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USDA Again Protecting Packers

A

Anonymous

Guest
Another step at taking away States rights and transferring to the Feds by the overly powerful, corporate ran USDA... "Sig Heil" :wink: :cry: :mad:

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Tainted beef's source kept secret

E. coli outbreak killed 1, sickened 17



BY FREDERIC J. FROMMER

TwinCities/ Pioneer Press \ Minnesota

Associated Press

Oct. 13, 2006



WASHINGTON — Federal officials refused to tell Minnesota authorities which of two beef plants were linked to a fatal E. coli outbreak last summer, according to a state report.



One woman died and at least 17 people were sickened from the E. coli outbreak in the Longville area, after eating ground beef.



According to the Minnesota Department of Health report, state officials narrowed the source of the E. coli to two processing plants — which they identified only as "Plant A" and "Plant B."



The report said that the U.S. Department of Agriculture had reported that beef trimmings from a processing plant yielded the same genetic material as that in the E. coli outbreak. But the USDA wouldn't identify that plant, saying it wasn't public information. That made it impossible for state authorities to specify the source of the outbreak.



"We had all this correlation, we wanted to find out which plant it came from," said Kevin Elfering, director of the dairy and food division of the Minnesota Agriculture Department, in a telephone interview this week. "At that point, they were not able to give us that information, because they had some concerns on their data practices."



Elfering said that his department had three or four conference calls with USDA officials seeking the information, but to no avail. Officials there argued the information was not public.



"They would not give out the information," he said. "We're more effective when we cooperate together."



Elfering said that he is working with the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service on a memorandum of understanding so the USDA can share that information in the future.



FSIS spokesman Steve Cohen said that his agency is working with Minnesota officials "on a legally supportable process for both information sharing and confidentiality."



Cohen said that FSIS officials could not definitively link the E. coli found in the plant's sample with the E. coli in the outbreak. And he stressed that the beef trimmings sample with the E. coli from the plant was never shipped out.



"Had it entered commerce, of course, there would have been a recall," he said.





twincities.com
 

Mike

Well-known member
:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

This really burns my butt. The USDA can publish the names of cattle buyers who might have written a bad check or two but can't give out the name of a source that might contribute to the harm of my family?


:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:


There needs to be a big "house cleaning" in D.C. folks. Send all the encumbents home for good.
 

Jason

Well-known member
Doesn't this show that if a cow was traced back to a farm with e-coli, that USDA could protect that producer?

What good does it accomplish knowing which plant had the source as long as it was cleaned up?
 

Sandhusker

Well-known member
Jason said:
Doesn't this show that if a cow was traced back to a farm with e-coli, that USDA could protect that producer?

What good does it accomplish knowing which plant had the source as long as it was cleaned up?

It also shows that if a cow was traced back, a producer could have a heap of trouble on his hands.

Why hide the outfit that had a problem? Why protect the guilty? Some outfits have a history of problems. Shouldn't the consumer know who the sloppy outfits are so they can do business with an outfit that takes care of things?

Maybe we should get rid of sex offender registration as long as they've done their time....

Maybe all criminal records should be erased as soon as their sentence is up.
 

Jason

Well-known member
I'm just saying... if you want to crucify the packer for an e-coli outbreak that makes it more attractive to pass it back to the producer that raised the animal that caused it.

The difference in e-coli outbreaks and criminals, the same cow can't ever cause e-coli again after she is processed.

Consumers rarely buy direct from packer or a re-processor. If they are continuous offenders, why aren't people dying every day from e-coli? It is a rare event compared to the amount of ground beef consumed. If the customer would cook the beef there wouldn't be a problem anyway.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Jason said:
Doesn't this show that if a cow was traced back to a farm with e-coli, that USDA could protect that producer?

If you donated multi thousands $ to the correct political party you would probably be protected- elseways I'm sure they would find a rule to throw you to the wolves..

What good does it accomplish knowing which plant had the source as long as it was cleaned up?
Jason- Historically USDA/FDA and State Ag Depts have had a working relationship on all issues that affect both...It makes it very difficult when the assisting agencies won't share info... I saw it years ago when the FBI/federal law enforcement could be working the exact same case- but refused to even tell you if they were...Created a huge information riff- and was unproductive for the citizens you were trying to protect...

Being from Canada you probably don't understand the importance of states rights-- its an important issue down here-- even fought a civil war over it....USDA/ federal government daily is imposing more power and trying to take away states rights- refusing to work side by side with state agencies is just one example of their building arrogance...We had it before with some administrations- when the feds thought they were better than the states- Reagan changed all that...But now its coming back...This administration has been the worst Republican administration in recent history on trying to take away power from the states- and passing federal laws to gain more federal power...
 

Sandhusker

Well-known member
Jason said:
I'm just saying... if you want to crucify the packer for an e-coli outbreak that makes it more attractive to pass it back to the producer that raised the animal that caused it.

The difference in e-coli outbreaks and criminals, the same cow can't ever cause e-coli again after she is processed.

Consumers rarely buy direct from packer or a re-processor. If they are continuous offenders, why aren't people dying every day from e-coli? It is a rare event compared to the amount of ground beef consumed. If the customer would cook the beef there wouldn't be a problem anyway.

E-coli is not a cow issue, it's a packer issue. EVERY cow that ANY packers processes has e-coli. That is a given. It's how the processor handles it that makes the difference.

The similarities between criminals and packers is that both can re-offend. The public gets to know one, buy why not the other? Maybe I don't want to hire somebody convicted of theft. Maybe I don't want to buy my food from somebody who got sloppy?
 

PORKER

Well-known member
Why hide the outfit that had a problem? Why protect the guilty? Some outfits have a history of problems.

Good Lord , Maybe there could be some help free of charge from the industry instead of hiding like the spinach has done until the FBI showed up. Sic,em
 
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