A Meatpacker's Vow

In a move that has sent shockwaves throughout the U.S. beef industry, a Kansas meat packer has vowed to voluntarily test every animal processed at its Arkansas City plant for BSE, so-called mad cow disease.

The packer decided to implement the testing based on assurances by its Asian customers that they would buy carcasses that had been tested.

Creekstone Farms has requested that USDA begin voluntary testing at the plant. USDA, however, believes testing on such a massive scale isn’t cost effective and doesn’t ensure the beef is any safer.

If USDA does not approve testing within 60 days, Creekstone Farms will lay off between 10 and 15 percent of its workforce at the Arkansas City slaughter plant, which employs 750 workers, said John Stewart, chief executive officer of Creekstone Farms.

The company already has been losing about $80,000 a day and has been forced to cut back operations for days at its Arkansas City plant.

Posted by Jim Langcuster at February 27, 2004 08:24 AM | TrackBack