[MamaTexan]

When farmers have tens, or hundreds of millions invested in production facilities and livestock, they don’t want some little cheapskate getting front page news because he cut corners and released a bunch of dangerous food on the trusting public. We paid for the track record of safe foods out of our own pockets.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to tell you your business, nor do I advocate unsafe practices concerning the food supply.

My biggest issue IS the fact you have to 'pay for the track record of safe foods out of your own pocket'. It just seems a horrible waste of resources when you consider simple cooking kills the virus.

[Balding_Eagle]

You obviously know what it takes to make food safe to eat.

Frankly, most consumers don’t.

I myself prefer my chops just barely done, and in that kind of cooking, it’s critical that the food be completly safe when it’s purchased.

[Balding_Eagle]

My biggest issue IS the fact you have to 'pay for the track record of safe foods out of your own pocket'.

The meat producers, which naturally includes pork, have a 'checkoff' system wherby a certain dollar amount is deducted from the check the farmer recieves when he sells market hogs.

That money is used for the projects I outlined.

The theory behind that was/is that if the farmer does a good job of policing his own production, the government will keep their mitts off. It's worked very well for many,many decades.

That no long is holding true.

In the end, with the 'help' of government and emotion driven stories such as this, I suspect this guy will get his way. Pork, as a result, will be a little less safe to eat, and the security of government workers a little more safe.

Eventually some disease outbreak will occur, government workers will be the only ones qualified to intervine etc. etc. We all know the drill already.