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Thursday, February 5th, 2015

USDA pork inspectors speak out: “People are going to eat sh*t”

Author:     Lindsay Abrams
Source:     Salon
Publication Date:     Tuesday, Feb 3, 2015 07:55 AM PST
 Link: USDA pork inspectors speak out: “People are going to eat sh*t”
Stephan:   I have been covering the corruption and regulatory decline of commercial animal husbandry, and slaughterhouse practices for several years, and the situation just keeps getting worse. It has gotten so bad that in states where these industries have bought the legislatures there are now what are known as Ag-gag bills to keep journalists from videoing or photographing the reality. And now revolted whistle blowers disgusted by what they have seen are beginning to emerge. Here's the latest.
Slaughterhouse pork Credit: Shutterstock

Slaughterhouse pork
Credit: Shutterstock

If you preferred not to know what’s in your ham, bacon and Spam before, you’re really not going to want to know now.

 The USDA is piloting a new pork inspection program that features sped-up lines and a reduction in government inspectors — and its own inspectors are now speaking out publicly in condemnation of it.

The Government Accountability Project released affidavits Friday from three USDA inspectors working in plants running the pilot program, known as HIMP, as well as from a fourth, Joe Ferguson, who retired last year after 23 years with the agency. All voice concerns about the public health implications of increasing line speeds, which adhere closely to the criticisms from outside parties. The gist, in the words of one anonymous inspector: “There aren’t enough eyes on the line to monitor carcasses coming by at such high speed.”

The whistleblowers allege, moreover, that the pilot program gives too much regulatory control to the industry. The new model replaces USDA line inspectors with plant employees, who, […]

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