...and yes, we should be very much concerned.

About what? The only know method for bovines to acquire this disease is through eating processed animal parts as a feed additive. This has not occured for over five years. The animal in question was a 6 year old Canadian born dairy cow. Few dairy and beef cattle are allowed to live much longer than that.

The only known method for humans to contract the disease is through eating meat which has been contaminated with brain or spinal tissue. Slaughter processes have been revised to prevent that from happening. Stepped up random inspections to insure the processes are adherred to would be cost effective.

The creation of a billion dollar bureaucracy to solve this very low risk problem is like using a cannon to kill a fly. A far more sensible approach would be to prevent the human consumption of meat from the 139,000 "downer cows" that are slaughtered each year. There are over 300 million cattle slaughtered in the USA each year -- far more than in all of Europe.

You run a far greater risk of death from a myriad of sources every time you step out your door. Are you demanding a federal progam to protect you from all those risks, too?