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Federal agents went to a farm early Wednesday to seize sheep

Source: AP
Published: 3/21/2001 Author: AP

GREENSBORO, Vt. (AP)

Federal agents went to a farm early Wednesday to seize sheep feared infected with a version of the mad cow disease.

Houghton Freeman's flock of 233 sheep is one of two that has been at the center of a storm of protests since the U.S. Department of Agriculture ordered that they be seized and destroyed. The department says the sheep, imported from Belgium, could be carrying a disease akin to mad cow disease.

Ed Curlett of the USDA, speaking from the Freeman farm, confirmed the seizure was under way. Inspectors arrived between 6 a.m. and 6:30 and trucks arrived around two hours later, he said.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Countryside are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Countryside or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

-- William in Wi (gnarledmaw@lycos.com), March 21, 2001

Answers

Vermont Sheep May Have Mad Cow
By Wilson Ring
Associated Press Writer

Wednesday, March 21, 2001; 8:41 a.m. EST

GREENSBORO, Vt. –– Federal agents went to a farm early Wednesday to seize sheep feared infected with a version of the mad cow disease.

Houghton Freeman's flock of 233 sheep is one of two that has been at the center of a storm of protests since the U.S. Department of Agriculture ordered that they be seized and destroyed. The department says the sheep, imported from Belgium, could be carrying a disease akin to mad cow disease.

Ed Curlett of the USDA, speaking from the Freeman farm, confirmed the seizure was under way. Inspectors arrived between 6 a.m. and 6:30 and trucks arrived around two hours later, he said.

The sheep are to be taken to federal laboratories in Iowa for scientists there to take samples from their brains to study. They will eventually be slaughtered.

"We intend to collect the sheep," Curlett said. "We are very grateful for the owner's cooperation."

The other disputed flock, 140 sheep, is owned by Larry and Linda Faillace of Warren. They were to be seized later, and they will receive notice the night before the seizure, as Freeman did, Curlett said.

The seizure at the Freeman farm came one day after supporters of the owners held the latest in a series of protests, marching to the Vermont offices of the three members of the state's congressional delegation. All three have supported the seizure.

The government says the sheep may have been exposed to mad cow disease through contaminated feed before they were imported from Europe in 1996. The owners say the sheep are healthy and the tests are not conclusive. They have urged that the sheep be studied and tested more extensively. After losing their case in U.S. District Court in February, the Faillaces and Freeman appealed to the federal circuit court and asked that the seizure order be put on hold until the case had worked its way through the courts.

The circuit court refused to stay the seizure order last week but said it would hear the appeal.

The USDA maintains that four of the sheep culled from Freeman's flock showed signs of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy. That is a class of neurological diseases that includes both bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease, and scrapie, a sheep disease that is not harmful to humans.

The government says the sheep may have been exposed to mad cow disease through contaminated feed before they were imported from Europe in 1996, and have quarantined the sheep since 1998.

The human version of BSE, which like the animal version has a lengthy incubation period, has killed almost 100 people in Great Britain since 1995, when it virtually wiped out the British beef industry.

© Copyright 2001 The Associated Press

-- William in Wi (gnarledmaw@lycos.com), March 21, 2001.

This is a bunch of Gov .crap .The sheep where not endangering anything .The owners where willing to do whatever testing the usda wanted .Just another example of "our free country"

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@slic.com), March 21, 2001.

Ditto Patty!

-- Novina in ND (lamb@stellarnet.com), March 21, 2001.

Ditto from here too. With all the H&MD news and the prion disease fearmongering we've been debating how far we'd go to defend our sheep if the govt came for them "as a precaution". How many of you out there feel that you would take up arms for your animals lives?

-- David C (fleece@eritter.net), March 21, 2001.

Dave I think I would,they mean more to me then "just" stock,they are our food and $ makers and part of my way of life.

-- renee oneill{md.} (oneillsr@home.com), March 21, 2001.

"The human version of BSE, which like the animal version has a lengthy incubation period, has killed almost 100 people in Great Britain since 1995, when it virtually wiped out the British beef industry."

Let's see, 100 cases of vCJD in six years. British population is about 60M. So that would be about 16 cases a year or 1:4M. CJD occurs naturally in about 1:1M.

"...virtually wiped out the British beef industry." Come on. Beef sales in Britian has recovered to levels before MCD. It was still a thriving industry - and about 90% of the impact was on the dairy industry.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), March 21, 2001.

Ditto everybody.... Now... is it the 'government,' as in Feds, or the 'government' as in Judge?? I think that since the sheep were quarantined for two years, it would be rather obvious that testing should be preferred to slaughter.

I'm about as anti-government these days as a body can get. But what would we expect... We put these folks in office, judge included. We have to get them back out.

Whatever happened to due process of law??? Wouldn't that mean that the USDA couldn't sieze the sheep until AFTER the next hearings???? Even without a stay of the order??? Or is it that they can't kill them till after???? Either way.... FED 1, Freeman and Faillaces ZIP. Typical.

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), March 21, 2001.

I just saw the feds on tv, loading the sheep. All the sheep had a red mark on their foreheads. I wonder if that means "Shoot here" or "This way to brain". The voice-over on tv said the animals were going to be held for testing, but who knows, really.

-- melina b. (goatgalmjb1@hotmail.com), March 21, 2001.

If anyone is interested, look at the website of the Fallices, one of the 2 sheepowners in Vermont whose sheep were seized. www.saveoursheep.org/ The farm history tells how the USDA initially helped get the sheep here. Also, the third eyelid test for scrapie, a sophisticated test required of sheepto be part of the Federal Scrapie Indemification program was just completed on the Faillices sheep and ALL of the sheep were negative. Why did the USDA feel they had to seize these sheep now, before the hearing at the 2nd circuit federal court on April 10th? On March 10, Linda Deitweiller, a spokesperson with the USDA said they would wait until after the hearing,so why the sudden turnaround? Kate, a struggling sheepfarmer in New York

-- Kate henderson (kate@sheepyvalley.com), March 21, 2001.

Take up arms against the government to defend your animals?Get real.This way both you and the animals get very dead very quickly. FBI and ATF Gestapo would love it as witnessed by Waco and Ruby Ridge. Use your head and find a hiding place now.Should be easy to hide at least the babies if it comes to that.Wonder what they plan to do about deer,wild hogs,wild goats,elk etc,etc.?

-- JT (gone2seed@hotmail.com), March 21, 2001.

The article says brain tissue will be tested, and they will be killed eventually. How humane... Take the tissue THEN slaughter them. Isn't it supposed to be the other way around??!!! Flo

-- Flo (floway@telenet.net), March 21, 2001.

They take them, kill them, and then test them. And then they will have to make something up, lie, because there is no way they will admit they killed 373 sheep for nothing. What a sad day for both families.

-- Cindy in Ky (solidrockranch@hotmail.com), March 22, 2001.

It's a sad day for the whole country .Kate has kept me updated , I have made phone calls to the Gov , usda and such along with 1,000"s of others .They don't care .I'm affraid one day we will be no better than China or Russia .The Gov . can't figure out why all these "anti gov" groups start .Well here's another good example.Our forfathers gave there lives for our freedom and it's slipping away without most people even noticing . When will we all wake up ?

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@slic.com), March 22, 2001.

According to the Bangor Daily News this morning, those sheep are being transported to Iowa for testing and slaughter. My question is if they are such a threat to the whole country, why are they taking them across country? None of this case sounds right.

-- Epona (crystalepona2000@yahoo.com), March 22, 2001.

The last I new they where going to NY

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@slic.com), March 22, 2001.

Hate to say it, but I'm with JT.... No arms... Our government hasn't cared about what "We the People" think for a long, long time. They certainly aren't going to listen to a thousand 'loud mouths' intent (in THEIR eyes) on nothing but making trouble. This isn't anything new folks....

Kate - thanks for the site - its up and just waiting for me to finish this note!!!

Patty.... Yes, yes it IS a sad day - one of many in recent years.

But... Its up to us to NOT stop "making trouble"... the people of this country have got to take responsibility for the allowances to our government. We have watched this coming for a long time, and few of us spoke up... Few voted... Most complain to no one except friends and family. Its our own d****d fault - and WE are the only ones who can change things.

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), March 22, 2001.

3/23/01. I live very near these sheep farms and the feds took the Falliaces sheep today. Some protesters were there. Remember this country is no longer a democractic but a facist government.

-- Stephen Tracy (oleoacresvt@yahoo.com), March 23, 2001.

Sheep? What sheep? I don't raise sheep. I raise Irish water spaniels that have cloven feet (rare genetic mutation.) I'm letting everyone know just in case anyone was wondering...

-- spanielish (WA) (rborgo@gte.net), March 24, 2001.

What can we do to help these farmers? I know that the gov probably won't compensate the real value, but could we do something to help? Like donate some stock to replace what they have lost? I know that proper sterilization would have to be done (or whatever, Lord knows I am no expert on this), but something could be done. What do you guys and ladies think?

-- Cindy (colawson@mindspring.com), March 24, 2001.

Until this is all settled, I don't believe the Faillices themselves know where they are headed. Awhile ago they talked of maybe getting into some sort of organic vegetable farming. And honestly, I think they would be afraid to ever have any type of livestock there again for fear the USDA might resurface and seize the new ones, as well, on the premise that they are on contaminated grounds. I myself would not trust the USDA at this stage. Do you think anyone will ever hear how all the testing turns out? Not likely.

-- Kate henderson (kate@sheepyvalley.com), March 24, 2001.

If , I repeat, if it was necessary to seize these livestock for testing, why transport them across the country in ordinary cattle trailers? Have none of these learned Government officials ever followed a livestock trailer down a highway? Do they think they have 'contained' a problem. You know that the bedding in that trailer has blown everywhere from Vermont to Iowa. Yeah, that should help make us feel better.

-- Jackie NE TX (jlynne@neto.com), March 25, 2001.

As to the offer to send the Fallaices new sheep they were quoted on the news here in VT that they are considering giving up farming altogether due to the government. I think they are quite hurt and in shock still and may change their minds later. We'll see.

-- Stephen Tracy (oleoacresvt@yahoo.com), March 26, 2001.