U.S. Senate candidate Manny Sethi this week called for fairness and transparency in the meat industry by laying out his three-point plan to ensure America has access to our national meat supply.
All this without price gouging from foreign-owned companies, Sethi said in a press release.
Washington bureaucrats who do not understand the reality of small farms and ranches have crafted a set of byzantine rules and regulations that are harming American small farmers, Sethi said. We need to reduce useless red tape for farmers, as well as support the labeling of country of origin so consumers can make educated choices in the grocery store, he added.
“Americans have a right to know where our food comes from. Our national meat supply is held captive by Washington bureaucrats and foreign meat companies. Farmers are the backbone of our nation, and we must ensure that our meat production is not outsourced to companies under the thumb of the Communist Chinese government,” Sethi said.
“We must reduce overbearing federal regulations that stop small farmers and ranchers from competing in a fair marketplace. The government should level the playing field in the meat industry. Small and mid-sized farms and ranches across Tennessee produce great meat, and their products will compete in the free market if given the chance.”
As people face meat shortages nationwide, just a handful of companies control most of our meat production, Sethi said.
“Of the largest meat producers, two are foreign-owned companies, Smithfield and JBS. As American families struggle with the financial fallout of this global pandemic, there is evidence that the big meat producers, including those based in Communist China, engaged in corrupt and possibly illegal practices to keep their profits high even as meat production decreased,” Sethi said.
“I join many others, including Senator Marsha Blackburn and the Tennessee Cattlemen’s Association, in asking the Trump Administration to investigate this.”
In his press release Sethi said his plan involved the following steps:
• Clear labeling of meat with the country of origin, country of processing, and country of ownership. Americans deserve to know where their meat comes from, Sethi said.
• Investigate potential illegal practices by the largest meat producers, including foreign-owned companies. Penalize any company that illegally profited off American consumers during a global pandemic, Sethi said.
• Reduce overbearing federal regulations so that our domestic farmers and ranchers can sell their meat without wading through red tape to level the playing field for small and mid-sized farmers and ranchers, Sethi said.
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Manny Sethi” by Manny Sethi.
Spoken like like an entitled socialist whiner. It’s not Vietnam. It’s a processing plant sonny boy.
I bet you I’m older than you are, Mr. or Ms. Traditional Thinker: this “sunny boy” turns 69 tomorrow.
And after 69 years this is your level of intelligence? Unbelievable! Guess you experienced a little too much of the sixties. Even so, Happy Birthday old socialist fart. Hope you have many more.
What about safe working conditions in the plant along with a living wage and benefits for the employees there who put their lives on the line just so you all can have meat on your tables? If these workers get sick, they could contaminate your meet supply thereby putting you and your family at needless risk. If they become too sick to show up for work, who will you replace these workers with: yourselves? Don’t allow the owners to make huge windfall profits at the expense of the workers there and their consumers.
Please define “a living wage”. I made a living wage when I worked at a gas station. I fed myself, wife and daughter. I was able to do so because I spent within my means and forewent luxuries. What are those working in the meat processing plants making per hour and what benefits do they receive? Ambiguous and unsubstantiated comments are nothing but smoke.