Recall Prompts USDA to Name Retailers

The US Department of Agriculture now says that the next time there is a recall of meat or poultry in the United States, they will list what local grocery stores it was sold at. This decision was made Friday, on the heels of the nations largest recall of 143 million pounds of beef, which was produced at a California slaughterhouse. However, this only applies to the most crucial Class I recalls, which are thought to pose the greatest health threat. It will go into effect next month and would not have affected the California recall, which was classified as a less-significant Class II recall.

Some consumer groups and lawmakers are praising the change, but feel that it did not go far enough and are critical of it being limited to Class I recalls. The meat industry contended that the change might cause incomplete information to be given out, which may hurt consumers rather than help them. Janet Riley, spokeswoman for the American Meat Institute cautioned that, “We want consumers to get the most accurate information, and we think this could really confuse them.” Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., has been pushing for the publication of retailers names during recalls for years and said, “If we are serious about protecting consumers from unsafe foods, it is critical that this information be provided for all recalls.” This is something that the Bush Administration initially has opposed all along. The Consumer Federation of America noted that the announcement was “a welcome change that will help protect consumers.”