SENATE REVIEWS BEEF RECALL AND FOOD SAFETY

News Date March 03, 2008

       The Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee held a hearing last week on the recent beef recall from California-based Westland/Hallmark Meat Company. The panel is chaired by Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wisc.) and USDA Secretary Ed Schafer was one of several witnesses who testified. 
       During the hearing, several lawmakers expressed concern about the beef recall and urged USDA to be more vigilant in maintaining food safety. Kohl called on USDA to enforce tougher standards, continuous surveillance and stiffer penalties at meat processing plants to prevent all downer cattle from entering the food supply. Specifically, Kohl pressed Schafer to audit all 900 meat processing plants that slaughter cattle to make sure they have language-appropriate materials for their workers and that those employees receive sufficient training. He also proposed that USDA install camera monitors on every slaughter line at meat processing plants. These cameras would ensure that at no part in the process do downer cows go undetected by inspectors.
       Finally, Kohl said the policy loophole in the downer cattle ban should be closed to ensure all animals, even those that pass initial inspection, are not slaughtered and allowed to enter the food supply if they cannot stand in the slaughter line. In 2003, USDA reported the first case of mad cow disease in the country and immediately issued a ban of downer cattle from the food supply. Last year, USDA made revisions to the rule. Kohl also asked the Agriculture Secretary for input on legislation to prevent future failures of the agency's meat inspection and urged a "bright line" rule banning downer cattle from the food supply. (Contact: Charlie Ingram)