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Date: Tue, 22 Jul 1997 22:37:31 -0500
From: "JBeam" <jbeamrkf@execpc.com>
To: "AR-News" <ar-news@envirolink.org>
Subject: (IL) Man Beats Two Dogs to Death-Letters Needed So Court Will Not Be Lenient
------------------------------------ 07/23/1997 01:52 EST
Meat Inspection Law Criticized
By KATHERINE RIZZO Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Iowa meat processors can sell emu steaks or alligator ribs across state lines, but not their beef.
The reason: All of that state's meatpacking plants have chosen to be inspected by Iowa, not the U.S. Agriculture Department.
It's a contradiction that a lot of other states want the federal government to do away with so that processors can sell beef, pork and chicken wherever they can find customers.
``There is absolutely no rationale, equality, fairness or reason to hang onto this law,'' Iowa Agriculture Secretary Dale Cochran told federal regulators Tuesday.
Under current law, only meat inspected under federal eye can be shipped from state to state.
Twenty-six states do their own meat inspections, accounting for about 7 percent of U.S. meat and poultry production. For plants in those states, the products must remain in that state, even though state inspection programs are set up with USDA approval, must be equal or better than USDA's program and are partially financed by USDA.
It's a meaty issue under debate on several fronts, with small processors and state governments pitted against large producers and consumer activists. The controversy has USDA reconsidering the rule, Congress proposing bills to repeal it, and a court case filed by Ohio contending its industry has been fouled by a bias against plants that choose cheaper state inspections rather than federal.
Further complicating things, Uncle Sam allows barrier-free distribution of meat from Mexico, Canada and 32 other countries as long as it has been inspected according to standards at least equal to USDA requirements.
Michael Weaver, who is about to open a new, federally inspected beef jerky plant in Painesville, Ohio, said, ``The foreign trade exposes it in black and white.
``This ban on interstate shipment of meat and meat products discriminates against tax-paying Americans in their own country,'' he said.
Weaver urged the regulators to give his state-inspected colleagues the same sales opportunities as foreign meat producers.
But Oklahoma meat processor, Jerry Gisinger, contended states ``cannot provide the proper degree of protection for the people.''
``The state program is driven by politics and expedience,'' he told USDA officials at a public meeting. ``I could get relief through political interference.''
That was met with varying degrees of hostility by some state officials who have been trying to convince Washington that their inspections are thorough, safe and reliable.
``We put people in jail for those sorts of things,'' huffed Ohio Agriculture Director Fred Daily.
``What you're saying is not true,'' said Louisiana Agriculture Commissioner Bob Odom. ``That's a disgrace to your industry. How can you say we let kids eat thousands of pounds of state-inspected meat when you say it's unsafe?''
An Illinois woman whose 6-year-old son died after eating a tainted hamburger scolded the advocates.
``There's a lot of whining that's going on in here,'' said Nancy Donley of the consumer group Safe Tables Our Priority. ``There is nothing stopping any of you or any of your constituents from shipping interstate. Just do what is expected, follow the rules and you can do it.''
USDA is accepting comments on the issue through Aug. 22.
