Mad cow disease, which was discovered in Washington state in December 2003, raised immediate concerns about the safety of the beef supply in the U.S. The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration have taken some steps to increase inspection of cattle herds and reform animal feeding.

However, a national survey conducted by Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports, indicates high levels of concern and a desire for the government to do more. The online survey of 1,085 adults was conducted in mid-January 2004. Ninety-five percent of respondents said they eat beef.

Most beef-eaters said they would pay more at the supermarket to support testing cattle to be sure they are free of mad cow disease or to get beef certified as safe.

• Overall, 71 percent of beef-eaters said they are willing to pay more to support testing of cattle. Two-thirds of beef-eaters from the Midwest and West, the main cattle-raising regions, said they would pay more--as much as 10 cents more per pound for testing.

• Seventy-seven percent of the beef-eaters said they would pay more for beef certified as being free of mad cow disease, if certified and noncertified meat were available at the supermarket.

• Most respondents favored a broad, open government response to future outbreaks of mad cow disease. For example, 58 percent strongly agreed that the USDA should test all cows at slaughter for the disease. Close to 80 percent strongly agreed that the government should make public the names of stores and restaurants that sold the contaminated meat.

• Eighty-nine percent strongly agreed that the USDA should be able to recall contaminated meat (present rules allow the agency only to encourage voluntary recalls).

• Seventy-nine percent strongly agreed that the government should prohibit feeding animal remains to cattle.