FARE’s Word For The Day: Abrogate
“Abrogate” is defined as “abolishing by authoritative action, to annul, to do away with”.
USDA’s eager surrender of authority to the current HACCP-style protocol of meat non-inspection constitutes a willful abrogation of its responsibility mandated by the Federal Meat Inspection Act. By intentional agency design, USDA no longer has the authority to force the largest slaughter plants to produce wholesome meat. This system allows big packers to knowingly ship E.coli-contaminated meat into commerce, with tacit agency approval.
USDA’s deregulation of the biggest packers (not the small!) has been a convenient quid pro quo arrangement, in which the agency relinquished its authority, while in return being blessed with the ability to assume a comfortable semi-retirement role at behemoth plants. These multi-national facilities enjoy political clout and have the financial wherewithal to engage USDA in protracted litigation. Small plants lack both these advantages, and are easier enforcement prey for an agency which is struggling to portray an image of being pro-public health. See no evil, hear no evil, and do no enforcement actions…at the biggest plants.
When USDA announced that its role under the HACCP umbrella would require the agency to adopt a “Hands Off” non-involvement role, America should have anticipated the increasing number of outbreaks and recalls we have witnessed in 2007 & 2008. While America is focusing its wrath on FDA’s non-surveillance of the peanut and produce industries, we should also force USDA to inspect meat production lines again, rather than merely auditing paperwork as mandated by the ostensibly “science based” HACCP Hoax. Public health would benefit by USDA’s willingness to regulate, not abrogate.
John Munsell
John Munsell, a former meat-processing facility owner, was recently interviewed by Meat & Poultry Magazine about what he learned while conducting interviews of industry players. While Munsell has been a critic of USDA meat inspection practices and policies, he is working for change through FARE, the Foundation for Accountability in Regulatory Enforcement.
