BRIDPORT, Vt. -
Top health leaders are reassuring people that U.S. beef and dairy are safe.
It comes after a case of mad cow disease was discovered in California. While leaders are reassuring safety, they're waiting to see how the news will impact consumers.
Mad cow disease is deadly to cows and can cause a fatal brain disease in people who eat tainted beef.
At the Wagner Ranch in Bridport, Vermont, Phil Wagner watches over a herd of 56 cows. This third-generation rancher has a lot of questions after the discovery of mad cow in California.
"How did this happen? How did it get here? How do I protect my herd?" says Wagner.
Wagner is likely not alone. He expects many of the owners of Vermont's 1,300 dairy and beef farms are concerned, not just about their herds but about their profits.
"The price of beef right now is very high and scares like this will make that price drop very quickly and it may take quite a while to recover from that," says Wagner.
"Vermont meat, Vermont milk is certainly the safest that it is in the world," says Dan Connor, Vermont Beef Council executive director.
Connor's claim is backed up by the state. Vermont's agriculture department says tests have never found mad cow disease in the state.
The department says those tests should continue, from the slaughter house to the fields, to make sure Vermont's herds are safe.
"We have farmers that recognize that the number one asset that they have is their livestock," says Connor.
The beef council says beef prices have already fallen. But they have recovered a bit and they still expect them to fully bounce back.
