Johanns' Lack of Leadership Shows in USDA Beef Recall
Feb 22, 10:56 AM CST
If you’re like me, the recent recall of 143 million pounds of beef has raised many questions about the USDA’s effectiveness in keeping our nation’s food supply safe –– as well as what role former Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns played in not properly enforcing existing regulations.
Matt Connealy, our Executive Director, had this reaction:
“As Secretary of Agriculture, enforcement of our nation’s food-safety standards was Mike Johanns’ responsibility. The recent beef recall shows that Johanns did not take this responsibility seriously. It shouldn’t take a catastrophic event, such as sending substandard meat to our nation’s schools, for a true leader to realize that there was a problem with the status quo. Nebraska needs a Senator who can recognize and fix problems before they get out of control.”
Mike Johanns was Secretary of Agriculture under President Bush from 2005 to 2007 before leaving his post early to seek Nebraska’s open Senate seat. According to the Washington Post, twenty recalls were issued in 2007, leading lawmakers to question at the time why the USDA did not strengthen its inspection standards.
(Cross-posted at the New Nebraska Network)
– by Eric Van Horn | Send this to a friend
