March 12, 2010

Indiana meatpackers protest inspector layoffs

Indiana's meat industry and farmers fear the state's plan to lay off some state meat inspectors for budget reasons is detrimental to the segment.

The number of the state's 52 inspectors that will be laid off is unknown, but meatpackers said any layoffs will prevent them from growing to meet demand for locally raised meat.

In addition, if state inspectors are scarce or unavailable, small meatpackers who cannot afford to upgrade for federal inspections could cut back their operations or go under, according to meatpackers.

Such fears also highlight a dilemma lawmakers in many states face as tax revenues decline and they struggle to balance budgets.

Upgrading to meet federal standards, which require such things as separate showers for federal inspectors, can also cost US$250,000, nearly the average annual value of meat leaving state-inspected plants in Indiana.

Twenty-seven states have their own meat inspection programmes, which must meet USDA standards for pre-slaughter and post-mortem inspection of animals, record-keeping, sanitation and other matters.

In January, the Indiana Board of Animal Health announced a 50% cut in its inspection programme but it backed off after complaints were received.