[fullwidth background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding_top=”20″ padding_bottom=”20″ padding_left=”0″ padding_right=”0″ hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][title size=”1″ content_align=”left” style_type=”underline solid” sep_color=”#000000″ margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” class=”” id=””]USDA’s new poultry inspection survives their first court challenge[/title][fusion_text]Wednesday, December 23rd 2015
USDA’s new poultry inspection rules, which place more responsibility for examining birds on the processing establishments themselves, have survived their first court challenge. A three-judge panel of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday affirmed a lower court ruling that found the advocacy group Food and Water Watch (FWW) did not have legal standing to continue with a lawsuit over the New Poultry Inspection System (NPIS), which USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) put into operation last year. Neither the two individual plaintiffs in the case nor FWW as an organization could establish standing, the court found. Statements from current and former poultry inspectors that said the new rule would lead to more contamination are not enough, the court said. The new poultry inspection rules are voluntary. Corbo said 49 plants have requested to opt into the new system, but only 12 of those have implemented it thus far. That’s out of an FSIS-estimated 219 chicken and turkey operations that are eligible. Under the rules, the number of government inspectors at each plant are reduced, but those who remain would focus more on food safety than line examinations, allowing more checks of the facilities for cleanliness. The National Chicken Council did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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