Fourth Case of BSE Confirmed in California Dairy Cow

USDA Chief Veterinary Officer John Clifford  released the following statement on the detection of BSE in the United States:

"As part of our targeted surveillance system, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed the nation's fourth case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in a dairy cow from central California. The carcass of the animal is being held under State authority at a rendering facility in California and will be destroyed. It was never presented for slaughter for human consumption, so at no time presented a risk to the food supply or human health. Additionally, milk does not transmit BSE."
 

Finalist for the Best Dish in NC Announced
 

Twenty-five restaurants have been selected to compete this summer in the Best Dish in North Carolina competition sponsored by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and Our State magazine.
 

The finalists will represent one of two regions within the state in either the fine or casual dining category.
 

Representing the Eastern Piedmont/Coastal region are: Gravy Italian-American Kitchen of Raleigh; Sitti Restaurant of Raleigh; Rhett’s Restaurant, Personal Chef and Catering of Southern Pines; Market Restaurant of Raleigh; Bull Street Gourmet & Market of Durham; Angelina’s Kitchen of Pittsboro; Bald Head Island Club Restaurant of Bald Head Island; Catch of Wilmington; and Tonali of Durham.

Representing the Western Piedmont/Mountain region are: Pleasant City Wood Fired Grille of Shelby; Bistro 42 of Asheboro; HomeGrown of Asheville; Curate of Asheville; Sunny Point Café of Asheville; Off the Square of Albemarle; Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen of Greensboro; Spring House Restaurant, Kitchen & Bar of Winston-Salem; Vidalia Restaurant and Wine Bar of Boone; Red Stag Grill of Asheville; Season’s at Highland Lake Inn of Flat Rock; Marisol of Greensboro; Westglow Resort and Spa of Blowing Rock; Gallery Restaurant of Charlotte; Crippen’s Country Inn & Restaurant of Blowing Rock; and Mast Farm Inn of Valle Crucis.

The full release from the NC department of AG is here:
 

Consumer Confidence Remains Flat
 

Consumer confidence is little changed this month, despite the high cost of gasoline and steady decline in home prices. The Conference Board says its consumer sentiment index stands at 69.2, down slightly from a downwardly revised 69.5 in March. Lynn Franco the Director of Consumer Research Center at the Conference Board says people are seeing positives signs out there.