Page 93 - Spring2020

This isn’t evidence for Monbiot’s conclu- FSIS has a protocol that requires a series of We don’t
sion that if we all ate pasture-raised meats, we’d tests for salmonella at poultry processing plants. need the false
need several more planets. Instead, it’s proof that Because salmonella is not an “adulterant” under
we need diverse farms that are managed based the Federal Meat Inspection Act, these tests promise of
on their unique ecosystems, rather than a single aren’t designed to identify meat that would make biotechnology
answer imposed on every system. people sick from these bacteria. Instead, the and fake food.
It’s disturbing to see a renowned envi- tests seek to identify the presence of the bacte-
ronmentalist fall into the techno-trap, seeking ria, even if it is too low or of the wrong type to
answers to our problems in the world of high- cause human illness. If the bacteria are detected,

tech, with its big profits for large companies FSIS treats that as proof that the processing
that will exert ever-increasing control over the facility’s “process controls” are inadequate.
food system. While Monbiot recognizes that This testing regime was implemented a
danger and calls for a decentralized system for while ago, and over the years the agency has
these new laboratories, it is inevitable that such changed the type of test being used. At this
a resource-intensive, high-tech approach will point, the testing looks for the DNA of these
continue the cycle of consolidation of economic bacteria. That means that a processor may get
(and with it, political) power. a positive test even if there isn’t a single live
We don’t need the false promise of biotech- bacterium on the chicken—just the DNA show-
nology and fake food. We have the solution to all ing that, at some point, there had been! One of
the crises Monbiot identifies, and that is in local, the few ways to consistently avoid positive test
regenerative agriculture that preserves genetic results is to soak the chickens in a high-chlorine
diversity and traditional foods while healing the bath (which degrades the DNA), something that
soil, stewarding our vital water resources and most small-scale farmers oppose doing and that
supporting rural communities and real people. is inconsistent with most consumers’ desires.
What happens when the tests detect DNA
REGULATING MEAT: from salmonella? FSIS inspectors come in and
IS THE PRIORITY FOOD SAFETY demand that the facility change its Hazard
OR PUBLIC IMAGE? Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP)
Unfortunately, farmers face often unnec- plan to address the perceived flaw.
essary challenges in providing high-quality Large scale-facilities have entire depart-
pasture-based meats to consumers, particularly ments of lawyers and consultants to deal with
when it comes to finding processing plants. I the agency demands. They may make some
recently attended a roundtable discussion with changes to their processes, but they can stone-
top officials from the USDA’s Food Safety In- wall any attempt to make the significant changes
spection Service (USDA-FSIS), which regulates necessary to truly improve food safety.
meat processing. The three-hour discussion con- What happens to a small plant? They don’t
sisted primarily of the USDA officials explain- have lawyers and experts on retainer, and they
ing the status of recent proposals and policies quickly find themselves buried in paperwork
under consideration to a group of small-scale and impossible agency demands—even if the
processors and the producers who rely on them. salmonella detected was at such a low level or
While there was some back-and-forth with of a type that posed no real health risk. In the
the processors in attendance on topics relating to end, many small processors will be driven out
humane animal welfare and labeling, the topic of business, “HACCP’d to death.”
that generated the most discussion and heat was Two small-scale poultry processors raised
the salmonella “performance standard” for poul- this issue at the listening session with FSIS, and
try processors. This USDA policy has already the resulting discussion was both interesting and
caused many small-scale poultry processors disturbing.
around the country to shut down. I pointed out that it would be a better use of
To provide some background: The USDA- both the agency’s and the processors’ resources

SPRING 2020 Wise Traditions 93