Return to Article: Senator challenges USDA mad cow testing plan

By Jerry Hagstrom CongressDaily May 11, 2004
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    All very interesting questions from Senator Harkin about the food safety part of the food safety and inspection service. Now if the Senator really wanted to understand the dysfunction of FSIS he should dig a little into the culture of this Wing 1 South Building organization. My tenure with FSIS was happily very, very short and not very sweet but I do understand their culture and problems. And their organizational problems directly impact on the food safety of all of us.

    You can't fix FSIS by changing process and procedure- it is a systemic human capital management problem that needs to be addressed in the South Building of USDA at the very top of this organization.

    Former FSIS employee

    GovExec.com reader Posted May 13, 2004 3:44 PM
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    Rather than argue about the validity of the Department of Agriculture's statistical methodology -- or the pointless absurdity of whether "the cow was able to stand" -- wouldn't it be better to allow independent testing [in addition to the DOA tests] and let the marketplace sort things out? Costs are passed on to those willing to bear them, those firms that test can resume exporting, I have some choice in the matter . . .

    Richard Tedrow Posted May 12, 2004 7:25 AM

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Senator challenges USDA mad cow testing plan
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