Market analysts say bans on French beef are likely following a confirmed case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (in-sef-o-lop-athy), otherwise known as BSE or mad cow disease. The World Organization for Animal Health raised the BSE risk assessment for France recently from the lowest risk level, which seems likely to force other countries to consider purchasing beef elsewhere. A market analysist told Bloomberg it is only a matter of time before some importers stop buying beef from the country, which will weigh on prices and hurt farmer revenues. The change in risk status means some parts of slaughtered cows previously processed for non-food use, such as bone meal, will now be incinerated, according to the French agriculture ministry.
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