WASHINGTON (AP) - The only U.S. facility allowed to research the highly contagious foot-and-mouth disease experienced several accidents with the feared virus, the Bush administration acknowledged Friday.

A 1978 release of the virus into cattle holding pens on Plum Island, N.Y., triggered new safety procedures. While that incident was previously known, the Homeland Security Department told a House committee there were other accidents inside the government’s laboratory.

The accidents are significant because the administration is likely to move foot-and-mouth research from the remote island to one of five sites on the U.S. mainland near livestock herds. This has raised concerns about the risks of a catastrophic outbreak of the disease, which does not sicken humans but can devastate the livestock industry.

Skeptical Democratic leaders of the House Energy and Commerce Committee demanded to see internal documents from the administration that they believe highlight the risks and consequences of moving the research. The live virus has been confined to Plum Island for more than a half-century to keep it far from livestock.

Full Story Here:
Accidents at Disease Lab Acknowledged

Did any of you ever see the movie or read the novel The Stand by Stephen King??

That’s what this is you know, the only difference being, they are experimenting with cattle, or so they say, and we ALL know the government always tells us the absolute truth, about everything, they have nothing to hide and have our best interest and well-being in their hearts and minds…

But what if they really were doing ‘other’ experiments?? Do you suppose they would tell us if there was a critical ‘leak’ and some ‘killer bug’ got out??

Of course I’m not serious, I trust the U.S. government unquestioningly , but it’s things like this that give folks like Stephen King the inspiration to write the novels and stories they do…