Meat+Poultry - December 2021 - 26

YEAR IN REVIEW
disadvantage since July 1, and hog slaughter
capacity has been reduced. The slowdown due
to slower line speeds is a self-inflicted wound
by the administration. "
room, no compromise. USDA said - no masks,
no inspection - which would shut down plants.
It is difficult to deal with masks in small plants
and on kill floors - especially in the summer
when it is so hot. USDA's reaction was: 'It is
what it is.' "
SPEED TRAP
" It is difficult
to deal with
masks in small
plants and on
kill floors -
especially in
the summer
when it is so
hot. USDA's
reaction
was: 'It is
what it is.' "
- CHRIS YOUNG
Operating line speeds in both the pork and
poultry industry were important issues this
year. When the New Poultry Inspection System
rule was finalized several years ago, FSIS set
the maximum evisceration line speed at 140
birds per minute. FSIS then started a line speed
waiver program to allow plants to operate 175
birds a minute if they met strict food safety
standards and history. The idea was to find out
if the agency could increase the line speed.
But last year, FSIS stopped issuing waivers.
A new rule was withdrawn by the Biden
Administration, with no new waivers. " It's
unfortunate that the new administration chose
to ignore three decades of science, data and
court decisions, that has hamstrung the US
poultry industry globally, " Super said.
Last spring, a federal judge blocked the
USDA's New Swine Inspection System rule.
Then the Biden Administration decided not
to appeal, and line speeds for plants that
participated in NSIS have been slowed since
July, even though some of the plants have
been running at elevated speeds for 20 years
and showed they could do so safely, according
to NAMI.
" It is beyond past time for USDA to issue
the criteria for line speed waivers; especially
for plants operating under NSIS, " said Julie
Anna Potts, president and chief executive
officer of NAMI. " The NSIS plants, specially
configured and staffed to operate under
NSIS - have been operating at a competitive
26 MEAT+POULTRY | 12.21 | www.meatpoultry.com
While four US senators introduced the
American Beef Labeling Act, which mandates
the reinstatement of beef and pork into the
existing Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling
(MCOOL), NCBA opposes the plan.
" Right now, there is a $1 billion judgment
against the US from Canada and Mexico,
because MCOOL didn't comply with World
Trade Organization rules, and made it harder
for their cattle to get into the US, " said Kent
Backus, international director of Trade Market
Access for NCBA.
" We oppose MCOOL, it violates our trade
commitments, " he said. Earlier this year,
NCBA petitioned USDA to eliminate the
generic " Product of USA " label. " This label
is a disservice to American cattlemen and
consumers, " Backus said. " We support the
use of voluntary source of origin claims to
benefit cattlemen. "
The NCBA also opposes the Optimizing the
Cattle Market Act of 2021, introduced by US
Representative Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.) intended
to help the market be more transparent and
provide greater price discovery.
" We think this would be government
intervention in the cattle industry, " said Tanner
Beymer, NCBA director of government affairs
and policy. " We would prefer a voluntary
solution, to incentivize higher participation in
the markets without mandating it. We don't think
the government should be telling cattlemen and
women how to market their cattle. "
Beymer said NCBA supports parts of
the bill, including setting up a cattle formula
contracts library and expanding the reporting
window from seven to 14 days. Last year, NCBA
approved a voluntary price discovery policy. But
it opposes USDA setting up regionally sufficient
levels of cash and grid trade.
The regulation of plant-based " meat "
remains confusing and up in the air. Four years
after it was petitioned by a cattle association
to define beef and meat as the flesh of food
animals, USDA says it has no authority
over the labeling of plant-based " meat " or
" alternative meat. " That is the Food and Drug
Administration's bailiwick. Cell-cultured meat
labeling will be a joint USDA-FDA project.
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Meat+Poultry - December 2021

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