WASHINGTON - Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman's proposal to strengthen the U.S. meat inspection system may attract unwelcome amendments, a food-safety activist and meat industry sources said Thursday.
Glickman was scheduled to unveil his bill on Friday at 1000 EDT/1400 EDT. He said last week that he wants the power to mandate a recall of tainted meat and to impose civil penalties on violators.
Activist Carol Tucker Foreman said she was pleased a bill would be offered but worried the legislation might be used by foes as an opportunity to weaken safeguards.
"The industry is clearly opposed to any change in the law," Foreman said.
Meat industry sources said the Glickman bill might become a vehicle for lawmakers who want to allow interstate sale of state-inspected meat. At present, only federally inspected meat can be sold across state borders. The rule is being challenged by a number of states.
There already was talk among some congressional staff workers, one industry source said, that approval of interstate sale of state-inspected meat should be presented as essential for winning passage of a meat inspection bill.
An American Meat Institute spokeswoman said the industry preferred to retain the current system. Any change could result in uneven inspection regimens among states and might lead other nations to subject U.S. meats to a chaotic array of inspection rules.
Food industry groups have been lukewarm to Glickman's proposals. The National Food Processors Association said it might oppose the bill if it was a replate of past requests.
Skeptics say the Agriculture Department already has plenty of power, since it can shut down a plant by withdrawing its inspectors, to assure suspect meat is recalled.
Last week's announcement of a recall of a record 25 million pounds of hamburger patties is proof of Agriculture Department power, they said.
In 1994 and 1995, the Agriculture Department asked for the authority to order a recall -- they are voluntary now -- as well as impose fines of up to $100,000 per day per violation. It also asked for creation of a system to "trace back" bad meat to the feedlot and discretion to withhold or deny inspection service to meat plants with repeated violations.
U.S. meat production was forecast for 70.5 billion lbs this year, or 208.5 lbs per person, a slight decrease from the 209.2 lbs of 1996. It would include 66.9 lbs of beef, 47.7 lbs of pork, 73.2 lbs of chicken and 18.2 lbs of turkey for each American.
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