Europe's concerns about foot-and-mouth disease, like its concerns about mad cow disease, are not shared in South America, which has some of the largest cattle herds in the world. The free-range herds do not eat imported animal products. So they are not likely to catch mad cow disease. Foot-and-mouth disease is prevalent in parts of South America but it is controlled by vaccination programs. Brazil cannot export its beef to regions free of foot-and-mouth, but people in Brazil enjoy their steak dinners more than ever.
Copyright 2001 NPR
