"Today, Canada announced a case of BSE in a 50 month old animal from Alberta. While the United States and Canada have a strong system in place to protect animal and human health, the diagnosis of BSE in an animal born roughly four and half years after the implementation of the 1997 ruminant-to-ruminant feed ban does raise questions that must be answered.

"We need a thorough understanding of all the circumstances involved in this case to assure our consumers that Canada's regulatory system is effectively providing the utmost protections to consumers and livestock. I am dispatching a USDA expert to participate in the investigation of this case, particularly as it relates to how this animal may have been exposed to BSE infected material. We have been assured by our Canadian counterparts that they welcome having our experts participate side-by-side with their investigators."