Food Safety Groups began slamming the USDA for lax practices resulting in the recall of millions of eggs. Many have wondered how a plant could have USDA inspectors on hand- some at least 40 hours a week- and still missed reported issues such as rats and manure piles near the hen houses.
USA Today offers some insight into the discrepancies and why groups are so angry:
Though USDA regulations say buildings and "outside premises" must be free of conditions that harbor vermin, the agency takes a narrow view of its responsibilities. Under the USDA's unwritten interpretation of the regulations, egg graders only look for vermin inside the specific processing building where they are based, said Dean Kastner, an assistant USDA branch chief in poultry grading program.
The agency interprets outside premises as only the area immediately around the processing building's loading dock and trash receptacle, he said.
PBS has their latest report on the issue in this video:
