Slaughterhouse Consolidation
This just appeared in the headlines on Google News:
Minnesota Woman Sues Cargill Over E. Coli
Minnesota woman sues Cargill after eating a tainted burger. The Minnesota woman's case has drawn international attention to food safety issues at companies like Cargill.
You can GOOGLE this case of a hemolytic uremic syndrome after E. coli contamination of ground beef for more specifics on this particular case
Part of the problem is that industry in colusion with government has literally closed down thousands of small independent slaughterhouses across the US. Their goal is that if you have fewer slaughterhouses it is easier to maintain safety standards. There is another side to the coin: the fewer slaughterhouses the bigger the impact of ANY contamination that gets through. There is no such thing as 100% safe food when you're processing it literally by the tens to thousands of TONS. So, when contamination gets through you have to literally recall thousands to tens of thousands of pounds of meat or other products from one to multiple states.
Options for improvement:
1. Some regulation of the food industry and food safety is needed so that by itself is not the issue.
2. Regulation that literally prevent new slaughterhouses from opening (which would compete with the current few giant processers) needs to be rescinded or liberalized. The biggest opposition to this will come from current big industry who do not want to lose market share (essentially a near monopoly) in the slaughterhouse market. They will be supported by politicians whose pockets are lined with PAC and/or reelection money from these industries.
3. Some de-regulation will allow the re-birth of the neighborhood meat market, for those of us who still recall them, where meat can be processed right before it goes to the consumer. From one cut of beef you'll get your ground beef. This is better then getting your ground beef from literally a thousand cattle whose leftover parts are ground together in a vat the size of your living room.
4. Instead of a faceless corporation you'll literally know where your food originates. This will face also face stiff opposition from large wholesale and retail food distributers and sellers. It risks cutting into the profit margins of several big box supercenter or superstore chains.
Think about this next time you bite into a hamburger or meatloaf......
Bon Apetite!
Minnesota Woman Sues Cargill Over E. Coli
Minnesota woman sues Cargill after eating a tainted burger. The Minnesota woman's case has drawn international attention to food safety issues at companies like Cargill.
You can GOOGLE this case of a hemolytic uremic syndrome after E. coli contamination of ground beef for more specifics on this particular case
Part of the problem is that industry in colusion with government has literally closed down thousands of small independent slaughterhouses across the US. Their goal is that if you have fewer slaughterhouses it is easier to maintain safety standards. There is another side to the coin: the fewer slaughterhouses the bigger the impact of ANY contamination that gets through. There is no such thing as 100% safe food when you're processing it literally by the tens to thousands of TONS. So, when contamination gets through you have to literally recall thousands to tens of thousands of pounds of meat or other products from one to multiple states.
Options for improvement:
1. Some regulation of the food industry and food safety is needed so that by itself is not the issue.
2. Regulation that literally prevent new slaughterhouses from opening (which would compete with the current few giant processers) needs to be rescinded or liberalized. The biggest opposition to this will come from current big industry who do not want to lose market share (essentially a near monopoly) in the slaughterhouse market. They will be supported by politicians whose pockets are lined with PAC and/or reelection money from these industries.
3. Some de-regulation will allow the re-birth of the neighborhood meat market, for those of us who still recall them, where meat can be processed right before it goes to the consumer. From one cut of beef you'll get your ground beef. This is better then getting your ground beef from literally a thousand cattle whose leftover parts are ground together in a vat the size of your living room.
4. Instead of a faceless corporation you'll literally know where your food originates. This will face also face stiff opposition from large wholesale and retail food distributers and sellers. It risks cutting into the profit margins of several big box supercenter or superstore chains.
Think about this next time you bite into a hamburger or meatloaf......
Bon Apetite!
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