CRIMES WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES - gpvec

Crimes Without ConsequenCes
be inspected under either federal or state inspection; however, products produced in
state inspected plants may only be sold in intrastate commerce. The FSIS certifies state
inspection programs annually based on a review of the state’s self-assessment as well as
FSIS reviews that are performed every one to five years. 20 Humane handling is one of
nine components evaluated. 21
Nine states (type 2 above) have assumed the authority to assist the USDA with
administration and enforcement of federal food inspection laws. This authority is granted
under the Talmadge-Aiken Act of 1962 22 , and the slaughter plants inspected under
this authority are referred to as “federal-state cooperative inspection plants” (formerly
“Talmadge-Aiken” plants). In order to qualify for a cooperative inspection agreement
with the USDA, state agriculture agencies must demonstrate they have adequate laws,
facilities, personnel and procedures to administer the federal laws. Inspection personnel
are supervised by the state with guidance from the FSIS. 23
Three states (type 4 above) have entered into cooperative agreements with the FSIS
to provide inspection authority for their custom plants but not for their state plants. In
these states, personnel perform reviews of custom slaughter plants with the annual FSIS
assessment of the process. In states with meat inspection programs, state personnel
review custom plants, and in states without inspection programs (other than the three
mentioned above), FSIS personnel review the plants. 24
20 In January 2007, one state program (New Mexico) was deferred, pending verification of the state’s
implementation of corrective actions. FSIS review of state programs: summary report, January 2007. On July
13, 2007, the FSIS announced that inspection of New Mexico state establishments would be taken over by the
FSIS, effective August 13, 2007. See USDA-FSIS, Designation of the state of New Mexico under the Federal
Meat Inspection Act and Poultry Products Inspection Act; final rule, Federal Register, Vol. 72, No. 134, July
13, 2007, pp. 38467-38468. Information regarding state inspection programs is available on the Regulation
and Policies section of the FSIS website (see http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations_&_policies/Requirements_
for_State_Programs/index). See also FSIS Directive 5720.2, rev 3 (state cooperative inspection programs),
November 16, 2004.
21 FSIS review of state programs: summary report, January 2007.
22 7 U.S.C. 450.
23 USDA-FSIS, Cooperative inspection program functions. (http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/FSLGRS/MPI/
oversight.htm)
24 Ibid.
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