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Politics Trump Science in Food Inspections

From WalletPop.

"...38% of the scientists agreed or strongly agreed that "public health has been harmed by agency practices that defer to business interests; 27% said they had personally experienced "instances where public health has been harmed by businesses withholding food safety information from agency investigators" in the past year; and 25% said they personally experienced corporate interests forcing their agency to either withdraw or significantly modify a policy or action designed to protect consumers in the past year.

"Action is needed to curtail interference," said Francesa Grifo, director of the group's Scientific Integrity Program. "It is time for the administration to take on the scientific integrity issues."

She said while the Obama administration had announced a policy of being guided by scientific principles early in the administration, the survey indicates the federal departments haven't fully followed suit."

...

"I have seen multiple instances where the best science is suppressed to avoid making government agencies look bad. It has not been business groups or consumer groups suppressing the best science but high-ranking career employees," said one USDA employee.

An FDA employee was quoted as saying, "People who don't 'tow the line' or 'go along' are neutralized and are not allowed much influence."

...

"In a statement read at a press conference, Dr. Dean Wyatt, a USDA veterinarian who oversees federal slaughter house inspectors, said his agency regularly punishes inspectors for writing up legitimate safety violations.

"Upper level management does not adequately support field inspectors and the actions they take to protect the food supply," said Wyatt. "Not only is there lack of support, but there's outright obstruction, retaliation and abuse of power."

He also said that some production lines operate so quickly that it's impossible to inspect everything."

One more way they're trying to kill us off...as if Health Care Reform won't do a good enough job all by itself!

Posted by Cute at 7:39 PM

Labels: food preparation and use, health