In
an extraordinary criticism of his own employees, FSIS Administrator
Dr. Garry McKee has strongly scolded his federal meat inspectors
for at times failing to intervene and stop inhumane and
cruel practices at the nation's slaughter plants.
Dr. McKee gave a blistering speech last month at a conference
in Nashville, TN, which you can read on the FSIS web site
at: www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/speeches/2003/gm_ofo.htm.
McKee
referred to an occurrence this past summer at an FSIS slaughterhouse
that appeared to violate the Humane Slaughter Act, which
his agency enforces. As many as 1,600 hogs died from
overheating over the course of several days as they awaited
to be slaughtered. Only after several days did the
USDA inspector shut down the plant. "Is it such a
stretch of the imagination, when animals are dying in large
numbers in transporters awaiting slaughter -- day after
day -- that there may be something inhumane about these
losses and it is our responsibility to intervene?" McKee
asked 300 food inspection supervisors. "Protecting
public health is more than filling out forms...it involves
taking responsibility," he said. Over the past few
years, there have been other revelations about USDA inspectors
doing nothing while pathogens such as E. coli O157:H7 and
Listeria were found in meat plants. |
