Our job is to ensure that meat and poultry products are safe, wholesome, accurately labeled for the benefit of the American consumers, and to make sure that they are in compliance with all federal laws.

Today, we can tell people we have a testing process and facilities in place on a nationwide basis.

The world is really figuring BSE out, and that's positive.

When one cow was found with BSE in 2003, many of our trading partners closed their borders to our beef.

Producers are so much better-educated in issues related to terrorism.

People enjoy our meat and our poultry, as I do as a consumer.

We asked ourselves and the world to base decisions on good science, and I really believe the United States can be the leader in delivering that message to our international trading partners.