Some see benefit to Ore. meat-inspection program
Monday, September 1, 2008 10:40 AM PDT
SALEM (AP) — Livestock owners could cut wait times and travel costs if the state were to adopt a meat-inspection program, according to a survey sponsored by the Oregon Department of Agriculture.
Dalton Hobbs, assistant director of the agency, said the survey of livestock owners and meat processors came about because interest in such a program has increased with the growing demand for locally produced food.
‘‘We decided to see if there is enough critical mass out there to support a state inspection program,’’ Hobbs said in an interview the Capital Press newspaper.
Moreover, the 2008 Farm Bill gave USDA the authority to allow states to clear meat for interstate sales. Currently, only USDA-inspected meat can be sold across state lines. The USDA is rewriting its administrative rules and could provide states with the authority some time next year.
In an overview of the survey results, Oregon State University agricultural economist Cathy Durham wrote that smaller meat processors generally favored a state inspection program more than larger ones.
Some other findings include:
— Livestock owners reported that transportation costs were cutting into profits, with many traveling more than 150 miles one-way to their processing facility. Adding a state meat inspection program could cut travel costs by allowing producers to process their meat at closer custom slaughterhouses that currently aren’t USDA certified.
— Livestock owners reported having to schedule processing dates months or even a year in advance due to limited options. Several producers said they often run out of consumer product while waiting for space at a processing facility.
— Survey respondents believed the most likely markets for state-inspected meats would be restaurants, farmers’ markets, direct sales and local retail sales. Many processors and producers said they were interested in marketing meats directly to consumers and believed there was a niche market with high demand for local meats.
Twenty-seven states already have meat-inspection programs.
