Meat & Poultry Inspection Cut

Governor Mitch Daniels' office announced last week that it has issued a mandate to the Meat and Poultry Inspection Program (MPIP) to reduce its operations by $2 million. To achieve this, the MPIP, administered by the State Board of Animal Health, would have to reduce its activities by at least 50%.

This article from Farm World Online provides a discussion of the issue, and so does this article at Hoosier Ag Today.

A significantly reduced meat inspection staff may change much about Indiana's meat industry. An email from the Indiana Sheep Association to its members urged them to discuss the matter with their legislators. "If you do not sell direct, at a farmers market or restaurant sales, or donate lambs for fairs, roasts or other activities, this may not impact you. But if you do, this may profoundly affect your ability to continue these activities."

The Board of Animal Health released a set of "key points" in response to such concerns. It states that "BOAH will inspect only products that will be entering commerce." It remains to be seen (1) exactly what the acting definition of "entering commerce" is, (2) how seriously the inspectors' schedules are cut, and (3) what the resultants effects will be on local livestock producers, processors, distributors like grocery stores and butchers, restaurants, and consumers. (That covers just about everybody in the state, I think.)

Here is the entire BOAH document:

Indiana’s Meat and Poultry Inspection Program Key Points
1-29-10

If you have questions, feel free to contact the Indiana Meat and Poultry Inspection Program at 317-227-0355.

· Like all state agencies, the Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH) has been affected by lagging state revenues. As a result, in early January, BOAH asked state-inspected meat processing facilities to streamline their slaughter and processing schedules to maximize state inspection resources to meet reduced budget goals.

· After excellent cooperation and much input from the meat processing industry, as well as Hoosier livestock producers, BOAH was able to work with the state budget agency to design a plan to overhaul Indiana’s Meat and Poultry Inspection Program (MPIP) to reduce expenses. Regrettably, the plan will ultimately involve significant MPIP staff lay-offs.

· The modified plan preserves a viable state-inspection program with a high priority on food safety of value-added, locally produced food. While the new plan falls short of the initial 50 percent budget cut goal, MPIP will achieve significant cost savings. Specifics of the plan will be rolled out over the coming weeks.

· To achieve these savings, BOAH will inspect only products that will be entering commerce. Plants owners will have the option to process products under state inspection, as well as custom-exempt status (also known as the Curtis Amendment), in the same facility.

· BOAH recognizes and appreciates the input and cooperation of the state’s meat processors and many industry stakeholders to identify efficiencies that made this plan possible, which will preserve Indiana’s state meat and poultry inspection program.

Denise Derrer
Public Information Director
Indiana State Board of Animal Health
805 Beachway Drive, Ste. 50
Indianapolis, IN 46224-7785
317/227-0308
www.boah.in.gov