The Agriculture Department is seeking White House approval of poultry inspection rules that would allow processors to speed up slaughter lines and direct USDA inspectors to devote more time to preventing meat contamination. Approval by the White House budget office would be one of the final steps before the proposal becomes official policy. Submission of the Poultry Inspection Modernization rule was reported by groups on both sides of the issue.
The National Turkey Federation said USDA proposed “a modern, sensible approach that will allow food safety inspectors to focus more closely on public health.” However, the consumer group Food and Water Watch said the plan “essentially privatizes poultry inspections” by leaving fewer USDA inspectors on the line and letting companies perform most of the work traditionally done by inspectors to assure meat is wholesome.