The Issues: Flies

 

sustainable TableThe drastic expansion of industrial animal production in the US has been accompanied by the rapid consolidation of the meat industry. This industry is now dominated by a handful of huge corporations that process most of the country's meat at enormous facilities, and consolidation continues to increase. As of 2005, four companies controlled the processing of over 80% of the country's beef and three of these same four companies (along with an additional fourth) process over 60% of the country's pork1. Additionally, the four major companies in broiler chicken processing provide over half of the country's chicken supply. It is the same situation for turkey meat2. In 1996, 79 percent of cattle slaughters (approximately 22.6 million) occurred at only 22 plants3. As a result of this concentration, meat packing companies have become increasingly powerful, while the government bodies that regulate them have done little to keep them in line.

When animals are slaughtered and processed (the meat is cut up and packaged), several dangerous elements come into play. The first is the presence of fecal matter from slaughtered animals, which can contaminate meat with high levels of bacteria such as E. coli. Other sanitation lapses can also contaminate food, as can other animal diseases like salmonella and campylobacter. Another food safety hazard is the risk from mad cow disease (a key step to preventing humans from contracting the disease is the proper removal of risky nervous system materials from the beef supply). And in addition to these food safety risks, the use of hazardous machinery and sharp knives can injure workers when mistakes are made.

Food Safety
Federal health authorities have estimated that foodborne diseases sicken 76 million people, cause 325,000 hospitalizations, and kill 5,000 Americans every year4. Likewise, a number of studies have confirmed the presence of harmful bacteria in meat in the US. After collecting ground beef samples from meat processing plants around the country in 1996, the USDA determined that 7.5% of the beef samples were contaminated with Salmonella, 11.7% were contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, 30% were contaminated with Staphylococcus Aureus, and 53.3% were contaminated with Clostridium perfringens5.

These unacceptable levels of contamination are caused by the filthy conditions in which conventional food animals are raised, as well as the high speed at which meat is processed. In order to maximize profits, meat processors have continually increased the speed of their production lines. Twenty years ago, meatpacking plants slaughtered about 175 cattle an hour, but, due to increased line speeds, today plants can slaughter as many as 400 cattle per hour6.

In order to assure the safety of the meat supply, processors must make efforts to keep feces from spreading from the animals' intestines or hides onto the tables and tools for butchering, along with the meat itself. But because the production lines are forced to move so quickly, it is exceedingly difficult to butcher the carcasses with the care necessary to prevent this kind of contamination. The result is meat contaminated with bacteria that cause foodborne illness.

The US continues to experience periodic outbreaks of foodborne illness and large recalls of contaminated meat. In 2002, ConAgra was forced to recall 19 million pounds of beef produced at its Greeley, Colorado, processing facility after meat contaminated with E. coli killed a woman and sickened 35 others. By the time the meat was recalled, about 80% of it had already been consumed7. Out of all foods, ground beef is the leading source of E. coli infections in the US8.

The USDA publishes meat recalls issued voluntarily by companies, many of which are classified as Class I recalls, or those which are intended to notify the public about "a health hazard situation in which there is a reasonable probability that eating the food will cause health problems or death"9. These recalls can range in size from 100 pounds to several hundred thousand pounds of product. In 2008, the USDA published the largest meat recall in history: 143 million pounds of beef. This particular recall centered on beef that was not likely to cause illness and much of which was likely consumed by the time the recall was initiated. However, recall was initiated because of violations of animal care regulations taking place at the Hallmark Meat Packing Company in Chino, California, from where the meat originated. This incident spurred remarks from the head of the Senate Agricultural Committee to encourage a tightening of the laws for slaughterhouses10. In 2007, two other major meat recalls occurred. United Food Group issued a recall of 5.7 million pounds of fresh and frozen beef11 and Topps Meat Company issued a recall of 21.7 million pounds of beef12. Both were a reaction to possible E.Coli contamination.

Meat Inspection
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulates all meat production and sale in the US, and meat is the only consumer product in the US that comes with a government seal of approval on the package. All meat for commercial sale is produced with government employees present to protect the interests of consumers. But despite its mandate to act in the interests of consumer safety, the USDA has failed to effectively assure the safety of the US meat supply due to weak regulations and lack of control over meat companies.

Meat production in the US is controlled for a large part by just a handful of companies24.

Four companies control 83% of beef processing.

Four companies control 66% of pork processing.

The largest pork producer (Smithfield Foods) has over 1.2 million sows (the pigs housed to give birth to those that will be slaughtered) and has the capacity to slaughter 102,900 pigs daily.

Four companies control 58% of broiler chicken production and processing.

In 1996, the USDA introduced a new meat inspection program called the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system. This system was intended to modernize meat inspection and introduce testing for the bacteria that make people sick. Unfortunately, HACCP has some major shortcomings.

The HACCP system allows many inspection tasks to be carried out by the meat companies themselves, and actually reduces the involvement of USDA inspectors in the process13. This is highly problematic, not least because meat companies (driven only by the desire to profit) are unlikely to slow or stop production in order to deal with a problem or pull potentially contaminated meat from the line. Under HACCP the USDA has actually discouraged its inspectors from stopping production lines when they suspect contamination. In one USDA memo, the agency stated that inspectors would be held responsible for halting production unless there was absolute evidence of product contamination, an unfair burden to put on inspectors charged with the task of evaluating meat that's speeding down a production line14.

Another important shortcoming of the current inspection system is the USDA's lack of authority to order product recalls or to issue fines when companies persistently violate food safety rules. Upon discovery of contaminated meat, the USDA cannot demand that a company recall its products and only has the power to consult with a company about how they should handle the situation15. This slows down the recall process, and allows for unsuspecting consumers to buy and eat contaminated products even though authorities are aware of the contamination.

Similarly, the USDA can not shut down a plant that does not meet sanitation requirements and as a result there are often lengthy delays between the discovery of unsanitary processing plants and action taken to improve their conditions. In 2002, Public Citizen and the Government Accountability Project discovered that even after repeatedly testing positive for salmonella contamination, several ground beef processing plants were allowed to continue to sell meat for several months before steps were taken to clean up their facilities16.

Worker Safety
Meat processing facilities are known to pose significant threats to worker safety. In 1996, meat packing workers were listed as having the highest rate of repeat-trauma disorders (like carpal tunnel syndrome, which develops over long periods of time)17. In 1998, nearly 30% of US meat packing plant workers sustained a work-related injury or illness, making meat packing the most dangerous job in the country in terms of non-fatal injuries18. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows (from 2003-2007) the rate of illnesses and injuries for workers in "animal slaughtering and processing" was over twice as high as the national average, and the rate of illnesses alone was over ten times the national average19. Common ailments among slaughterhouse workers include back problems, torn muscles and pinched nerves, as well as more dramatic injuries such as broken bones, deep cuts and amputated fingers and limbs20.

Although meat processing is a difficult and dangerous occupation, precautions can be taken to minimize the threats to worker safety. Among the most important safeguards is to set reasonably-paced production line speeds so that workers are able to process meat without putting themselves or their coworkers at risk of injury. However, in order to maximize profits, meat processing companies continue to maintain unreasonably fast line speeds, thereby jeopardizing the safety of both workers and the food supply.

Although recorded rates of injury and illness among meatpacking workers are remarkably high, it's likely that the official numbers are still an underestimation of the truth.

Because meatpacking plants are fined when their plants show high injury rates, plant managers and owners have been known to keep false logs that misrepresent the actual occurrence of injury and illness by as much as 1,000 percent25.

Time for Change
Given the high incidence of worker injury, the recurrence of sanitary violations at meat processing facilities, and continual outbreaks of food-borne illnesses caused by contaminated meat, it is clear that the U.S. meat processing industry is in dire need of reform. Production line speeds should be slowed to a pace at which workers can perform their duties safely and food safety standards can be guaranteed. Government oversight of food safety standards must also be improved. In order to protect public health, the USDA should conduct more rigorous inspections at meat processing facilities and should have the authority to order recalls of contaminated meat as well as the power to shut down plants that fail to meet food safety standards.

What You Can Do
There are very few, if any, "sustainable" slaughterhouses in the US. In general, small-scale, independent slaughterhouses tend to provide safer products than most giant meatpacking plants due to the fact that they process much smaller quantities of meat and operate at a slower pace. However, it's still difficult to determine where your meat was actually processed.

Fortunately, there are many sustainable farmers and ranchers throughout the US that care about where their animals are processed. So if you buy directly from a farmer or rancher, he or she will be able to tell you exactly where the meat was processed, and what kind of practices that plant uses.

Did You Know?

  • In 1997, 4 companies processed 80 percent of all steers and heifers in the US21.
  • Some of the biggest meat processing companies in the US are Tyson, Cargill, Swift & Co., National Beef Packing Co., Five Rivers (Smithfield and ContiBeef), Smithfield Foods, Pilgrim's Pride and Butterball22.
  • In 1996, the rate of repeated-trauma disorders (or injuries that develop over time) at meat-packing plants was 27 times higher than the national average23.

For more information

  • "Meatpacking Maverick" - This article describes an independent meatpacker's support for improved food safety inspections after the infamous ConAgra ground beef recall in July 2002.
  • Fast Food Nation - This best-selling book by Eric Schlosser provides a host of information on the meat packing industry's history and current status.
  • Modern Meat - This PBS special discusses a range of issues surrounding meat production in the US.
  • The Butcher's Conscience - This article tells the story of a New York State butcher shop that's doing it right.
  • Tasteless Tidbits - Food and Water Watch has kept a close eye on food safety issues with special attention to the lack of inspection happening at slaughterhouses and processing facilities.
  • More Foul Fowl - Food & Water Watch analyzed government testing data and reports which chicken producers failed to meet government salmonella standards (2006 report updated in 2008).

Page last updated September 2009

Related information:
Animal Welfare
Factory Farming
Food Safety
Health
Mad Cow
Workers

Sources