December 1, 2000

Dr. Bob R. Hillman, President
United States Animal Health Association
Idaho Department of Agriculture
2270 Old Penitentiary Road
Boise, Idaho 83712

Dear Dr. Hillman:

We are writing to express our disappointment with actions taken at the 2000 USAHA meeting to rescind PARA's two resolutions.

Since May of 1997 PARA has repeatedly requested that the responsible agencies of the U.S. Government take precautionary measures to ensure the protection of the public health by requiring that our food supply be free from MAP. Delegates from PARA have attended the 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 USAHA conventions, and we have addressed the National Johne's Working Group and/or Johne's Disease Committee each year.

At this year's USAHA convention in Birmingham, Alabama, we once again addressed the Johne's Disease Committee, expressing our concerns and urging USAHA to act responsibly on this issue. Apparently the Committee was influenced by these presentations, and members of this Committee decided to act responsibly in the interest of public health by voting in favor of the two resolutions submitted by PARA: Resolution No. 12, "Assessment of Ground Beef Contamination," and Resolution No. 13, "Testing of Retail Milk." (See enclosed.) The Johne's Disease Committee members are to be commended for endorsing these resolutions and once again submitting them to the USAHA membership for approval.

Unfortunately, however, when these resolutions were presented to the USAHA membership on Thursday, October 26, 2000, they were disapproved, just as they were in 1999. These resolutions passed the Johne's Disease Committee unanimously in 1999, yet were rejected by USAHA membership three days later. The reason cited for rejection of these resolutions in 1999 was: "During the discussions of these resolutions, there was much concern about the feasibility of end-product testing of milk and meat for an organism that science has not confirmed as being the cause of Crohn's in humans, and the usage of this information." In other words, you were more concerned with public reaction than with protection of the public health.

We were greatly disappointed in 1999 when this happened, to our surprise. This year, however, we were fully prepared for what transpired. As explanation, for the record, we would like to state some important facts. Just hours before the Johne's Disease Committee meeting began on October 23, 2000, PARA was informed that these resolutions would not be passed by the USAHA membership, even if they were passed by the Johne's Disease Committee. This message came from some members of USAHA's Executive Committee and key members of USAHA.

We were warned that there were individuals on the Johne's Disease Committee who would oppose them this year, and it was quite unlikely they would even be passed out of that committee, and if they were, most certainly they would not be passed by USAHA.

We were told that there were several reasons why these resolutions would not be passed: (1) The background information was insufficient; (2) USAHA was "not ready" for such action; (3) The Johne's Disease Committee would "offend" the Executive Committee of USAHA by submitting the same resolutions that were submitted in 1999. Furthermore, we were urged to withdraw the resolutions, and instead, wait yet another year and negotiate the terms of the resolutions at next year's USAHA meeting.

We, of course, ignored these admonitions and stated in no uncertain terms that we were resolved to put forth the resolutions as is, and that whatever transpired would be a matter of record. We will never compromise the health of people for the sake of politics.

Dr. Hillman, we can assure you that Crohn's disease sufferers were "not ready" to be struck down in the prime of life with a disease that would forever alter the course of their lives. It is incomprehensible that we would agree to wait yet another year to "negotiate" these resolutions. Tens of thousands of children and young people are diagnosed every year with Crohn's disease. Time is of the essence. Indeed, we are the ones who are "offended" by the actions of USAHA.

We have yet to get an explanation in writing from any official at USAHA as to the reasons cited for rejection of these resolutions in 2000. Therefore, we request a written explanation from you, Dr. Hillman, as soon as possible. You not only owe this explanation to PARA, but you owe it to the American public.

For the past four years, USAHA has chosen to ignore warnings from PARA that the day could come when Crohn's patients will call the dairy and beef industries to account for their actions/failure to act. In rescinding these resolutions, USAHA may believe that it is buying some economic advantage for producers. But that advantage could be short-lived. As speaker Paul Strandberg, of the Minnesota State Attorney General's Office, warned the Johne's Disease Committee in 1998, cover-up tactics could get one on "60 Minutes" in the middle of a media circus. Truth will always prevail, like it or not.

Consider, if it is proven that MAP is causing Crohn's disease, how badly would the dairy industry be damaged if mothers were to find out that the milk they give their babies contains bacteria that have been implicated in a devastating disease? Similarly, if it is proven that MAP is causing Crohn's disease, how badly would the beef industry be hurt if it were proven that Happy Meal hamburgers contain a human pathogen?

Finally consider, if it is proven that MAP is causing Crohn's disease, how angry consumers would likely become if they come to believe that the beef and dairy industries had good scientific reason to be concerned about the potential safety of their products, and yet they had failed to take any precautionary measures, and further, that they had failed to support research to determine whether viable MAP enter the human food chain through dairy and beef products.

We would like to point out that during the congressional hearings this year concerning the Firestone tire issue, the pivotal question was not: "Why are the tires bad?" Rather, the question was: "WHEN did you know there was a risk to consumers?"

The dairy and beef industries can never claim that they were not sufficiently warned about the potential impending crisis. The consequences for these industries could be catastrophic if it is proven that the industries had good reason to suspect a potential problem with their products, and yet, although it was within their power to exercise the precautionary principle to protect the children of this nation, the industries, nevertheless, chose not to do so.

We at PARA are saddened that USAHA has once again chosen to be part of the problem rather than part of the solution. Your actions have undoubtedly contributed to the PUBLIC BETRAYAL that has taken place surrounding the debate on the MAP/Crohn's disease issue.

We await your response to this letter.

Sincerely,

Karen Meyer
Co-Executive Director for Board of Directors
/km

Enclosures:
Resolution No. 12 - "Assessment of Ground Beef Contamination"
Resolution No. 13 - "Testing of Retail Milk"

cc: Dr. R. H. McCapes - Certified Mail
Dr. Ernest Zirkle - Certified Mail
Dr. H. M. Chaddock - Certified Mail
Dr. Max Lea, Jr. - Certified Mail
Mr. Bob Frost - Certified Mail
Dr. J. Lee Alley - Certified Mail
Dr. Wesley H. Towers - Certified Mail
Dr. Jones W. Bryan - Certified Mail
Dr. Larry L. Williams - Certified Mail
Dr. Richard E. Breitmeyer - Certified Mail
Dr. William Hartmann, Chair - Johne's Disease Committee
Dr. Christine Rossiter, Co-Chair - Johne's Disease Committee
Secretary of Department of Health & Human Services, Donna Shalala
Secretary of United States Department of Agriculture - Dan E. Glickman
Honorable Dennis J. Kucinich, Congressman