(b) a charge of $4.00 per hour for the time consumed at the plant in making the survey; (iii) With respect to inspectors of the Meat Inspection Branch, Agricultural Research Service (formerly the Meat Inspection Division, Bureau of Animal Industry) who are assigned to the designated plant for the inspection of canning or processing of poultry food products, a charge equal to the amounts reimbursed to the Agricultural Research Service by AMS, plus twenty-five (25) percent of such amounts to cover administrative overhead of AMS: Provided, That, after the inspection service is inaugurated in the designated plant, the minimum charge for each calendar month shall be $25.00; (iv) The applicant shall also, upon receipt of an invoice therefor, at the inauguration of the inspection service pursuant hereto, make an advance payment in an amount to cover the estimated average cost of the inspection in the designated plant for a period of one month. The advance payment will be applied to the final bill and any balance due the applicant with be refunded on termination of this contract; and (v) The charges specified in (iii) and (iv) which may consist of amounts due for regular, overtime, holiday or night differential hours, shall be billed at the end of each calendar month. (2) Inspection service will be provided by AMS by mutual agreement with Meat Inspection Branch, Agricultural Research Service, utilizing inspectors detailed to the plant by the Meat Inspection Branch. Inspectors of the Meat Inspection Branch detailed to the plant will be licensed by AMS to perform inspection service covered by this contract. (3) The Agricultural Marketing Service will not be responsible for damages accruing through errors of commission or omission on the part of its inspectors when engaged in rendering service hereunder. (4) The inspection service herein applied for shall be provided at the designated plant and shall be contained until the service or this contract is suspended, withdrawn, or terminated (i) by mutual consent; (ii) by thirty (30) days' written notice given by either party to the other party specifying the date of suspension, withdrawal, or termination; (iii) pursuant to the aforesaid regulations; (iv) upon one (1) day's written notice by AMS to the applicant, if the applicant fails to honor any invoice within thirty (30) days after date of invoice covering the costs of the inspection service as herein provided, or if the applicant fails to comply with the terms and conditions hereof. (b) All terms used herein shall have the same meaning as when used in the aforesaid regulations and instructions. (c) No Member of or Delegate to Congress, or Resident Commissioner, shall be admitted to any share or part of this contract or to any benefit that may arise therefrom unless it be made with a corporation for its general benefit. (d) Additional conditions: Agricultural Marketing Service, U. S. Department of Agriculture. (Sec. 205, 60 Stat. 1090; 7 U. S. C. 1624) Issued at Washington, D. C., this 23d day of February 1955. [SEAL] ROY W. LENNARTSON, Deputy Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service. 78733-56- -13 S. W. BARKER, PORTLAND, OREG., May 8, 1956. 100 Indiana Avenue, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: Dr. Osgood and staff were at the Oregon Turkey Growers' plant Wednesday, May 2, to take the second blood test and at that time they found that 16 of the 70 some people had contracted some form of respiratory ailment since the first blood test on April 11 and advised them to see their doctor and to have X-rays taken if they are not feeling up to par. One was hospitalized and three are under doctors' care at home. Nineteen employees out of the crew at Fresh Foods showned in the test as positive psittacosis. Northwest Poultry plant in Portland reported to Dr. Osgood's office today that there were approximately seven off ill at the time and that they are investigating it. An employee of a sandwich company reported that she had to leave work this morning and that several of the girls had been ill there, including the owner of the plant. At the regular meeting of the local union a motion was made to secure a certificate of proof that the turkeys had been treated with aureomycin to be presented with each flock to be processed, and to renew our request for insurance for the people working on the turkeys in this breeder season so it will be necessary for me to call a meeting of the industry. Please advise if this is correct procedure with your thinking. W. R. DAVISSON, Secretary and Business Representative, Egg and Poultry Local, No. 231. PATRICK E. GORMAN, NEOSHO, MO., December 30, 1954. Secretary-Treasurer, Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen of North America. DEAR SIR: A few weeks ago I received a pamphlet from you "Congress Should Probe Sick and Diseased Poultry." I am heartily in sympathy with your crusade. I was employed by the Department of Agriculture last year from September until January as a poultry inspector in a number of plants in Minnesota, Iowa and Missouri. I learned quite a lot in the short time I was employed. I read the pamphlet from cover to cover and know every word of it to be true. Conditions in some of the plants under inspection are deplorable, and the inspector who is conscientious starts to crack down. The This is what happened to me when I tried to enforce a few regulations. plant owner calls up my area supervisor, the area supervisor stays behind me, but the plant owner happens to have helped Senator So-and-So get elected so he calls him in Washington and he in turn gets ahold of the Director of the Poultry Inspection Service and the plant owner gives me the horse laugh and I get transferred and finally get fed up and resign. As I mentiond before, I'm heartily in sympathy with your movement and if I can be of any help in any way I will be more than glad to. Sincerely, DR. F. N. SCHLAEGEL, Veterinarian. THE MEDICAL SOCIETY OF NEW JERSEY, Mr. EARL W. JIMMERSON, President, Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen of North America, Chicago, Ill. DEAR MR. JIMERSON: The board of trustees of the Medical Society of New Jersey, at its meeting on December 19, 1954, received your request for cooperation and support in the nationwide campaign to secure effective poultry regulation and inspection on all levels of government in the United States, State and local as well as Federal. By action of the board of trustees your request for cooperation and support was approved. The Medical Society of New Jersey will cooperate in every way it can. Sincerely yours, REUBEN L. SHARP, M. D., NEW JERSEY ASSOCIATION OF OSTEOPATHIC PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS, Mr. EARL W. JIM MERSON, President, Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen of North America, Chicago, Ill. DEAR MR. JIMMERSON: With further reference to our letter dated November 2 concerning your earlier letter and pamphlet regarding establishment of poultry regulation and inspection program on all levels of government please be advised that the board of directors of this association expresses its agreement and desire to assist in your campaign. If there is any special way in which we may be of assistance, please advise. Sincerely, IRVING J. TECKER, Executive Secretary. Mr. JESS CLARK, NEW MEXICO MEDICAL SOCIETY, Albuquerque, N. Mex., January 3, 1956. Secretary, Local 391 Albuquerque, N. Mex. DEAR MR. CLARK: You will, no doubt, remember that in September you delivered to me a letter requesting an official endorsement of the State medical society pertaining to your poultry cleanup campaign. The council of the New Mexico Medical Society had a meeting on December 17 and unanimously endorsed the program of your organization of cleaning up the poultry industry. Enclosed is a resolution from the council of the New Mexico Medical Society pertaining to this subject. You will notice that the State society also pledged its cooperation and assistance in behalf of this program. Please feel free to call on us if we may be able to assist you further. Sincerely, RALPH R. MARSHALL, RESOLUTION CONCERNING THE POULTRY INDUSTRY Whereas there is no general inspection of the poultry industry and whose products are shipped commercially all over America; and Whereas a large percentage of the American public consumes great quantities of poultry products each year; and Whereas the poultry industry represents a health problem from unclean and diseased fowls; and Whereas the Federal Food and Drug Administration inspects all meat-processing plants with the exception of the poultry industry; and Whereas the Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen of North America have begun a program of education with the hope that Congress will pass a regulation requiring the Food and Drug Administration to inspect all poultry concerns that distribute their products commercially; Therefore, be it Resolved, That the New Mexico Medical Society hereby endorses the Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen's program of cleaning up the poultry industry; and be it further Resolved, That the New Mexico Medical Society pledges its cooperation and assistance in the behalf of this program; and be it further Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be sent to Local 391, Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butchers Workmen, and the New Mexico Department of Public Health. Mr. EARL W. JIMMERSON, ANIMAL MEDICAL CLINIC, President, Amalgamated Meat Cutters et al., Chicago, Ill. DEAR SIR: Your pamphlet Congress Should Probe Sick and Diseased Poultry was received and read with great interest. As a matter of fact, I was the Federal Food and Drug Administration veterinarian who was responsible for all the seizures and legal action your booklet mentions. I wish I were in a position to offer you unlimited assistance in your effort to obtain some worthwhile Government control of the poultry situation, but I find my new practice keeps me too well confined in New York City. The somewhat intolerable conditions that you mention do not even begin to picture some of the poultry practices going on in the United States. Since I have inspected every major poultry firm from Maine to Georgia and as far west as Minneapolis, I am in a position to match the mild stories you have mentioned with some far better ones. At any rate if there is any way I can help you in your effort I shall be only too glad to try (within legal limits, of course). Wishing you the best in your project. Mr. PATRICK E. GORMAN, LEWIS M. TARR, D. V. M. CATAWIEBA, PA., November 18, 1954. Secretary-Treasurer, Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen of North America, Chicago, Ill. Dear Mr. GORMAN : I want to thank you for your letter and pamphlet concerning the situation in the poultry dressing and packing industry. Although I eat poultry both locally dressed and otherwise, I had no idea that such a situation existed. Being aware of the regulation of the meatpacking industry, I had no idea that such a large segment of the food preparation business was still completely wide open and unregulated. I have read your pamphlet Congress Should Probe Sick and Diseased Poultry, and I believe you are performing a great service by calling this matter to public attention. I intend to quote your pamphlet and comment upon it in the next issue of our county medical society bulletin. Thanking you again, I am, Sincerely yours, C. PERRY CLEAVER, M. D., Editor, Columbia County Medical Society Bulletin. PENNSYLVANIA STATE VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION Whereas the need for improvement and expanded methods of inspection of meat, meat products, poultry, and poultry products within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has been noted by the Pennsylvania State Veterinary Medical Association; and Whereas the method of improving the inspection of meat, meat products, poultry, and poultry products has been assigned to the committee on meat hygiene of the Pennsylvania State Veterinary Medical Association: Therefore be it Resolved, The Committee on Meat Hygiene in meeting assembled on January 19, 1955, recommends the improvement of inspection of meat, meat products, poultry, and poultry products by approved veterinarians, supervised by the Pennsylvania Bureau of Animal Industry through ordinances to be passed by each county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; and Whereas it is necessary this program for the improvement of the inspection of meat, meat products, poultry, and poultry products be financed adequately, it is further recommended by the committee on meat hygiene of the Pennsylvania State Veterinary Medical Association, the official agent of the State, county, municipality, or township making the inspection of the meat, meat products, poultry, and poultry products, be compensated by the State, county, municipality, or township for whom the official inspector is making the inspection; and Whereas it is essential the cost of inspection be borne by those being benefited by the inspection of meat, meat products, poultry and poultry products. It is recommended the compensation for inspection be collected from the slaughter establishments for whom the inspection of meat, meat products, poultry and poultry products is being made, by the State, county, municipality or township: Therefore be it Resolved, The Pennsylvania State Veterinary Medical Association through its Veterinary Advisory Committee to the Pennsylvania State Department of Health forward these recommendations to the Secretary of Health and the Secretary of Agriculture of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for their action on these recommendations, and copies of this resolution be forwarded to the Governor, Secretary of Agriculture and Secretary of Health, Director of the Bureau of the Animal Industry and the Medical Society of the State of Pennsylvania. ERIE, PA., December 13, 1954. AMALGAMATED MEAT CUTTERS AND BUTCHER WORKMEN OF NORTH AMERICA, GENTLEMEN: A letter with your heading signed by Earl W. Jimerson and Patrick E. Gorman, president and secretary respectively, together with a booklet with the title "Congress Should Probe Sick and Diseased Poultry" has been received and read with avid interest. As past president of the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association, and also chairman of that association's committee on meat hygiene for 3 years, I have been greatly concerned with the problem you describe. The Federal Government had advertised for veterinarians to work in poultry dressing plants but I have no way to know how many are employed in that work at this time. My inquiries have brought information from every State in the Union regarding their laws and regulations on meat hygiene and sanitation of slaughtering establishments. Only about nine States have laws on slaughtering that are being enforced except for occasional sanitary inspection of the premises. I believe the Federal meat inspection program is conducted in an efficient manner but the sick, injured and diseased animals do not have to stand inspection as they are usually butchered in local plants or even some emergency slaughtering is done in barns or under the shade trees. I believe you can count on the support of all members of the veterinary profession and trust that you have sent the information to the American Veterinary Medical Association, 600 South Michigan Ave., Chicago, Ill. There are several reasons for the present conditions which exist in the meat and poultry industries. Possibly the first is that most people try to mind their own business and even when they know that something should be done they adopt the old motto "Let George do it." It is not pleasant to think about these things so they had rather think about something else. Possibly some of the present jobholders find it to their interest to look the other way rather than start a cleanup job that might result in their being kicked out of their present position. The public is very apathetic and not easily disturbed. If anyone tries to start a cleanup program of this nature the first thought of most people is that he is after a job. It may be possible to educate the public in some way but if they can buy meat at a few cents' saving they never question the quality. Before the conditions are entirely corrected it may be necessary to write another Jungle Book and have it circulated throughout the country by health units, medical and veterinary associations and others and also bring some of the chief offenders into court and secure some convictions. Even then there would be a long hard job ahead. You may be sure of my support in this program and trust that you will keep me informed with all new developments. Yours sincerely, Mr. PATRICK E. GORMAN, P. L. ROUSE, D. V. M, THE RHODE ISLAND MEDICAL SOCIETY, Secretary-Treasurer, Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen of North America, Chicago, Ill. DEAR MR. GORMAN: Your communication to us with enclosure of your interesting pamphlet regarding the problem of better control of the poultry industry was presented to the council of the Rhode Island Medical Society at a meeting this week. I am instructed by the council to inform you that this society is very much interested in the problem you have presented, and it will be most willing to cooperate in the furtherance of it when the opportunity presents itself. Sincerely yours, THOMAS PERRY, JR., M. D., Secretary. |