04/04/08 British Trade & Changing Inspections

British trade & Changing Inspections. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report. The violations at the Hallmark/Westland plant in California are prompting the USDA to make changes in the way they do their inspections. Ag Secretary Ed Schafer told members of the National Cattleman's Beef Association that the largest recall in U.S. history means things need to change. SCHAFER: We're redirecting our inspectors. We're rotating them. We don't want them to get too cozy with the businesses they're working in. We've tightened up the time that cattle are in pens. Our trading partners across this world need to understand that we take food safety serious in this country and we're going to follow the rules and regulations. They're there; they're important and we're going to make sure we send the message to the industry that we're serious about this. Last year's outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Britain slammed shut the trade doors. Now the U.S. and nine other countries are opening those doors. Since February 19, Britain has officially been foot-and-mouth free, but a lot of hard work has been required to rebuild markets. Last year's outbreak in Surrey was traced to a leak from the Pirbright Laboratories. Now here's today's Washington Grange Report. (GRANGE) That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.