 May 3, 2007 |
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| USCA Supports Reform of Interstate Meat Inspection Practices | ||
| San Lucas, Calif. (May 3, 2007) The United States Cattlemen's Association (USCA) announced today that it supports Congressional legislation designed to reform current laws and allow state-inspected meat to be shipped and sold nationwide. Federal law clearly mandates that all state inspection programs must be "at least equal to" their federal counterparts. Thus, all state-inspected packing plants are required to comply with and implement the more than 80 federal food safety and consumer protection laws, regulations and requirements. Nationwide, there are nearly 2,000 state-inspected plants run largely by small businesses that cater to the needs of small, family-run farms and ranches. "State-inspected meat packing plants are producing meat of the same safety and quality as federally inspected plants," says USCA Interim President Jon Wooster, California. "Allowing state-inspected products to be shipped interstate will bring new business to these smaller operations and give consumers more choices." "This prohibition seems particularly strange when you consider that meat and poultry are the only state-inspected food commodity subject to this ban," adds Wooster. Currently, perishable products — including milk and other dairy items, fruit, vegetables, and fish — can all be shipped across state lines following a state inspection. Wild game products like pheasant and venison are also eligible for interstate shipment. Even meat inspected in 34 foreign countries is allowed to be shipped throughout the U.S. without restriction if it is inspected by a USDA certified program. "The ban on the interstate shipment of meat places unfair market restrictions on small businesses," says USCA Region VIII Director and Marketing Committee Chairman Allan Sents, Kansas. "A packing plant in Nicaragua that might only see an American inspector once per year can ship meat anywhere in the United States, but a packer in Kansas who sees his state inspector on a regular basis can't even ship his product to Iowa. This ban is inconsistent with other practices and needs to be lifted so that small business can have the same market access granted to big businesses and foreign corporations." "This legislation greatly benefits producers, small packers and small businesses by opening new markets and increasing demand for their product," added Wooster. "Three USDA advisory committees have recommended lifting the ban on interstate sale of beef. USCA is pleased that Congress is taking these recommendations to heart and will support efforts in both Houses to remove this ban and encourage beef commerce." |
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