:09 -0400
>From: allen schubert <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Book: "McLibel: Burger Culture on Trial"
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
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