Mad Cow, Eye Cancer, Feces In Your Food? The Price of Cutting Back on Meat Inspectors
http://www.alternet.org/food/mad-cow-eye-cancer-feces-your-food-price-cutting-back-meat-inspectors
The USDA is cutting back on federal meat inspectors, allowing slaughterhouses to self-police, and already questions about the program are surfacing. This month, USDA recalled 8.7 million pounds of beef products processed at Rancho Feeding Corp. which included Nestle's Philly Steak and Cheese and Croissant Crust Philly Steak and Cheese Hot Pockets, Walmart Fatburgers, Kroger Ground Beef Mini Sliders and other well-known brands.
The reason for the gigantic recall, says USDA, is that the slaughterhouse "processed diseased and unsound animals and carried out these activities without the benefit or full benefit of federal inspection." The multi-state recall, applying to all meat produced over a year at the facility, caused Rancho Feeding Corp. to close.
The USDA cost-cutting, self-regulation program, called HIMP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point-Based Inspection Models Project) will eliminate 800 federal meat inspectors and is already in operation at about 25 chicken and turkey plants. It likely played a role in the Rancho Feeding Corp. recall said Stan Painter, president of the National Joint Council of Food Inspection Locals, which represents 6,000 inspectors nationwide. “In many places, managers and veterinarians are being asked to help with inspections,” because of a shortage of federal inspectors, he said.
Six years ago, Painter spoke out about cutbacks in federal inspection when undercover video of "downer" cows moved with electric prods, forklifts and water hoses at the Chino, Ca-based Westland/Hallmark Meat Co. slaughterhouse surfaced. Painter warned that the government's cost-driven move toward self-regulation of private slaughterhouses amounted to the fox "guarding its own henhouse." The meat from the cows, which was supplying the National School Lunch Program, was recalled because of the high likelihood of "downer cows" carry Mad Cow disease. It became the largest meat recall in US history.
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Welcome back!
"Don't taze me, or eat me, bro." - Samanta Squirrel
Picky picky picky. Insuring feces-free food would cost more. Are you willing to pay more?
First, eliminating 800 jobs hurts our economy. The government (we, the people) needs to create thousands of jobs (not through contractors) to help Americans in these terrible (for the average citizen) financial times. Decent paying government jobs (they used to be living wage jobs) are needed now more than ever by Americans. Austerity (combined with an unfathomable wealth support system, bail-outs, tax-breaks, etc.) has financially ruined us. The wealthy tax-cuts enacted by bush during 3 wars are still in effect! Corporatism, fascism ..etc.. has been the effect of this austerity for the majority of Americans.
Stop "cutting jobs." We ("our" govt.) must create vast amounts of living wage jobs or perish. The private "job creators" are a myth used to keep taxes low for the small minority called the wealthy.
Secondly, it has been proven beyond a doubt that corporations or any entity CAN NOT effectively police itself (not even the police).
Allowing this to happen should be illegal.
The wealthiest 20% or so do not have children who depend upon the NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM. That is only for
those who cannot afford better (the majority of Americans). "They" (the job creators :rofl have repeatedly proven that our health is either meaningless or even detrimental to them.
This seems to be another attempt, financially and physically to destroy the people they feel are a threat to their exorbitant or very comfortable lifestyles.
It is another volley fired in the class struggle war. Yes there is a class war only we (the "lower class"
have yet to fire back. Now they are openly attacking our childrens health while still attacking us financially.
IMO, as long as we have a 2 party political system controlled by wealth, we average Americans will not only lose this war
but the vast majority will never have even fought back.
I had another heart attack and stent this weekend. I pray that we start fighting back soon even though I do not believe that violence
will be our winning weapon. Our strength depends on uniting our vastly superior numbers and winning this war through sheer strength in numbers. I hope it happens soon.
carrier task forces for every ocean on the planet. This is so basic, it is simple. 
