mately 22 percent of all of the poultry sold off of farms in the United States receives such service from the voluntary inspection at the present time. We believe that the standards of the present voluntary program, which has proved so successful, should be extended on a mandatory basis for all poultry moving in interstate commerce. However, whether or not Congress passes a bill for mandatory inspection, and because of the reasons mentioned heretofore, Safeway Stores will continue to offer its customers poultry which has been inspected for wholesomeness so long as the voluntary program is available to us.

Wholesomeness means to us that the poultry was produced by healthy birds and processed under strict standards of sanitation. Inspection, however, includes more than this. It requires that the body cavity of the dressed bird is clean-that all bits of viscera, lungs, crops, and feed are removed, and the legs cut uniformly at the hock joints.

Some of the testimony presented to your committee indicates that there is a variety of views between experts on the matter of ante mortem and post mortem inspection. It is our view that the bill should include the authority to make ante mortem and post mortem inspections, yet we would disfavor the bill spelling out an inspection procedure. An ante mortem procedure which requires bird-bybird inspection could be very costly and, based on our experience, not necessary to insure wholesomeness.

Thank you.

The CHAIRMAN. If there is anybody present who also wishes to testify this morning whose name I did not call, will you come forward? (No response.)

The CHAIRMAN. All of the statements that have been submitted will be placed in the record at this point.

(The statements referred to are as follows:)

STATEMENT FILED BY THEODORE E. SCHLUDERBERG, PRESIDENT, NATIONAL POULTRY, BUTTER & EGG ASSOCIATION, BALTIMORE, MD.

The National Poultry, Butter & Egg Association was founded 51 years ago, in 1906, and today has a membership of about 450 processors, shippers, receivers, distributors, cold-storage warehouses, and associated lines, all the phases that play a part from the production to the consumption of the products of the trade. The officers of the association include every segment of the industry and represent the larger firms as well as the smaller ones. It fosters the growth of dependable, mutual understanding throughout the industry to give the consumer a better product and the producer a better market.

The board of directors of the National Poultry, Butter & Egg Association and a majority of its members favor the development and adoption of sound, mandatory inspection for wholesomeness programs for all poultry and poultry products, provided that such programs are maintained from Federal appropriations. The National Poultry, Butter & Egg Association has always stood for the principle that the consumer has every right to expect her poultry to be wholesome and to be processed in a clean plant. Some of our members pride themselves on the cleanliness of their plants and have operated under Federal inspection on a voluntary basis. Since the housewife today is buying and accepting greater services from industry, it is necessary not only for poultry to be wholesome but also for the housewife to be convinced of this fact and to have no reason to question the wholesomeness of the poultry she buys, regardless of its source. We believe in high quality and we want to see that the housewife has whatever assurance she needs to keep her consuming and enjoying poultry products at a maximum rate.

The Federal meat inspection service last year observed its 50th anniversary of assurance to the American people of the purity and wholesomeness of red meat products that are produced under Federal inspection and we believe that consumers are entitled to the same assurance that poultry has been produced under similar sanitary conditions. We believe that the chicken farmer and the processors of poultry need the same protection that is afforded the producers of red meat products so that consumers will accept the products of our industry with the same confidence that they accept federally inspected meats.

Furthermore, we believe that Federal inspection of poultry and poultry products should be under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Agriculture, who has

successfully administered this inspection on a voluntary basis for the past 29 years.

Therefore, a resolution favoring the adoption of the provisions in S. 645 and S. 313 with those amendments making S. 313 comparable with S. 645 was approved by the officers and board of directors of the National Poultry, Butter & Egg Association and a majority of its members.

STATEMENT FILED BY HOWARD H. RICHEY, PRESIDENT, NORTH CENTRAL STATES INSTITUTE, DES MOINES, IOWA

Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, the North Central States Institute is a nonprofit organization covering a nine-State midwestern area, whose membership consists of people actively engaged in the handling and processing of poultry and poultry products, securing these products directly from producers but marketing them on a nationwide basis. We are definitely interested in the welfare of both the consumer and producer, and our recommendations are based accordingly.

Our organization favors S. 313 and the general provisions in both this bill and S. 645.

We favor Federal inspection of poultry meats, recognizing that a sound compulsory poultry inspection legislation will benefit both the consumer and producer. We believe in and support the utilization of every sound means to give the consumer a better product and the producer a better market.

We believe compulsory poultry-inspection legislation is a step in the right direction to achieve these objectives if properly administered. That is why we strongly support bill S. 313.

Most of the processing plants in our midwestern area covered by the North Central States Institute have for many years used the voluntary inspection and grading services administered by the Department of Agriculture. We believe that the Department of Agriculture has done a very commendable job through this service in improving the quality and consumer acceptance of our poultry products.

We believe that this proposed legislation should take advantage of the many years of experience already gained in the inspection of poultry by making it possible for the inspection program to continue under the Department of Agriculture that is already manned by highly trained and competent personnel. Why change when so much constructive progress has already been attained?

The processing plants in our midwestern area now operating under the inspection service administered by the Department of Agriculture are operating efficiently and producing quality products which are enjoying good acceptance throughout the markets of the United States and Canada.

We believe that under bill S. 313 good wholesome poultry products will be made available to all consumers, resulting in adequate and satisfactory market outlets for the producers, and will accomplish the objectives effectively and economically.

This bill will provide needed cooperation between Federal and State Governments which we believe necessary to any inspection program.

We wish to thank this committee for the privilege of appearing to present the views of the midwestern area covered by the North Central States Institute. Thank you.

The CHAIRMAN. The committee will stand in recess until tomorrow morning at 9:30.

(Whereupon, the committee adjourned at 12:50 o'clock p. m.) (Additional statements filed for the record are as follows:)

STATEMENT FILED BY J. T. KISSELL, GENERAL MANAGER, KISSELL BROS., INC., COLUMBUS GROVE, OHIO, AND PRESIDENT, OHIO POULTRY PROCESSORS ASSOCIATION Mr. Chairman and members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, the Ohio Poultry Processors Association is composed of firms and organizations who process and market a large part of the 37 million broilers, fowl, and turkeys produced in Ohio.

One of the objectives of the Ohio Poultry Processors Association is to stimulate, encourage, and promote the study of the arts and sciences connected with

the production, preparation for market, and marketing of poultry with the view of providing the consumer with higher quality poultry and poultry products, providing a greater return to the producer for his efforts, and promoting the interests of the industry generally.

We believe compulsory inspection for wholesomeness of poultry moving into interstate commerce is in the public interest. This committee is performing a great public service in conducting hearings and framing legislation which benefits the publc.

At the last annual meeting, the Ohio Poultry Processors Association unanimously adopted a resolution favoring compulsory inspection of all poultry and poultry products moving into interstate commerce.

We approve of the general provisions of both S. 313 and S. 645, which provide for a system of compulsory inspection. We believe that the inspection agency and inspection techniques should be left to the direction of the Secretary of Agriculture. The experience and personnel of the United States Department of Agriculture, who have contributed to the success of the voluntary poultry inspection program would be a valuable asset in carrying out a compulsory program.

Since the compulsory inspection of poultry and poultry products is in the public interest, the legislation should include the authorization to appropriate the funds necessary to carry out the provisions of the act.

We appreciate the opportunity of presenting the views of the Ohio Poultry Processors Association on the legislation pertaining to the compulsory inspection of poultry and poultry products by the United States Department of Agriculture and further urge immediate enactment of the general provisions of S. 313 and S. 645.

STATEMENT FILED BY WALLACE H. JEROME, BARRON, WIS., REPRESENTING THE WISCONSIN TURKEY FEDERATION AND THE WISCONSIN TURKEY MARKETING COOPERATIVE

Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, I am sorry that I am unable to appear personally before your committee. However, I trust that this state ment may be presented and be included in the record on this hearing. We who are associated with the turkey industry are in favor of a sound, compulsory Federal inspection program for poultry. Our consuming public must be given only a clean, wholesome, and nutritious product. The consumers of poultry products are also entitled to have every assurance that the poultry they buy is not only healthy and nutritious but that it has been prepared under a rigid code of sanitary requirements. We of the industry believe that these are prerequisites to a continued and expanding healthy poultry industry for our State and our Nation.

Now that legislation of this type is under consideration, we believe that our Senators will want good sound legislation, since it will have far-reaching effect on so great an industry as ours. We are in favor of S. 313 and oppose S. 1128 for the following reasons:

1. S. 313 provides for the administration of the inspection program under the Secretary of Agriculture, giving him the discretion to administer the program as he sees fit. This is very important because it would be impractical, unrealistic, and no doubt very disastrous to place this program with an agency that has had no experience with poultry inspection work. The Secretary should be given full authority, thus making it possible for him to continue the inspection program under the present department of the United States Department of Agriculture that has so capably administered the voluntary inspection program. Surely it would be impractical to transfer the poultry inspection to another department and thereby lose the knowledge and experience gained over so many years of successful administration of our present inspection program. We have operated a turkey processing plant under voluntary inspection for the past 5 years and can say that we have been highly impressed by the thoroughness to the utmost detail of the administration of the program. have found all the men of the Department that we have worked with to be of high integrity, very firin, and yet very constructive and helpful to work out any problems that have arisen. The development of a new department to handle such a vast inspection program would create many problems indeed, and cause many serious, far-reaching and costly adjustments in our whole poultry industry.

We

2. S. 313 gives the Secretary of Agriculture the authority to conduct an effective and sound inspection program with regard to ante mortem and post mortem inspection. The Secretary will want to utilize the best technical advice available to administer this phase of the program most effectively. New techniques are continually being discovered which he will want to utilize and should be permitted to do so.

In summary, may I say that legislation affecting so great an industry in our Nation as the poultry industry surely should not be bungled. S. 313 is designed to give the consumer as much or more protection and assurance of a high quality product as S. 1128, yet it is realistic, sound, and workable.

Thanks for the opportunity of presenting our views on this very important legislation.

STATEMENT FILED BY MILTON E. SAHN, NEW YORK LIVE POULTRY TERMINAL DEALERS ASSOCIATION, NEW YORK, N. Y., ALSO REPRESENTING THE NEW YORK WHOLESALE SLAUGHTER OPERATORS, INC.

I represent the New York Live Poultry Terminal Dealers Association, an organization composed of all the primary receivers of live poultry in the city of New York. I am also authorized to present the views of the New York Wholesale Slaughter Operators, Inc., an organization of operators who purchase live poultry from members of the New York Live Poultry Terminal Dealers Association and slaughter this poultry in their plants in the city of New York. The members of my association handle live poultry shipped into New York City by growers and shippers and resell such poultry, live, to slaughterhouse operators, who slaughter and process this poultry in their plants for sale to retail butchers and to the ultimate consumer.

Every pound of live poultry arriving in New York City receives an ante mortem inspection by the inspection service of the New York City Department of Markets, and every pound of poultry slaughtered is done so in approved plants licensed by the New York City Department of Health.

Approximately 80 percent to 85 percent of all of the poultry shipped live into New York City is slaughtered and processed for the Jewish kosher trade. I have read the various bills now before your committee regarding the compulsory inspection of poultry. I have tbut one comment to make on the terms of these proposed bills. In behalf of the poultry industry in New York City I request that the "designation" section of the bill be amended so as to specifically exempt or except from the terms of the bill live poultry shipped to New York City and other metropolitan areas, which said poultry is subsequently kosher slaughtered and processed within said city or cities by authorized ritualistic slaughterers pursuant to Jewish religious practices.

Hon. ALLEN J. ELLENDER,
United States Senate,
Washington, D. C.

MY DEAR SENATOR:

L. FRANK & Co., INC.,
New Orleans, La., February 19, 1957.

There is another matter exceedingly important to the poultry industry, there being three bills pertaining to mandatory poultry inspection already in the Senate, as well as several others in the House. The Senate bills in particular are divided into 2 categories-1, considered the "Industry" bill (which, in my opinion, is a misnomer) and the other known as the "Labor" bill. There is much to be discussed before mandatory inspection becomes a reality and knowing of your vast interest, as well as influence regarding legislation of this type, hope that I may have the privilege of stating my views to you.

Briefly, it is my opinion that the institute who is backing the so-called industry bill is doing so for fear that the so-called labor bill may be passed. Actually, the industry as well as governmental agencies are not set up at this time, nor will they be for several years, to handle this vast program, should mandatory inspection become a reality in the near future.

The prime difference in the set up is that the industry bill will keep the inspection service with the Department of Agriculture and more under the con

trol of the Secretary, whereas the labor bill would place this inspection service either in the hands of food and drug or red meats.

Should mandatory inspection become law, with untrained and inexperienced personnel handling this inspection, it could mean disaster to the producers who would be penalized unfairly through unsatisfatctory grading.

I could continue for quite a while on this subject, but would much prefer, should the opportunity present itself, to sit down and discuss this whole matter from beginning to end with your good self.

Thanking you in advance for any consideration of the above subjects and with assurances of the writer's highest regards, I remain

Very truly yours,

CHARLES W. FRANK, Sr.,

Executive Vice President.

Hon. ALLEN J. ELLENDER,

Chairman, Senate Agriculture Committee,

GARRISON, TEX., March 10, 1957.

Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C.

DEAR MR. ELLENDER: On March 9, 1957, the board of directors, Texas Broiler Association, meeting at the Fredonia Hotel, Nacogdoches, Tex., unanimously endorsed the provisions set forth in the above captioned letter.

I therefore have the honor to set forth official policy of the Texas Broiler Association, as follows:

1. Texas Broiler Association strongly endorses a good sound mandatory poultry inspection bill, embodying the following provisions:

A. Inspection should be administered by U. S. Department of Agriculture and should require adequate inspection and safeguards but should be no more stringent than necessary to assure adequate inspection and proper safeguards. B. We are firmly convinced that poultry inspection should be handled by the meat inspection branch of USDA because this service has had half a century experience in inspection of red meats and has won the confidence of the Nation's consumers.

C. We believe that immediate passage of this legislation is not only in the best interests of the poultry industry but will contribute substantially to the economic well-being of the entire Nation. We therefore respectfully urge passage of this legislation at the earliest possible moment.

In submitting this official policy of our association, I must point out to you the fact that Texas Broiler Association is strictly a grower or producer organization and that we represent the thinking of more than 95 percent of all Texas broilergrowers-the grassroots of the broiler industry. These people constitute an actual majority of all the people engaged in the broiler industry and own a permanent investment incomparably larger than any other segment of the industry.

Thanking you in advance for your attention and consideration; with the kindest regards, etc., I am,

Sincerely,

J. B. MCMILLAN, President, Texas Broiler Association, pro tempore President, United States Poultry & Egg Association.

FORT WAYNE, IND.

Hon. ALLEN J. ELLENDER,

Chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry,

Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C.:

Reference hearing on S. 313, S. 645, S. 1128. We want to take a stand against any and all bills for compulsory inspection of poultry and poultry products at the Federal level and respectfully request that you review our testimony before a subcommittee of the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, United States Senate, 84th Congress, 2d session, on S. 3588 and S. 3983 on June 18, 19, and 26, 1956. Our testimony appears on page 187 of the Government Printing Office report of that hearing.

SHERMAN WHITE & CO.,

PHILIP PALMER, Vice President.