You have all heard about the single cow that seems to be confirmed to have had mad cow disease. One cow is obviously not enough to justify a change in consumer response to beef, but I am sure it will. That's the way people are, after all. They don't tend to consider these kinds of issues until they are confronted head on by them. And now with one report of a sick cow, people are paying attention.

We are told that cattle cannot pass this illness on from cow to cow. Yet, we heard that to calm public concern, many innocent and healthy cows will likely be destroyed because they have a distant pass that was intertwined with the sole sick bovine. That is what public reaction is all about: more reaction, less facts.

We need to realize that people tend to over react. And we need to show that pro-active steps are being taken to calm the public. That is why a cattle tracking system is important.

At least one major beef processor agrees. The nation's third-largest beef supplier signed a multimillion-dollar contract for a high tech cattle-tracking system. Relying on satellites and retinal scans, the company will be able to locate cows in the event that problems arise. According to published reports, the new deal was sped up after the mad cow disease scare surfaced in the U.S.

A New York Senator recommends a cradle to grave program for all cattle, and I agree with him. Under such a program, we would know where a cow was born, raised, and, became brisket or ribs. Everything would be documented throughout the life cycle, and hence the term: cradle to grave.

We already do this with hazardous waste and medical waste in the United States. Documents called "manifests" track waste from generation, through transportation, through storage and to disposal.

Cattle should, in my opinion be treated in the same manner. If a cow is found to be ill we can know where it came from and what other cows were in the same environment. This would allow for targetted responses if a problem should occur, rather than mass hysteria which makes no sense and hurts many.

Opponents say what they always do: this costs money. But market disruptions and price spikes costs much more. I am confident that Americans will pay a little more for beef knowing that this tracking system is in place.

Tracking has worked well in the areas of hazardous and medical waste. The forms are readily available and problems can therefore be promptly detected and fixed.

I suspect some are afraid of tracking because they don't want to be falsely accused or dragged into lawsuits. To that I say that exemplary practices, which are well documented, should respond to such concerns. I would imagine that insurance would respond as well, although this must be verified.

This is a major beef consuming nation. A problem was recently identified and I believe that tracking will be part of a smart solution. At least one Senator believes the same. I hope that readers contact their Congresspeople and urge that they support such a proposal.

The information provided in this column is written by Stuart Lieberman,a practicing environmental attorney, and is for general information purposes only. It is not legal advice and should not be used in place of legal advice.

Stuart Lieberman, Esq., and IRED.Com, Inc., will not accept any responsibilty for any reliance on the information in this column or any damages whatsoever resulting from reading this column.