-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
On Behalf Of Branfionn
Sent: Tuesday, June 06, 2000 6:43 PM
To: Earthclan
Subject: (earthclan) Fwd: USDA Accused of Cover-Up & Retaliation Against
Whistleblowers
Message: 5
Date: Fri, 2 Jun 2000 08:29:16 -0700
From: "Paul Maser" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: USDA ACCUSED OF COVER-UP
Government Accountability Project
National Office
1612 K Street � Suite 400
Washington, DC 20006
202-408-0034 � fax: 202-408-9855 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] � Website:
{HYPERLINK "http://www.whistleblower.org/gap"}www.whistleblower.org/gap
For Release: June 1, 2000
For more information: Chris Chandler; (202) 408-0034, ext 128
USDA ACCUSED OF COVER-UP
AND RETALIATION AGAINST WHISTLEBLOWERS
Washington, D.C. --- The U.S. Department of Agriculture
deliberately covered up evidence of diseased chicken being
approved for consumers, and attempted to retaliate against the meat
inspectors who brought the problem to light, a group of 28 consumer
and civic watchdog groups charged Thursday in a letter to Thomas
Billy, director of the Food Safety and Inspection Service of USDA.
The letter charged that Billy himself showed total disregard for the
Whistleblower Protection Act when he said at a February 15
meeting with inspectors that employees who talked to reporters
about the situation "should have anticipated that there may be some
risks to those that are involved in it."
The diseased chicken was approved under a new experimental
slaughterhouse inspection system that shifts much of the responsibility
for inspection from federal inspectors to the company itself.
Last fall when the new system began on a pilot basis at the Gold Kist
plant in Guntersville, Alabama, meat inspectors expressed concern
that the plant was allowing diseased chicken to enter the food
supply. On February 6, there were news reports that adulterated
chickens were being approved at the plant and processed as chicken
nuggets for the school lunch program.
In response, a senior government manager was sent to the plant on
February 8 and the Office of Inspector General began a "preliminary
inquiry" on February 9.
"We have no reason to believe product leaving these Gold Kist
plants is anything other than safe and wholesome," the USDA press
release said. But internal agency documents reveal that the senior
manager, Karen Henderson, confirmed most of the inspector's
charges that diseased chicken was receiving the USDA seal.
As soon as she arrived the plant added two "sorters" to the three
already on the line to examine the chickens for filth and disease. The
plant also slowed the line speed from 130 birds a minute to 51. Even
then she found that some diseased birds passed all company
controls.
Company records show that before her visit the plant was producing
177,000 birds a day, and condemning only 5.5 per cent. After her
visit the plant cut production to 115,000 birds a day and condemned
33 per cent.
"These facts present a classic example of the value and necessity of
whistleblowers," the letter to Billy said.
When the Office of Inspector General began its investigation, instead
of determining the facts, investigators asked meat inspectors if they
had released data to reporters, and whether they spoke to reporters
while on or off duty, a question that clearly indicated an intention to
seek disciplinary action against them.
Felicia Nestor, Food Safety Project Director at the Government
Accountability Project, told members of the OIG staff by phone that
these kinds of questions were illegal under the Whistleblower
Protection Act. The response was to end the investigation, indicating
that it's purpose was to punish the whistleblowers, not determine
whether adulterated food was going out to consumers.
"We are especially concerned about this," the letter said, "because
collusion to discredit whistleblowers is recognized as one of the
prime motivations behind many retaliatory investigations."
"Your agency showed disrespect for its own inspectors and violated
the public trust when you repeatedly led the public to believe that
there was proof their allegations were wrong," the letter said.
Signing the letter, in addition to Nestor from GAP, were Joan
Claybrook, president of Public Citizen, Rodney Leonard, executive
director of the Community Nutrition Institute, Joseph Mendelson,
legal director of the Center for Food Safety, and representatives
from 23 other civic and consumer protection organizations.
(Note: Copies of the letter and other documents available upon
request)
Felicia Nestor can be reached at (202) 408-0034, ext. 132
Wenonah Hauter of Public Citizen is at (202)454-5150
Rodney Leonard, executive director, Community Nutrition Institute,
(202) 776-0595
Delmer Jones, chairman, National Joint Council of Food Inspectors
Locals; (205) 680-5549
Arthur Hughes, vice chairman, (207) 782-0757
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[CTRL] FW: (earthclan) Fwd: USDA Accused of Cover-Up & Retaliation Against Whistleblowers
Shane A. Saylor, Eccentric Bard Tue, 06 Jun 2000 17:38:01 -0700
