Credo Action: Don't let USDA privatize chicken inspection!

[Patricia M. McBride]

If you wish to take action on this issue (before May 29th when it goes into effect, please go to the link below.

............................................................

Don't let USDA privatize chicken inspection!

Three chickens per second.

Under a new plan proposed by USDA, that's how fast inspectors would have to conduct quality control inspections in poultry factories -- six times the current rate.

Worse, USDA's proposed rules privatize these inspections, letting the industry police itself by replacing highly trained USDA food inspectors with poultry facility employees who have no required training.¹

Salmonella in our meat and poultry makes nearly a million people sick every year in the US -- it's our number one cause of food-borne illness. USDA's new plan could make the problem even worse, and we have just days to stop it.

Tell the USDA: Don't weaken poultry inspection standards!

Food safety groups are opposing the standards and veteran poultry inspectors are calling them "a big step back," and "a very, very bad idea."²

Current rules provide for three inspectors to examine 140 birds per minute. Under the new rules, inspections would speed up to 200 per minute - with only one inspector on the line. Even the professionals say that is way too fast.

With far less time to inspect each chicken, unsanitary, defective poultry meat has a higher chance of making it into our supermarkets. And while USDA says it would save less than $30 million per year on poultry inspection costs, it could cost the agency (and us) far more to deal with potential increases in foodborne illness.

Speeding up the poultry line isn't just hazardous to our health -- it's also hazardous to those who work in poultry factories. Poultry workers already have an alarming rate of workplace injury from conditions which include a workplace full sharp objects like knives and scissors, and from the repetitive nature of poultry factory tasks.  Speeding up the chicken line will only make conditions even more hazardous.³

Tell the USDA: Don't weaken poultry inspection standards! Submit a comment before the May 29th deadline.

But while food and worker safety will undoubtedly suffer, the new rules are expected to result in a quarter of a billion dollar windfall to poultry companies.

The safety of our food, especially poultry which has such a high incidence of contamination, should be the highest priority of USDA. If their answer is less quality control inspection, more dangerous workplace conditions, and allowing an industry with a horrible safety record to police itself, it's probably time to go back to the drawing board

Read more here or take action on this issue:  http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/usda_poultry/?r=6888744&id=...

[tamara stephenson]

there are certain things that the government is good for -- public welfare -- .  the problem is, big corporations know who to buy, and everyone is for sale, from senators to inspectors.  when our government regulates, they actually have to enforce the laws; we the people have to make sure of that.  what do we do when there are regulations, we all feel safe and cozy, and then bam!  it's all a big scam. big banks do whatever they want because everyone is bought off -- senators to SEC officers.  you can always buy your chicken from a local farmer that you trust -- we buy our vegetables via an organic CSA outside of town, and we are glad we do it.  we are considering splitting the cost of a cow with another family.  we buy organic milk that is certified by the organic coops -- not the government b/c their restrictions are much greater than the government.  there are ways around big food industry in this country.  big banks, though?  not so sure about that one

[mark sawyer]

Here is another item from the USDA website.

CHEMICAL FREE:
The term is not allowed to be used on a label.

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/Meat_&_Poultry_Labeling_Ter...

[mark sawyer]

From the FDA website
FREE RANGE or FREE ROAMING:
Producers must demonstrate to the Agency that the poultry has been allowed access to the outside.

That's all it says. It does not specify how often or for how long, or how crowded. I think it's just a marketing gimmick to get people to pay more. 

[Patricia M. McBride]

And yes John, I agree.  We have one outbreak after another with our food with safety (what a joke) vested in the federal government, so I am not seeing a problem with the states or food makers regulating their own food......................and heah, that's what this is all about, isn't it.  About allowing the companies to set up their own inspections, but the workers have to work so fast, it is almost not possible for them to truly inspect.  And we wonder why there is a rush to buy direct from farmers these days.  Our food, Amanda, is being poisoned by the biggest and the baddest macro farms and Monsanto and they don't care cause it is all about making money (and that goes for Mr. Tight Fanny free market hater O and his buddy Clinton).

[Patricia M. McBride]

Amanda, and the government would never allow you to be poisoned, right?  Hmmmm let's see if I can think of an example where the government is not acting in our best interests!  I have it.  GMO foods.  How about when the rest of the world is banning them and disallowing companies selling the seeds in their countries because if they spread, they can't be stopped and will kill out or mutate with actual unaltered food.  How about the poison meant to kill the bugs has been found in the blood of new born babies, and last of all how about Monsanto all but being in charge of the FDA and buying "all natural" labels for their GMO foods.  How about cows and food animals being fed this garbage and how about Monsanto, Clinton and Obama all being in bed together.  How about right now obesity among young children being blamed on this garbage they are allowing in the market place that is laced with everything under the sun and IS NOT LABELED APPRORIATELY?  How about the US is the only country that cares so little for the people who will unwittingly eat this garbage they do not make sure the food you buy is safe.........................and you are worried about what again?

[amanda choate]

I have an idea. Just let the industry regulate itself, I mean what could go wrong with that? It has worked before. These industries will jsut respond to market forces. They would never deliberately poison their customers. They would never poison their enviroment. They would never mislead or misrepresent their product because of the terrible consequences the market would render.

[Patricia M. McBride]

I agree.  I don't like, for one minute, all these groups the congress has given law making ability and regulation is law.  I would like to see everyone of them shuttered and the majority of what they do pushed back to the states to handle.  I don't know how you address this with the commerce clause (if it is used as it was actually meant to be).  Any ideas?

[Patricia M. McBride]

And Mark, I think to give them less business, people have to be willing to buy only chickens that are ranged and free from any of the things you mention.  If enough people demand that, less of these mass produced chickens will be required to meet the demand left.  The problem is good chicken costs quite a bit more and many folks can only afford the chicken they are talking about in the article.

[Patricia M. McBride]

Good morning John,  I did not weigh in on this but only put it up for information, so the folks would know something else that is going on.  I see some issues well beyond just transferring power myself.  I think what this says goes way beyond the actual subject of the request from Credo and did when I read it, but I don't always weigh in on something and this is one of the somethings :).  I could see writing to my congressman and asking exactly how they got the authority to do this without any approval from the congress, but that is as far as my opinion on it goes.

[Patricia M. McBride]

No judgement made.  I recieved the Email and thought I would post it and let everyone decide what they wanted to do.  Agree that 2 inspectors were arrested for taking bribes, but think this is the actual packing houses where the chickens are processed.  The part I don't get is these folks make rules (laws) authorized by the congress who is the only group allowed to make law, and now they are passing that on to another unelected and unauthorized group of people??? Does that make sense?