Posted on 02/18/2007 11:19:31 AM PST by blam
Feds to Toughen Meat, Poultry Inspection
Sunday February 18, 2007 6:46 PM
By LIBBY QUAID
AP Food and Farm Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - The first major changes to food inspection in a decade will increase federal scrutiny of meat and poultry plants where the danger from E. coli and other germs is high or where past visits have found unsafe practices.
The new policy will result in fewer inspections at plants with lower risks and better records for handling meat and poultry.
``We're just putting resources where the risk is greatest, and those plants that demonstrate excellent control will get less of our resources,'' said Richard Raymond, the Agriculture Department's top food safety official.
To decide the level of scrutiny a plant should get, the ``risk-based'' system will consider the type of product and the plant's record of food safety violations.
A plant that makes hamburger and has repeated violations would get more inspection. A plant that makes cooked, canned ham and has a clean track record would get less scrutiny.
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
Hamburger should only be made from muscle meat (not nerves, marrow, organs, etc.). Tagline.
ping
``One of the concerns is that this is simply an effort to save money in a tight budget year,'' said Caroline Smith DeWaal, food safety director at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. ``We want to make sure a budget shortfall is not what's driving these important inspection decisions.''
Nothing said by anyone from CSPI can be trusted.
"He claims it's going to save lives - how is that actually going to happen?"
Good question. My answer? It won't. Follow the money, same as we do with any "new & improved" regulation of this, that or the other thing.
You should see the facilities our local slaughterhouse has reserved for the inspector. Parking, changing room, office, bath with shower...
For a guy who drops by every six months or so.
The system seems rigged.
It always amazes me that food producers would actually let things get so lax as to damage their amazing profit margins on processed foods. Are they not doing this for the profit? Are they not concerned with protecting their brand name and keeping contracts with store brand grocers?
Around here, it costs me eight freakin' bucks for a farm-raised roasting hen. I can buy a roaster for $2 at the local grocery store. Granted, the $8 one is "all natural" but I've yet to get sick from either, and none of my kids grew two heads or anything from eating a factory-farmed chicken versus a local one.
I guess it depends upon where one wants to draw the line. And I suppose the fact that I've never actually had food poisoning might be a factor in my thinking.
But this constant over-regulating of everything just jacks up prices for everyone down the line while lining the pockets of a few. It's insanity.
Even Upton Sinclair regretted writing "The Jungle" about the meat packing industry...after he nearly bankrupted the entire industry.
...and the other side of the coin is, the inspectors are now treated like royalty.
Some guy in CA (I think) actually went off the deep end, and shot one a couple of years ago.
I am surprised that it doesn't happen more often, frankly.
"WASHINGTON, Sept. 22, 2000-U.S. Department of Agriculture Inspector General Roger Viadero announced today that Stuart Alexander of San Leandro, Calif., was indicted Sept. 19 by a grand jury in Alameda County, Calif., for the murder of two USDA employees and one State of California employee, as well as the attempted murder of another State of California employee. Arraignment is scheduled for Oct. 12.
The indictment alleged that, on June 21, 2000, Alexander used a handgun to murder USDA Compliance Officers Jeannie Hillery and Tom Quadros, and California Senior Investigator Bill Shaline, and that he used a handgun in order to attempt to murder another individual. The indictment further alleged that these murders were in retaliation for or to prevent the government employees from performing their official duties. "
"federal scrutiny"
Does the UK have a federal government, ie, a hierarchy with central govt and state govts? I've never noticed the use of 'federal' in British politics.
I don't know about your 'federal' question.
However, when I read this article I couldn't help but think about the Bird Flu problems they've had at the turkey farm in the UK.
They're worried now that some of the tainted turkey may have gotten into the dog/pet food supply and that gulls and other birds are scavenging thrown away portions at the local dumps.
And, the Japanese are suspicious that rats are responsible for their recent BF outbreaks.
Radiation is so much more sensible, safer, cheaper, more effective.
If I had a choice I would buy irradiated hamburger/poultry everytime.
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