Pork processing plants will have fewer federal inspectors and could have faster line speeds under a controversial rule the U.S. Department of Agriculture finalized this week.
Federal inspectors at various points along the slaughter lines reject live animals that look sick or carcass sections that look suspect. "Under the new rule, just announced, pork companies have a new option," Dan Charles reports for NPR. "They can hire their own people to help out. These company employees would be at each inspection station, weeding out any problematic pig parts before the USDA inspector gives the meat a green light. There will be fewer USDA inspectors in the plant because they won't have as much to do."
The new rule also eliminates the previous caps on slaughter line speeds. Critics worry that increasing the speed will result in increased injuries to slaughterhouse workers, but pork industry representatives say it won't affect safety. Casey Gallimore, director of regulatory and scientific affairs at the North American Meat Institute, a meat industry lobbying group, "says that the new rules will allow plants to try out new ways of operating that could be more efficient," Charles reports. "She says it won't affect food safety. The additional company employees will be highly trained, and USDA inspectors still will look at every piece of pork that goes into the food supply."
Critics contend that company employees aren't required to have extra inspection training, and worry they won't be as aggressive as USDA inspectors in looking for problems. Patty Lovera, a food industry critic with the nonprofit Food and Water Watch, told Charles that "to ask company employees to be under that pressure, of pulling product out and costing their employer money, is a lot to ask."
The new rules will go into effect in two months, and pork processors have several months to decide whether to switch to the new inspection system, Charles reports.
Federal inspectors at various points along the slaughter lines reject live animals that look sick or carcass sections that look suspect. "Under the new rule, just announced, pork companies have a new option," Dan Charles reports for NPR. "They can hire their own people to help out. These company employees would be at each inspection station, weeding out any problematic pig parts before the USDA inspector gives the meat a green light. There will be fewer USDA inspectors in the plant because they won't have as much to do."
The new rule also eliminates the previous caps on slaughter line speeds. Critics worry that increasing the speed will result in increased injuries to slaughterhouse workers, but pork industry representatives say it won't affect safety. Casey Gallimore, director of regulatory and scientific affairs at the North American Meat Institute, a meat industry lobbying group, "says that the new rules will allow plants to try out new ways of operating that could be more efficient," Charles reports. "She says it won't affect food safety. The additional company employees will be highly trained, and USDA inspectors still will look at every piece of pork that goes into the food supply."
Critics contend that company employees aren't required to have extra inspection training, and worry they won't be as aggressive as USDA inspectors in looking for problems. Patty Lovera, a food industry critic with the nonprofit Food and Water Watch, told Charles that "to ask company employees to be under that pressure, of pulling product out and costing their employer money, is a lot to ask."
The new rules will go into effect in two months, and pork processors have several months to decide whether to switch to the new inspection system, Charles reports.
from The Rural Blog https://ift.tt/30dUVMD New USDA rule allows pork processors to take responsibility for some inspections, increase slaughter line speeds - Entrepreneur Generations
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