An 鈥渙utbreak鈥 of mad cow disease in Japan has so far cost the country
$500 million per infected cow, or $1.5 billion in total (200
billion yen). Despite only three confirmed cases, the country鈥檚 farmers and food
outlets are racking up huge losses, says the agriculture minister, Tsutomu
Takebe. Butchers鈥 shops hit by consumer panic accounted for almost half the
losses, with the remainder split between farmers and Korean barbecue
restaurants. The government has softened the farmers鈥 losses with subsidies.
Japan鈥檚 first confirmed BSE case was in September, and two cows have tested
positive since.
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Technology
Test moderators use AI-generated writing to judge literacy standards
News
Mind
THC in cannabis may reduce nightmares in people with PTSD
News
Environment
Fishers detonate a bomb every hour on one Indonesian coral reef
News
Environment
How bad is the UK drought and how long will it continue?
News
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles