Bush buys Beef Association endorsement, at what cost?

This article from the New York Times (so remember to use this password for NYT)
After a case of mad cow disease surfaced in Washington State late last year, federal regulators vowed to move swiftly to adopt rules to reduce the risks of further problems and restore confidence in the nation's meat industry.

Some rules were adopted this year. But a few weeks ago, the Food and Drug Administration, after heavy lobbying from the beef and feed industries, took steps to delay - and to the concern of food safety groups, possibly kill - completion of the most controversial and perhaps most expensive proposal for cattle companies.

That proposal would sharply restrict what could be included in animal feed. Shortly after the administration slowed its consideration of the rule, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association broke its nonpartisan tradition and endorsed President Bush for re-election.

NOTE: Remember if you're going to eat beef, seek out responsible producers such as Niman Ranch. Here's a link, and here's another one, for sites you can go to that help you locate responsible producers of agricultural products in your area.