ACTION ALERT
When consumers, 68 members of Congress, and food safety and animal welfare advocates objected to a new rule that could lead to contaminated poultry in grocery stores, and endanger the safety of workers who slaughter chickens, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) revised the rule.
But good luck finding out what the new-and-improved Modernization of Poultry Slaughter Inspection rule says. Because the USDA ain’t sayin.’
Earlier this year, more than 100 groups (including the OCA) signed a letter to President Obama and USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack urging them to rescind what Food & Water Watch dubbed the "Filthy Chicken Rule." Hundreds of thousands of consumers also publicly opposed the rule.
How did the USDA respond? By making "secret" changes to the rule. And then working to push through a final version without public comment.
Maybe they’re just too chicken to tell us the truth?
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) introduced an amendment to the spending bill that would have prohibited the USDA from spending any funds to implement the new rule. DeLauro had this to say about the USDA’s secret changes and refusal to allow comments:
I remain concerned this rule drops food safety oversight from USDA into the hands of the industry itself and places workers in jeopardy. The Administration needs to address the concerns raised by myself, other members of Congress, and worker, consumer and animal welfare advocates, as they continue to finalize the rule. The Administration should also publish the revised rule now, open a 120 day comment period, and hold public meetings around the country. We need more transparency and public health stakeholders need to receive due consideration.