Diseased Chicken for Dinner? The USDA Is Considering It

[babylonsister]

Does this shit ever end?

Diseased Chicken for Dinner? The USDA Is Considering It
A proposed new rule would allow poultry plants to process diseased chickens. That’s the last thing Americans need.
By Amanda Little
August 11, 2020, 11:30 AM EDT


Here's one unexpected consequence of the Defense Production Act: Your food is less safe.

When President Trump invoked the act three months ago, as a means to bolster American food security, it marked the beginning of a campaign to deregulate the meat industry.

Recall that the president first pressured meat-processing plants to remain open after many had become Covid-19 hotbeds. Since then, federal agencies have suspended meatpacking worker protections, lowered plant inspection standards, eased labeling rules for manufacturers and relaxed enforcement of pollution restrictions for chicken and pig farms.

The president has justified the rollbacks by claiming they’ll prevent dangerous meat shortages during the pandemic. But the argument is flawed. Meat exports have been surging in the U.S. over the past few months. Poultry demand has declined slightly in the U.S., yet sales to China have been higher than ever. The most likely outcome of this deregulation is to further imperil, rather than strengthen, the security of our food supply.

Consider the decision last month by the agriculture department’s Food Safety and Inspection Service to allow poultry plants to process diseased chickens for human consumption.

In July the FSIS approved a petition from the National Chicken Council requesting that slaughterhouses be allowed to process broilers infected with Avian Leukosis — a virus that causes chickens to develop cancerous lesions and tumors. Inspectors would no longer be required to examine the first 300 birds of each flock for signs of the disease, and processors would be able to cut off tumors and lesions and then process the rest of the bird. The approval has led to a proposed rule change that is now before the food safety administrator Paul Kiecker.

more...

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2020-08-11/diseased-chicken-for-dinner-the-usda-is-considering-it

[silverweb]

1. Well, that's one way to do it.

To encourage vegetarianism, I mean.

[Lancero]

4. The joys of mechanical separation and meat slurries.

Given how unscrupulous plant operators are, and how the bottom line must always grow, wouldn't be surprised if a lot of these diseased birds make their way into the nugget line. Quite a cost saving measure nuggets are, pretty much the chicken equivalent to pink slime.

[silverweb]

7. Yuuukkk!!

[SheltieLover]

2. He reduced pork plant inspectors just before lock down in March

[Lancero]

3. First 300 of the flock.

So, depending on the size of the flock, good odds of tumors slipping by and even better odds of unscrupulous plant operators having them trimmed and sent down the processing line to improve the bottom line.

If you don't want to eat diseased food, maybe look into healthier dietary options that leave out tumor ridden meat?

[babylonsister]

5. Chicken WAS my healthy dietary option.

Maybe not so much anymore if this proves out.

[silverweb]

9. Try a plant-based substitute.

One of the best is Gardein. You won't be sorry.

[Ferrets are Cool]

6. Normally 2-3 thousand

[Kid Berwyn]

8. Prison for poisoners and plague spreaders.

Putin, too.