NEW HAVEN, CT—Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) today led 15 members of the House of Representatives in questioning the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s controversial poultry slaughter regulation.

The final rule is largely based on the HACCP-Based Inspection Models Project (HIMP), which DeLauro raised strong objections to throughout the rulemaking process. DeLauro also expressed concern at the time the regulation was issued that it would modernize poultry slaughter at the expense of public health, worker safety and animal welfare.

“The new rule will create a system that is detrimental to food and worker safety, as well as animal welfare,” the representatives wrote in their letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack. “This rule abdicates food safety oversight from USDA into the hands of the industry and it places workers in jeopardy... the New Poultry Inspection System (NPIS) will not improve food and worker safety or ensure animal welfare laws are followed and enforced.”

The letter can be read in its entirety here. It requests answers to 26 questions in five categories:
•    Implementation and Appropriations (four questions)
•    Food Safety (nine questions)
•    Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) Staffing (three questions)
•    Worker Safety (six questions)
•    Animal Welfare (four questions)

DeLauro is a former Chairwoman of the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, which funds USDA, and is a longtime advocate for stronger food safety standards.


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