This has a real “hide the zombie bite from your friends” feel to it, albeit on a much grander scale.

  • disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    The USDA now requires a negative test for cattle to move across state lines, but no federal agency can mandate testing on the farms or go onto the farms without permission from the owners. Government requests to test farmers’ cows have mostly been ignored.

    “You have to understand how they approach the world. They take on so much risk every day with what they do in their operation,” Naerebout said. “They are very reluctant on this issue or any other issue to have the government involved.”

    So we have a feelings-based food supply. That’s probably fine.

    • The Pantser@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      So the USDA is now useless too? If they want approval to sell their cow stuffs the USDA should revoke their license unless they can enter their property to test.

      • disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world
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        6 months ago

        In all fairness, the USDA has been useless for a long time.

        Just one of many examples, “treatments” are not considered ingredients, so they don’t need to be disclosed to the consumer. McDonald’s takes mechanically separated chicken bits leftover from Tyson’s boning process, then mixes them with ammonia to kill bacteria, homogenizing it into a pink slime. That slime is pressed into four shapes distinct shapes, “breaded” and fried, and the ingredients list for McNuggets is not required to include ammonia.

        • meowMix2525@lemm.ee
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          6 months ago

          uh idk about the treatments thing in general but the pink slime myth about the nuggets specifically was both circulated and debunked before 2010, and the image that was going around of it was not taken in any facility relating to McDonald’s.

          You would have a point about the beef being treated with ammonia and homogenized, but according to AP, “McDonalds stopped using the by-product, known in the industry as lean, finely-textured beef, in 2011” here is their source on that

          I really don’t consider myself a McDonald’s defender but the least you could do is say things that are current or even just recent and true lol

          • disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world
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            6 months ago

            I saw it in a documentary a long time ago. I just looked myself, and it seems you’re right about it being their beef and not chicken.

            The treatment designation is true. If a substance is added to food to be removed prior to consumption, it’s considered a treatment, and therefore does not have to be listed on the ingredients list.

        • NatakuNox@lemmy.world
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          6 months ago

          I remember a story where a inspector had to wear a bag over her head to inspect a processing plant. So essentially blindfolded to inspect food production that would feed millions of people. Our whole political and economic system is a joke.

      • disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world
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        6 months ago

        No joke. I was floored when I read that Mexico refused to import corn unless the FDA provided proof of full safety of the “Roundup ready” GMO corn and glyphosate pesticide, and the FDA failed to respond with proof.

  • Allonzee@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    The private profit motive is at odds with societal well being.

    And it wins every time.

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    6 months ago

    Remember during the pandemic when the CDC made it very clear they didn’t give a fuck about us. 5 day back to work with COVID policy, with zero science to back it etc.

    • Michael H. Jenkins@infosec.pubOP
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      6 months ago

      The loss of public trust in the CDC in particular and public health in general are a huge problem. We’ll need a generation or two to fix it.

      • Drusas@kbin.run
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        It doesn’t help that the CDC capitulates to economic interests. Everyone suddenly saw that when the pandemic hit (except for the MAGA types, who somehow were convinced the CDC was being overly strict when it was quite the opposite). Hard to get your credibility back when it’s so blatant.

    • conquer4@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      Almost like a government agency is as reliable as the head of the government. And you had a shitstain then, and now you have the results of decades of laws to reduce oversight. If the CDC doesn’t have the power over disease response, they don’t have responsibility. The FDA has no oversight over cattle on farms, so no responsibility. It’s your problem, not theirs.

  • capital@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    You can opt out of animal agriculture.

    Stop giving these people your money.

  • iAvicenna@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    pfft like the government doesn’t know already and isn’t trying to hide it from the rest of the world. China should send a scientific team to the USA to investigate.