Failed Meat Safety Program Will Be Used in the US

An experimental food safety assurance program that reduces the number of government inspectors and increases production speed in meat processing plants will now be implemented nationwide. While the program may bolster profit margins for food companies, its use should be disconcerting to US consumers. According to Mercy For Animals, of the five hog farms that utilized the efficiency program during its pilot phase, three were on the list of the top 10 worst health and safety offenders in the nation. When the program was used in Canada, New Zealand, and Australia, tainted meat went unnoticed during the crucial inspection phase, and in one case, 8.8 million pounds of e. coli-contaminated beef from Canada had to be recalled, 2.2 million pounds of which had made already it into the US.