Issues of concern to people who live in the west: property rights, water rights, endangered species, livestock grazing, energy production, wilderness and western agriculture. Plus a few items on western history, western literature and the sport of rodeo... Frank DuBois served as the NM Secretary of Agriculture from 1988 to 2003. DuBois is a former legislative assistant to a U.S. Senator, a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Interior, and is the founder of the DuBois Rodeo Scholarship.
Tuesday, January 03, 2012
Porkers at USDA shut down annual matanza in Belen
The matanza is a big traditional get-together where people slaughter pigs, prepare them, then eat them. The largest pork festival is in Belen, N.M., but the U.S. Department of Agriculture is shutting down the event because it may pose a safety hazard. The matanza, sponsored by the Valencia County Hispano Chamber of Commerce, was scheduled for Jan. 28 at the fairgrounds in Belen. But this year, the organization has been forced to cancel the event. "We have served over 300,000 meals in the 11 years we had the event," said Edward Calabaza, spokesman for the Hispano Chamber of Commerce. "This is the first real time that the (USDA) threatened to shut us down, in terms of red-tagging the hogs, going on site if we go thru with the event." A letter from the USDA said the matanza can be a major food safety hazard. Officials said the agency "has concerns about the pathological and residue hazards presented by the slaughter process; the need to prevent fecal, urine, and milk spillage during the custom slaughtering; and the sanitation of operations for the slaughtering and further processing of the swine."...more
If there is any "fecal spillage" here, its coming out of the mouths of the USDA. The issue is not safety, its money:
According to Calabaza, the real issue surrounds the admissions fee the matanza charges fairgoers. Calabaza said, under USDA rules, food that's purchased needs to fall under specific guidelines. "We don't charge people to eat, that's where the dispute is," said Calabaza. "The USDA thinks we charge the $10 admission to eat and we charge the $10 admission to view the cultural event."
Food inspectors are present for the event, food handling classes have been taken, 300,000 meals served in 11 years with no incidents...so what's the problem? The problem is those food inspectors aren't USDA and the inspection fees charged are not going to USDA. The feds want to assert jurisdiction and collect fees, and to heck with the tradition and the many college scholarships provided by the event.
"fecal, urine, and milk spillage?" I've done and/or seen it done in the slaughter of hawgs, bovine and venison most of my 60+ years and never seen a problem after a thorough washing and cooking. Maybe 'cause I've got so much preservative in me already.
M'gawd, have you ever seen what goes into chili at the average cookoff?
1 comment:
"fecal, urine, and milk spillage?" I've done and/or seen it done in the slaughter of hawgs, bovine and venison most of my 60+ years and never seen a problem after a thorough washing and cooking. Maybe 'cause I've got so much preservative in me already.
M'gawd, have you ever seen what goes into chili at the average cookoff?
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