ACTION ALERT: Tell USDA Proposed Regulations will Hurt Small Meat Processors, Family Farmers & Consumers
4/22/10
The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the USDA is drafting new meat testing regulations for small processors. It appears the new regulations will require before and after microbial testing and procedures that will be costly for state- and federally-inspected meat processors. The concern is these heavy-handed regulations may force small meat processors to reduce the number of products they offer, increase prices for processing, discontinue processing under inspection, or worse, shut down altogether.
“As drafted, these new regulations I believe will drive small meat processors out of business. Many will not be able to manage the financial or administrative burdens the new regulation will require. As a result, if these rules are put in place farmers’ options will be further limited.” — Mike Lorentz, Lorentz Meats, Cannon Falls, Minn.
These new rules would require small meat processors to go through a costly testing and “validation” for each type of product they offer to farmers or consumers. USDA is advancing these new guidelines in the name of “food safety,” yet the agency hasn’t provided a clear and supportable case for the existence of a food safety problem that this validation initiative will resolve.
According to the American Association of Meat Processors, the initial cost could be as much as $12,000 per product line and then $3,600 a year to maintain. Under these new rules, if a small meat processor offers 10 types of meat products (bacon, ham, jerky etc. ...), it could cost nearly $120,000 in testing and validation. For more on this issue, see the April 9 Des Moines Register article, “Meat Processors Worried Over Proposed Safety Rules.”
Land Stewardship Project’s position:
Many livestock farmers rely on small meat processors in order to help get their product to market as well as add value to their meat products. The Land Stewardship Project recognizes that small and mid-sized butchers and meat processors are key partners in making local and regional food systems work. While clearly not all livestock farmers are using local meat processors, a growing number are, and it is a trend LSP supports.
We have no reason to believe that these new rules will make meat products any safer, especially when you consider the majority of food-borne illness in meat products come from the giant corporate meatpackers like Smithfield, Tyson and JBS.
What we do believe is that the new regulations could hurt family farmers who rely on local butchers and small meat processors. Local and regional food systems are growing and the last thing we need is new USDA regulations that will place roadblocks or result in higher costs for all parties involved in selling butchered or processed livestock.
Take Action:
The USDA is on-track to move forward with these new rules unless they hear from farmers, butchers and the general public. We’re asking people to do two things:
1. Call USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack at 202-720-3631. He needs to know how these proposed rules could negatively impact local and regional food systems and family farmers. These new guidelines run absolutely counter to the “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” campaign USDA had been trumpeting.
Below is a sample message. When you call, make sure to say who you are, where you’re from, and whether you are a farmer, a butcher or a consumer. Ask the receptionist to take down a message and give it to Secretary Vilsack. If you get an answering machine, make sure to leave a message.
Message: I’m concerned that the proposed validation regulations out of the Food Safety and Inspection Service will be costly for small meat processors, forcing them to increase prices for slaughter and processing, or worse, go out of business. USDA needs to rethink these new rules; they don’t increase food safety and sure don’t help local food systems or family farmers.
2. Submit comments. USDA is accepting comments on the new rules through June 19, 2010. Farmers are encouraged to submit comments on the draft validation compliance guide. Below are two ways to send comments, as well as a sample comment you can make:
- Docket Clerk USDA
FSIS, Room 2-2127
5601 Sunnyside Avenue
Beltsville, MD 20705
Sample comment:
I am concerned about the draft validation compliance guide because it will hurt small meat processors. The new validation systems would raise costs significantly for processors, driving them out of business or passing new costs onto farmers and consumers. These changes could severely hamper the growth of local and regional food systems.
If you have any questions, contact the Land Stewardship Project’s Adam Warthesen at 612-722-6377 or adamw@landstewardshipproject.org.
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