Meat Industry Inspections

I speak as both a consumer and president of the California Cattle Feeders Assn. in expressing my shock at the revelations made in the Kendall article.

There is absolutely no excuse for allowing the conditions described in the story to exist in any facility. However, the article revealed that appropriate steps have been taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the processors to remedy the situation.

Of particular concern to cattle feeders was the statement made by USDA inspector Gregorio Natividad advising the public “not to eat meat.” I don’t think it’s fair to indict an entire industry for the misdeeds of a few.

My livelihood and that of other members of the association depend on the sale of beef to consumers. We take pride in preparing and shipping clean, healthy animals at optimum weight to the market with the expectation that the end products will be fresh and wholesome, and in the vast majority of cases, they are.

Beef is a delicious, nutritious and necessary part of a well-balanced diet. A problem existed, has been exposed, and is well on the way to being solved. We of the California Cattle Feeders Assn. urge consumers to continue to make beef a part of their diets. And we join with them in demanding that processing facilities be properly inspected and maintained.

LOUISE WILLEY

Brawley