USDA INC. : HOW AGRIBUSINESS HAS HIJACKED REGULATORY POLICY AT THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE BY PHILIP MATTERA CORPORATE RESEARCH PROJECT OF GOOD JOBS FIRST Released At the Food and Agriculture Conference of The Organization for Competitive Markets July 23, 2004, Omaha, Nebraska ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This paper was conceived by the ORGANIZATION FOR COMPETITIVE MARKETS www.competitivemarkets.com It was commissioned by a working group of the AGRIBUSINESS ACCOUNTABILITY INITIATIVE www.agribusinessaccountability.org The following working group members helped research and edit the paper: SCOTTY JOHNSON, Defenders of Wildlife www.defenders.org BEN LILLISTON, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy www.iatp.org PATTY LOVERA, Public Citizen www.citizen.org LARRY MITCHELL, American Corn Growers Association www.acga.org PETER O'DRISCOLL, Center of Concern www.coc.org MARK SMITH, Farm Aid www.farmaid.org FRED STOKES, Organization for Competitive Markets www.competitivemarkets.com The Agribusiness Accountability Initiative thanks the working group members and THE JESSIE SMITH NOYES FOUNDATION for their financial support to this project. Photos courtesy USDA or stock photography unless otherwise noted Design and layout by TIM HILL www.psycosm.com PHILIP MATTERA Director Corporate Research Project of Good Jobs First 1311 L Street NW 4th floor Washington, DC 20005 202-626-3780 ext. 32
[email protected] www.corp-research.org www.goodjobsfirst.org 2 USDA INC. : HOW AGRIBUSINESS HAS HIJACKED REGULATORY POLICY AT THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY . 4 INTRODUCTION . 7 CASE STUDY: BOVINE SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHY . 15 CASE STUDY: CAPTIVE SUPPLY IN MEATPACKING . 19 CASE STUDY: MEATPACKING INSPECTION POLICIES . 22 CASE STUDY: BIOTECH FOODS .