Protecting Food. Empowering Whistleblowers.

Food Integrity Campaign Blog

Our Modern Food Fight: USDA Proposes Dangerous Rule

Food Integrity Campaign | January 19, 2018

 

Is it possible to make the processing of pork even more nauseating? If anyone is up to the task, it’s President Donald J. Trump! He’s the greatest at making corporations filthy rich, even if it means putting the public’s health at risk.

That’s just what he plans to do with his newly proposed new “New Swine Slaughter Inspection System (NSIS)” rule, formerly referred to as Hog HIMP. FIC whistleblowers working in the rule’s pilot program have been warning us for years!

Mr. Trump, you have started this food fight and we will take you to task!

It’s anything but modern to allow toenails, hair, and feces into our food supply, and that’s what NSIS will do. In fact, federal meat inspectors are saying this is already happening at pilot plants. The plan would require USDA workers to inspect 83 pounds of pork per second and over 1,300 pigs per hour.

“It’s no longer meaningful for consumers to see that mark indicating that their product has been USDA-inspected,” a federal meat inspector told us. “It seems like the USDA is doing all it can to make sure the program succeeds…even if it means betraying consumers by hiding the truth about their food.”

Plant workers are routinely asked to perform high-speed, dangerous, and repetitive motions under the NSIS pilot. These workers, who are often exploited, risk serious harm to themselves. Some workers have witnessed sick pigs sent to slaughter and have attempted to stop it. Unfortunately, instead of being heard, workers are shown the door.

Obviously, NSIS is not good for animals, either. Pilot plant undercover video shows how awful high-speed plants are for pigs. Under humane slaughter laws, pigs have to be “rendered insensible to pain” before they are killed. As the video reveals, some pigs are shackled for slaughter while they are still conscious and can feel pain.

No thanks. Americans don’t want to eat what this administration is serving!