Talk of foot and mouth disease could have cost $50 million

05/04/2002
Demand is growing for an inquiry into a recent unfounded rumour of an outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in northeast Kansas after prices for market cattle plummeted. Kansas Attorney General Carla Stovall is asking for a federal investigation into the incident, which some estimate could have cost the industry up to $50 million.

Several other US states are calling for an investigation into the rumour along with the National Cattlemen's Beef Association and other interested parties. In the US it is the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) which has the power to look into cases of alleged price manipulation.