ITALIAN BOVINES POSITIVE TO

UNCLAS ROME 000590 SIPDIS STATE PASS USDA FOR FAS/CMP/DLP/SINDELARE CMP/G&F/RIEMENSCHNEIDER; CMP/COT/LBLUM ITP/EAMED/MACKE/RICHEY OFSTS/LHARBERT/APHIS/ATORRES STATE PASS USTR BRUSSELS ALSO FOR USEU - GENEVA FOR USTR, ALSO AGRICULTURE MILAN FOR PRINCIPAL OFFICER UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 ROME 00590 061634Z FLORENCE FOR PRINCIPAL OFFICER NAPLES FOR PRINCIPAL OFFICER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAGR ETRD EU IT EUN SUBJECT: ITALIAN BOVINES POSITIVE TO BOLDENONE HORMONE ¶1. MORE THAN 20,000 BOVINES, ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY CALVES, WERE FOUND POSITIVE TO BOLDENONE STEROID HORMONES AND SEIZED IN 50 CATTLE FARMS BY THE ANTI-ADULTERATION UNITS OF ITALY'S CARABINIERI. ¶2. THE INVESTIGATION WAS STARTED IN DECEMBER 2001 WITHIN THE NATIONAL RESIDUE CONTROL PROGRAM CONDUCTED BY THE ITALIAN VETERINARIAN SERVICE OF MINISTRY OF HEALTH. THE OPERATION, WITH RAIDS AT FARMS, FEED-PRODUCTION COMPANIES AND VETERINARY PRACTICES IN SEVERAL NORTHERN ITALIAN REGIONS, LOMBARDIA, PIEMONTE, VENETO, FRIULI, EMILIA-ROMAGNA, STILL CONTINUES AND COULD INVOLVE MORE ANIMAL AND PEOPLE. ACCORDING TO THE ITALIAN VETERINARIAN SERVICE, BOLDENONE WAS IMPORTED FROM THE U.S. AND ILLEGALLY USED TO INCREASE THE SIZE OF MUSCLES. ONCE TEST IS CONFIRMED POSITIVE, ANIMALS WILL BE DESTROYED. CONFIRMATION TESTS HAVE BEEN DONE FOR MANY ANIMALS AND RESULTS WERE POSITIVE. HOWEVER, ANIMALS HAVE UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 ROME 00590 061634Z NOT YET BEEN DESTROYED BECAUSE THEORETICALLY BOLDENONE COULD ALSO BE NATURALLY PRESENT IN FEED. ITALIAN VETERINARIAN SERVICES ARE DOING A SURVEY ON THIS ISSUE. THEY WOULD APPRECIATE ANY INFORMATION FROM THE U.S. ¶3. ALTHOUGH ILLEGAL HORMONE USE IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE CRIME, THE CHARGE OF ADULTERATING FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION IS CONSIDERED A CRIMINAL ACTION AND INVOLVED PEOPLE RISK PRISON. ¶4. NO CONNECTION EXISTS WITH AN HORMONE TRAFFIC BETWEEN SPAIN AND ITALY REPORTED IN NOVEMBER 2001. SEMBLER UNCLASSIFIED > 2002ROME00590 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED