Documents made available under the Freedom of Information Act and the regular posting by the USDA-Food Safety and Inspection Service, consistent and ongoing deviations from acceptable handling and slaughter practices occur in custom-exempt slaughter facilities.
The Animal Welfare Institute among other activist organizations have demonstrated that the FSIS has neglected to monitor slaughter facilities that are currently exempt from the HMSA.
It is ironic that the USDA is promoting small-scale and custom-slaughter plants with grants while concurrently neglecting to ensure that these facilities are operated in accordance with both acceptable welfare and food safety procedures. In their attempt to “restructure the red meat and poultry industry”, the current Administration is exacerbating problems that have yet to be resolved. Obviously, the disparate components of the USDA should attempt some measure of cooperation in their activities that currently are deleterious to both animals and consumers.