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Source: Lisa M. Keefe, MEATINGPLACE.COM, 5/29/08
Beginning in July, the U.S. Department of Agriculture expects to have new regulations in place that will require all approved vendors eligible to supply beef to the federal commodity purchase program to have procedures in place that will address the humane treatment of livestock, Agricultural Marketing Service spokesman Billy Cox told Meatingplace.com.
"These newly required procedures are directly aimed at ensuring there is not a repeat of the conditions animals were subjected to at Hallmark/Westland," Cox said in a statement. The federal commodity purchase program includes the National School Lunch Program.
Although the new regulations still are in draft form, the proposals were shared with prospective vendors at the annual USDA Vendor Conference in Kansas City in mid-May, according to the National Meat Association. USDA expects to announce and implement the new requirements before purchases resume for the 2008-2009 school year in July, according to Cox.
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