Conference taveng::bagels

1469.0. "U.S. Government proposes elimination of kosher meat" by COVERT::COVERT (John R. Covert) Tue Aug 01 1995 19:05

USDA inspection plan isn't kosher to Orthodox Jews

Excerpts from the Boston Globe, 1 Aug 95

Rabbis say the U.S. Department of Agriculture's sweeping new plan to make
meat and poultry safer could effectively outlaw the production of kosher
meat.  They warn that if the USDA enacts the regulations as proposed,
observant American Jews may have to become vegetarians.

The problem is that serveral strict regulations proposed by the Clinton
administration, which do not require Congressional approval to be enacted,
especially a requirement to treat all meat with antibacterial solutions,
conflict with equally strict regulations set forth in the Old Testament
book of Leviticus.  Many Jews insist that kosher rituals, particularly
the mandatory salting of meat, already protect it from the dangerous
pathogens that prompted the new regulations.

The proposed rules have sparked stormy debate in Washington, with
Republicans blasting them as absurdly overreaching and Democrats calling
them desperately needed to save lives.

The Department of Agriculture says it will consider religious concerns,
but will give priority to health issues.

Rabbis explain that the treatment with anti-bacterial solutions would be
a form of pickling, forbidden u nder kosher laws.  The chilling could make
it impossible to soak and salt the meat as required by the laws, and the
time involved could cause logistical delays for kosher markets which must
obey a delicate 72-hour deadline.