You Can't Be Too Careful - Literally

Reason is reporting that the USDA is trying to stop a private meat company from testing all of its cows for Mad Cow disease. The Bush Administration is apparently on the USDA's side. The company wanted to test 100% of its meat in order to be able to market the meat as perfectly safe and gain a competitive advantage.

"Larger meat companies feared that move because, if Creekstone tested its meat and advertised it as safe, they might have to perform the expensive test, too."

"The USDA says it fears false positives, which are presumably a risk of any testing the agency [performs] as well."

So, in other words, we forbid you to be too safe. It is better for the public that not all the meat get tested than that we get false positives.