080206 Ag Secretary: No Immediate Changes to Meat Inspections

Monterey, CA - Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer says he is not in favor of making any immediate changes to meat inspection regulations in the wake of the nation's largest beef recall.

The USDA recalled 143 million pounds of beef from the Chino-based Westland/Hallmark Meat Co. after undercover video showed slaughterhouse workers abusing sick and crippled cows.

Downer cows, or those too sickly to stand, are banned from the food supply because they carry a higher risk of mad cow disease and other illnesses.

Speaking in Monterey Friday, Schafer said one individual had an incentive to break the rules but the USDA meat inspection system is not broken. He said he would wait for an investigation into the recall to be completed before make any policy change recommendations.

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