03/19/08 Recall ripple

A couple weeks ago I told you my feelings about a large beef recall. I'm Jeff Keane. While my feelings are still the same; I'll be back after the break with some new thoughts as the recall develops. Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company of Chino, California may close permanently according to their general manager, Anthony Madigow, if the USDA wants contract payments back. To many of us, that reality is the correct consequence of pushing rules to the limit and causing a negative impact on the beef industry. The interesting aspect of the recall is all the articles and editorials that it has produced. The Western Livestock Reporter had several of these in its last issue. One story dealt with the comments of current and former USDA packing plant inspectors. These government workers say there are not enough inspectors to check compliance of food safety rules. USDA spokeswoman, Amanda Eamich says the inspection tasks are being performed. Mark Dopp of the American Meat Institute says no other industry from health to auto manufacturing has inspectors on site at all times. The government watchers say much of their time is taken up with checking paperwork rather than actually looking at live cattle before slaughter and inspecting meat. With the USDA acknowledging they are about 500 inspectors short and remembering the tone of the American Meat Institute's comments on other beef industry issues, I think the government inspectors may have a legitimate complaint this time. Tomorrow more ripple effects of the latest beef recall. I'm Jeff Keane. Western Livestock Reporter 2/27/08