USDA may soon release names of retail outlets that receive tainted meat

Food & Drink Weekly, March 7, 2005

In a move that could ease consumer anxiety over meat and poultry recalls, the U.S. Department of Agriculture may soon begin to disclose the names of retail outlets that receive potentially tainted products. An official told Congress that the food-inspection arm of the Agriculture Department has sent a proposed rule to the White House Office of Management and Budget that would allow food-safety officials to tell consumers which markets, stores and other retail outlets received potentially contaminated meat and poultry. An OMB spokesman said the office doesn't comment on proposed rules.

Currently, the Agriculture Department isn't allowed to disclose the distribution of potentially tainted meat products because the information, reported to the government by the meat producers, is considered proprietary.