Mainichi reports, 505 more cows found shipped after being fed tainted straw The case of rice straw contaminated with Cesium 137 has escalated everyday for a week. Now, an additional 505 cows fed contaminated rice straw in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, have been found shipped to market, despite the Japanese government's bans on feeding contaminated straw to cows, and sending contaminated cows to market. According to Kyoto News, this brings the total number cows suspected of contamination to 648.
FUKUSHIMA (Kyodo) -- More cows were confirmed Monday to have been shipped after being fed rice straw contaminated with radioactive cesium, with 411 from seven farms in Fukushima Prefecture and 24 from a farm in Niigata Prefecture.
Also on Monday, it was confirmed that 70 cows from four farms in Yamagata Prefecture were shipped within the prefecture and to Tokyo after being fed with rice straw suspected of being similarly contaminated.
On Monday, the prefectural government of Fukushima said seven more farms fed their beef cattle the rice straw, while the Niigata prefectural government said it has detected elevated levels of radioactive cesium from straw produced in Miyagi Prefecture and given to cattle at two farms, one of which has already shipped the 24 cows.
Concerned Consumers Examine Beef
The straw at a farm in Motomiya, Fukushima Prefecture was found to contain the isotope measuring 690,000 becquerels per kilogram -- far above allowable limits and the highest concentration found so far in the current turmoil.
The straw found to contain the isotope measuring 690,000 becquerels per kg at the farm in Motomiya was gathered after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant was crippled by the March 11 quake and tsunami. ...
Six of the seven farms said they were unaware of the government notice asking them not to feed their livestock with cattle feed stored outside. The remaining farm said it knew about the notice but did not see a problem because it purchased the straw from a dealer. ...
The Niigata prefectural government said it has detected elevated levels of radioactive cesium from straw stored at two farms in Nagaoka, measuring up to 20,600 becquerels per kg. ...
The health ministry has said it would not affect health if consumers ate for several times the beef with levels of radioactive cesium greater than the government-set limit.
Japanese consumers are demanding that the government take more aggressive steps to protect the food supplies. Most of the measures so far rely on voluntary compliance, and the honor system, which is proving to be inadequate.
I have not found any reports of contaminated chickens, pigs, or other farm animals. Nor, any reports about the final disposition of the contaminated vegetables banned for sale from the Prefectures with high Cesium 137 levels.
If we have so many reports of contaminated rice straw being fed to cows, should we not also suspect other vegetables? What became of the rice that used to be attached to this straw? Is it plausible to imagine the rice was thrown away, but the less valuable straw sold?
Also, these testing programs seem haphazard, and ad hoc. I hope we see quick improvements from the Japanese Government, for the sake of the Japanese people.
As always, how hearts go out to the Japanese people who are still suffering from the devastating earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster on March 11, 2011.