corporations affiliated as members. This organization has a membership of approximately 4,000 turkey growers located in the States of Utah, California, Oregon, Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois. In addition to this, we get a considerable volume from neighboring States.

We are one of the pioneers in developing and using the inspection services of the Department of Agriculture for wholesomeness of poultry. Since this program has been on a voluntary basis and our members have, therefore, had to pay for inspection for wholesomeness, they have been a competitive disadvantage with producers who have not utilized the service.

In the beginning there was no previous experience in poultry inspection, so both the Department and the plants using the inspection service on a voluntary basis had to work it out. While our plants are principally on turkeys and a very small percent of the birds show any evidence of disease, our turkey growers are determined to eliminate even this very small percent.

We believe that the department handling poultry inspection has done a commendable job in protecting the health of the public.

Our records show that we have been able to put wholesome inspected poultry on the market; that it has had good acceptance by the public. Our organization supports Senate bill 3588 under which the Secretary of Agriculture will administer the compulsory law when it is enacted. We oppose Senate bill 3983 which places the administration of the inspection law under the Meat Division of the Department of Agriculture.

We believe that this proposed legislation should take advantage of the 28 years of experience already gained in the inspection of poultry. We have found the present inspection service to be alert and diligent. They have held post-mortem inspection on all poultry, and ante-mortem inspection when they deemed it necessary. As one of the pioneers in the use of inspection services, our members have made substantial investments in modern processing facilities costing between $300,000 and $400,000 per plant where refrigeration is included. We have 12 member plants under this inspection service. By this experience and these expenditures, we have demonstrated our desire to supply the consumer with the best of wholesome turkeys. We, therefore, resent the untrue and derogatory statements which have been leveled against the present inspection service and our industry by persons that have had little or no direct experience with it. Under the present poultry inspection services conducted by the Department of Agriculture, there has been developed a system of poultry inspection which we believe offers the consumer the most wholesome poultry in the world.

Senator WILLIAMS. Thank you very much, Mr. Beyers. We will make the same suggestion to you that we have to the others. If, after studying the recommended amendments, as incorporated in the committee print by the Department of Agriculture, you have any further statement you wish to file, we would be glad to have it. Mr. BEYERS. Thank you.

Senator WILLIAMS. The next witness will be Mr. G. A. Heinze.

STATEMENT OF G. A. HEINZE, EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, MINNESOTA POULTRY, BUTTER & EGG ASSOCIATION, MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.

Mr. HEINZE. My name is G. A. Heinze, and I am the executive secretary of the Minnesota Poultry, Butter & Egg Association representing the buyers, sellers, dealers, processors, packers, distributors, and so on, of poultry, butter and eggs in the State of Minnesota. There are 2,500 licensed produce buyers within the State, approximately 60 percent of which are poultry and egg operators.

As reported by the State-Federal Crop and Livestock Reporting Service, there were produced in the State of Minnesota during the year 1955, 8,016,000 head live turkeys weighing 128,256,000 pounds, of which approximately 127 million pounds were sold, bringing in cash income of $37,133,000.

During the same period there were produced 19,777,000 head chickens weighing 89,737,000 pounds. Of this amount, approximately 79 million pounds were sold, bringing in a cash income of $12,241,000; a combined amount of approximately $50 million. The balance of both the chickens and turkeys apparently were consumed by the producers.

In addition to the poultry processing plants coming within jurisdiction of the United States Department of Agriculture, there are a number of other possibly smaller processors that do not avail themselves of the Department services. Some of this poultry may move in interstate commerce, but the larger part remains within the State of Minnesota, being consumed in the cities of Minneapolis. St. Paul, and Duluth.

You have before you bills S. 3588 and S. 3983. We are in accord with bill S. 3588 for several reasons, some of which we will enumerate. 1. S. 3588 in section 2, which is the legislative finding, has a definite proposition and objective. Its terms are conservative and meaningful and are not destructive of public confidence in one of our fine agricultural food products. The proposals give full insurance to the consuming public that poultry that has been inspected for wholesomeness can be relied upon as a good food product.

2. S. 3588 gives the Secretary of Agriculture full authority to conduct an effective inspection program to determine the wholesomeness of the product. It provides for both ante mortem and post mortem type of examination when, in the process of operation, it is deemed

necessary.

3. S. 3588 would vest the authority contained therein, in the Secretary of Agriculture in the same manner in which other powers of the Department are now vested in the Secretary. We need only point out, as referred to above, that the Department is now providing excellent service in the State of Minnesota. We also which to direct to your attention, that the Department is experienced in this matter of poultry inspection, as such work has been carried out by them for approximately 25 years.

4. S. 3588 provides that the mandatory or compulsory inspection service could be put into effect within any reasonable time upon request of the processors, but the full program must be put into effect by July 1, 1958. S. 3983 provides that the program go into effect on January 1, 1957.

There is no doubt but what this bill, if it becomes law, will cause some revamping of existing plants, especially those of small operators and will also entail some outlay of money in order to comply with the sanitary requirements. If there are such unsanitary plants in operation now, then naturally the new sanitary supervision will be desirable, not only for the consuming public, but for the farmer-producer as well, in that it will guarantee a desirable and wholesome product, thus creating more demand.

This sanitary inspection service should not create any great hardship on any processor, even the so-called small operator. It is our desire, and I know it is yours also, to not put any one out of business and thus deprive him of his livelihood. On the other hand, it is our desire to protect the interests of all processors, both large and small alike. It has been demonstrated recently, in the State of North Dakota, where new inspection services have been enacted and established, that the so-called small operator has been able to comply.

I thank you for the opportunity of expressing the views of this Minnesota Association on this very important industry bill.

Senator WILLIAMS. Thank you very much, Mr. Heinze. I gather that your organization is wholeheartedly in support of S. 3588? Mr. HEINZE. Yes, sir.

Senator WILLIAMS. Thank you.

The next witness is Mr. Robert Parks.

STATEMENT OF ROBERT R. PARKS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AMERICAN POULTRY AND HATCHERY FEDERATION, ALTOONA, PA.

Mr. PARKS. Mr. Chairman and members of the subcommittee, my name is Robert R. Parks. I am a poultry breeder, operating Parks Barred Rock Farm in Altoona, Pa. I am immediate past president of the American Poultry and Hatchery Federation and currently an executive director of that organization. It has a membership of approximately 4,000 poultry hatcherymen and poultry breeders throughout the Nation.

We have a deep concern in both S. 3983 and S. 3588, legislation which is designed to provide compulsory Federal inspection of poultry and poultry products.

Our organization first took official note of the desirability of Federal inspections at its annual meeting in Cleveland, Ohio, on July of 1954. The board of directors at this session instructed its officers to confer with the industry's trade association for processors to determine whether such an undertaking could be feasibly launched. It can be said that this matter has been a matter of concern for all segments of the industry for some time-not because we believe that an excessive volume of unwholesome poultry is sold but because we believe we should check the sale of all unfit poultry if that is possible. Poultry hatcherymen and breeders are well aware of the importance of tremendous faith the consumer has in the purple stamp of approval, "U. S. Inspected and Passed" which appears on red meat and poultry. It is an assurance of wholesomeness, something which all segments of the food trade strive to achieve. Few there are who would deliberately offer for sale a product known to be unfit for human consumption.

I believe every hatcheryman and breeder will join me in endorsing the ultimate goal sought in both these bills, which is to assure the consumer of wholesome poultry.

S. 3588, it appears to me, is the more rigid of the two since it would require Federal inspections of all poultry offered for sale in certain areas, even though some poultry sold therein would actually be offered in intrastate commerce. The reason should not be lightly treated.

As members of this committee well know, the poultry industry on innumerable occasions has demonstrated its desire to stand on its own feet as much as possible. We know that only those processors offering such a product can long remain in business in this highly competitive field. Because it is competitive, the Federal-inspections-byareas clause is desirable.

A uniform policy with respect to the application of compulsory inspection must be considered.

Next, while a large portion of the industry could quickly meet the sanitary conditions laid down under both of these bills, there are questions as to whether this could be accomplished between now and January 1, 1957, without serious economic repercussions. The committee must recognize that the heaviest movement of fryer chickens is now in full sway. That will be followed in September by the seasonal marketing of hens as farm flocks are trimmed prior to receiving the oncoming crop of new pullets just entering egg production. No sooner is that heavy rush over than we get into the holiday processing activity. This year the largest turkey crop in history must be moved to market.

Thus, it is not time to force immediate changes in processing plant facilities and equipment which might retard processing lines.

I am sure the committee fully appreciates the time which would be needed to train personnel to handle the inspection work and do it adequately and in keeping with the high standards the consumers have a right to expect.

This Nation processed over 800 million broilers last year. It will have to process roughly 78 million turkeys in the next 12 months. Add to this the untold millions of hens removed from flocks to make room for 300 million new pullets coming into production. This is quite a contrast to the mere 100 million meat animals annually inspected.

Remember that the present staff in USDA now inspects between 20 and 25 percent of all the above poultry processed in interstate

commerce.

We believe any effort to adopt the early effective date of compulsory Federal inspections embodied in S. 3983 would bring about the worst days the industry has seen in its history. The confusion would be of catastrophic proportions-and for no valid reason. It would be quite a task to do it by January 1, 1957. That is only 6 months away. Finally, we favor S. 3588 over S. 3983 because we are taxpayers who want to see this task done as painlessly as possible on the pocketbook. We have now in the Poultry Branch of the Agricultural Marketing Service a unit already set up around which to build an expanded program. It would certainly be a waste to change the structure and build anew.

The figures I have cited above indicate the need for a unit entirely separate from the Meat Inspections Service because the job is greater. Poultry and red meat are competitors. It has been pointed out earlier in these hearings that the poultry industry accounts for 11 percent of the national cash farm income-representing between 32 and 4 billion dollars annually. This is something that cannot be considered as a mere "branch" of any other segment of agriculture because it is a distinct branch of agriculture in itself. Our industry production cycle is much shorter than that of the red-meat industry and moves more rapidly.

Finally, provision must be made for flexibility in regulations and provision must be made for close cooperation between Federal and State inspections services. Our industry is moving so rapidly, growing at a terrific rate and introducing innovations one right after another-all designed to provide the consumer with a better product at a lower cost.

In establishing a compulsory inspections program, everything should be done that can be done to allow the industry room to grow. The provisions of S. 3588 more nearly approach this accomplishment. Thank you for hearing our statement.

Senator WILLIAMS. Thank you very much, Mr. Parks. The committee certainly appreciates your coming down.

The next witness will be Mr. Andrew E. Danish.

STATEMENT OF ANDREW E. DANISH, PRESIDENT, NORTHEASTERN POULTRY PRODUCERS COUNCIL, TROY, N. Y.

Mr. DANISH. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, my name is Andrew E. Danish. I am president of the Northeastern Poultry Producers Council with headquarters at 10 Rutgers Place, Trenton, N. J. I operate a poultry farm in Rennselaer County near Troy, N. Y.

The council of which I am president, known as NEPPCO, has represented the interests of the poultrymen and the poultry industry of the 14 Northeastern States for over 25 years. Through our membership, we represent approximately 30,000 poultrymen and allied poultry interests.

The council is on record by formal vote as favoring a poultry inspection service which includes at least these points.

1. It must provide an honestly adequate inspection service, not burdened with unnecessary, unproved detail; in other words, that it be simple, understandable, and practical.

2. Since the objective of a poultry inspection service is to protect both consumer and the industry, including the producer, it should be supplied at public expense.

3. Adequate recognition of the rights of the small businessman and producer should be included. In the Northeast, there are many producers and small processing plants who do an adequate job of sanitation who must not be forced out of business by cumbersome rules and costs that would be economical only to a large operation. Provisions to adequately service this group must be made.

4. From a practical and economical government administration viewpoint, we object to a new service being started, particularly in