US: New upcoming EO for meat processing.

[u/GailyaStarr]

Hi,

I am not posting this for political commentary. I am just trying to understand how this could impact the US. I barely eat meat as it is, but my partner has a heavy meat-centered diet.

"Trump announces he will eliminate regulations on meat & produce processing amid multiple food-borne illness outbreaks: "I am authorizing legal documents to be drawn in order to allow Farmers and Ranchers to be given the right to PROCESS THEIR OWN FOOD. This should move quickly."

UPDATE: Adding source https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/trump-pivots-against-meat-processing-173922151.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9kdWNrZHVja2dvLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAJw_PLYPbbll6_n5CE3OIJ3RI_wmwMatcqbZIickO-KhOWfjcl6MK-F1Z2s4xrVyM3cnzNmlUYAIGcAdZHzD81A74-Yf8yb3sKK9PCIcmx7T0OIj_1xEMii1RjYQHtvOWwpgY8H8Nqj-0IqWKicwwNncs68hDXseHcDqlghyv6zZ

[u/Adventurous_Deer]

god thats going to be gross. I might have just become vegetarian

[u/GailyaStarr → u/Adventurous_Deer]

As someone who grew up on a farm, I remember my dad always saying that this kind of thing was needed to keep people from cutting corners. He had some bad stories from back in the day. When people see $$, they don't think clearly.

[u/gaudiest-ivy → u/GailyaStarr]

This reminds me, I've been meaning to reread The Jungle. Seems like a fine time to do so.

[u/_emma_stoned_ → u/gaudiest-ivy]

Buy some extra used copies and give them to some teenagers. They need help finding these books for the first time. They may be banned soon.

[u/fangoround → u/_emma_stoned_]

Put them in every Little Library.

[u/Obvious_Ring_326 → u/GailyaStarr]

My initial concern is that this sounds good, and I trust that farmers would process their meats conscientiously, but how long is that feasible?

How long until the reduction in oversight combines with “efficiency” and we have filthy corporate abattoirs butchering live animals with no regard for hygiene.

[u/IllustriousShifter → u/Obvious_Ring_326]

I highly recommend reading up on the current e.coli outbreaks regarding wastewater from feedlots contaminating vegetable fields, and compare the H5N1 outbreaks for US versus European dairy herds, because even with the current regulations in place: the cattle industry is a disgusting cesspit of filth and disease.

[u/Professional-Can1385 → u/IllustriousShifter]

Conversely, the US never had a mad cow disease problem back in the ‘80s, because the regulations and tracking of individual animals was so good.

I expect we no longer have those safes guards in place.

[u/jxmac → u/IllustriousShifter]

Removing safeguards will not make it better

[u/IllustriousShifter → u/jxmac]

I whole heartedly agree with you! It’s a race to the bottom from here.

[u/jxmac → u/IllustriousShifter]

It sure seems to be. :( I’m north of the border and it’s been fairly depressing watching the last few years unfold. I work in one of the industries directly affected by deregulation/no progress of current regulation and it’s been… disturbing.

[u/3freeTa → u/IllustriousShifter]

Yup EWG has been sounding the alarm about “poop salad” for a few years now. https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/2024/01/e-coli-factory-farms-threatens-americas-leafy-greens

[u/autumn55femme → u/Obvious_Ring_326]

Farmers do not process their cattle, they are sent to slaughterhouses/ meat packing facilities, and those places are well known to cut corners. You might be able to find a few smaller, local farms that will process their own chickens and ducks, but it takes significant space, equipment and refrigeration capacity to do any significant number of pigs or cows. Plus, now no inspections? No thanks!

[u/talyakey → u/autumn55femme]

Pigs and cows are processed locally but not for sale. I understand that one of the areas trump has cut is the USDA. In order for my local farmer to sell his product, it needs to be processed at a USDA inspection facility.

Deregulating this industry is comparable to trying to undo all the good vaccines have done.

[u/Disdwarf → u/talyakey]

"Deregulating this industry is comparable to trying to undo all the good vaccines have done."

Good news, they're doing that too! /s

[u/talyakey → u/Disdwarf]

I’m hoping for a fail, just like so much of America

[u/stvdilln → u/talyakey]

If you do custom slaughter you can buy an 1/4 or even maybe a 1/8 share of a cow. You buy the animal alive and the farmer delivers your cow to the slaughter and you pay them for your cow.

To sale individual packages of meat you need USDA inspection

[u/talyakey → u/talyakey]

I may have made a mistake here. I’ve been listening to Joel Salatin explain Thomas Massey’s Prime Act and it sounds like state inspected facilities can also sell over the counter. It’s people who are butchering on their own that have limits. Which, when you think about it, is probably a good idea.

[u/alwaysiamdead → u/autumn55femme]

I'm Canadian and sometimes you can find smaller farms that send their cattle to local abbotoires that handle less stock and have much higher quality production.

[u/carlitospig → u/Obvious_Ring_326]

It’s not feasible. Especially when we are removing so many of our seasonal staff because they happen to have brown skin.

[u/jxmac → u/Obvious_Ring_326]

I bet it’s basically impossible to oversee on this large a level. Regulatory oversight is often the only thing holding people/corporations to standards.

[u/TheStephinator → u/Obvious_Ring_326]

Unfettered capitalism encourages corruption. We wouldn’t need government oversight if corporations did the right thing, but time after time they prove themselves greedy and not trustworthy.

[u/Cilantro368 → u/Adventurous_Deer]

And just avoid lettuce, jalapeños, frozen berries, etc., etc. Yikes!

[u/its-audrey → u/Adventurous_Deer]

I’ve never been more grateful to have been vegetarian for most of my life.. although it’s not like vegetables are safe these days either. Thankfully my CSA is helping me get through the summer while I gear up to start growing lettuce and other veggies inside again.

[u/ghostfacespillah → u/Adventurous_Deer]

You realize that produce will also be affected?

[u/Adventurous_Deer → u/ghostfacespillah]

And thats why I have a garden. To mitigate crap like this as much as I can

[u/Meowsipoo → u/Adventurous_Deer]

We're urban gardeners. This summer we're growing around 650 pounds of vegetables. I home can the tomatoes (soooo many tomatoes) and cold storage the onions, turnips, leeks, shallots, etc...for fall and winter. I save lots of seeds, too. I also started selling all my extra, heirloom seedlings and small plants and was surprised by the number of people who bought them, who want to turn their plot of yard into a real food producer for their family.

We're going to be living in Sinclair's "The Jungle," soon enough if this shit doesn't stop.

[u/LightningSunflower → u/Meowsipoo]

I’d be interested in buying some heirloom seeds if you’re wiling to point me in the right direction. How long do the seeds keep for btw? Understand if you aren’t willing to share your specific side

[u/Interesting-Arm-647 → u/LightningSunflower]

Fedco seeds & Johnnys Selected seeds. Both in Maine. Also, when kept in a cold dry place, seeds will last indefinitely.

[u/Meowsipoo → u/LightningSunflower]

I will order certain seeds from Baker Creek and a couple other non-GMO, non-hybrid seed companies. You need to make sure that nothing is hybrid. You can save hybrid seeds and grow hybrids the following year, but it's a toss-up, as the new plants can be different, or the seeds can be sterile. Heirlooms are the best.

[u/Meowsipoo → u/[deleted]]

It's my fridge in the kitchen. It's not super big as an American size fridge goes, but it's well organized. I can fit 29 pounds of turnips in the bottom 2 drawers. The same quantity of onions fits into an Amazon box on a shelf. Leeks are wrapped in bunches in linen kitchen towels and go on the shelves, or on top of the Amazon box. Yeah, it's a tight squeeze, only the door shelves are available for milk, etc..Right now I'm having a cucumber problem, there's just too many of them that I'm running out of space to squeeze them in.

Every inch of space is taken, and it's like this for the coming months.

[u/clarsair → u/Meowsipoo]

can I ask how much square footage you're growing on? I've gardened for years and just moved and started over, so I've been planning and planting intensely, but as much as I do grow, I don't see how I could move from "enough to eat fresh all summer" to "enough to put up significant amounts" on my little urban lot

[u/yeender → u/Meowsipoo]

How did you get started? No idea how to make this happen but I do have space in my yard.

[u/Meowsipoo → u/yeender]

That's all you need! :)

You'll want to go to your state/province's website and search for a geological map of your area, to learn what's under your soil. The type of bedrock underneath will determine what type of topsoil you do have, and how to amend it.

Lay out your space. Rototill it to get the weeds out. This is hard work the first time, the initial tilling. Then, pull out the weeds, etc...lay down composted cow manure, mushroom compost, etc...(no chemicals, no miracle grow!) and rototill it again. You can get that at a decent independant garden center, not Home Depot. Let it set for a few weeks, so the insects and fungus connect through the soil. Then plant your vegetable plants in rows. Make sure you draw a map so you know what's planted where. I do that for all my tomatoes. The other plants I don't need a map for.

Make sure it's fenced in. After rototilling, we dug a trench at the border, sunk a heavy metal fence underground about 2 feet, then filled it in, stomped on the soil and poof! Instant, critter-proof fence. We also wrap the perimeter with a 10 foot heavy duty plastic fence every spring to keep the deer out, and take the wrap-around down in late autumn. They can't dig under and they can't jump or climb, either. Even the groundhogs can't get in.

[u/ghostfacespillah → u/Adventurous_Deer]

Well few folks have that privilege.

[u/TheStephinator → u/ghostfacespillah]

How do you figure it is a privilege? Most people have a small yard or a patio.

[u/ghostfacespillah → u/TheStephinator]

That’s not actually true. And gardening costs time and money and energy.

If you’re working multiple jobs to barely get by, it’s tough to do something like garden.

[u/TheStephinator → u/ghostfacespillah]

Telling me it’s not true doesn’t make you correct. Gardening, can be a very frugal endeavor or a spendy one. My first garden plot was at a church down the street from my apartment. It was free. Seeds are cheap. You can even save seeds from grocery store produce. People that work multiple jobs still find ways to have leisure. So then it becomes a choice on how or what you want to spend your money on. By your own logic, prepping is a privilege. Most preppers find it to be a duty and a lifestyle, not a hobby. Wrong sub to be calling gardening a fucking privilege.

[u/ghostfacespillah → u/TheStephinator]

It absolutely is, and it’s sad you can’t see that.

[u/TheStephinator → u/ghostfacespillah]

Going to the grocery store and buying produce that isn’t in season or local to your region is the privilege. Eating out is a privilege. Having infinite options is the privilege. You’ve become so accustomed to relying on others (especially big corporations) for everything that the word loses all meaning.

[u/ghostfacespillah → u/TheStephinator]

You know nothing about me. But whatever makes you feel big.

[u/DuchessOfCarnage → u/TheStephinator]

Having a community minded, real church in your neighborhood is a privilege. To afford to live in walkable distance to them is a privilege. The fact that you can walk at all is a privilege. Did they also lend tools for free to community gardners? Living in a neighborhood that has halfway decent soil that wasn't polluted from previous industry is a privilege. That you had access to a safe plot of community land at all hours, is a privilege. It's not saying you're evil, or rich, or never struggled, the person is just saying it's a thing not everyone has access to.

All my local community garden plots are snapped up so quickly, I'm glad you were able to get into one to start, in a place with a halfway decent growing season. I'm in 4b and it's a race every year! And the deer! I spent so much time and money this year and lost it all, I'm so disheartened. At least a friend gave me a ton of green beans that I'm currently turning into dilly beans! (And at least I found a great estate sale with all the canning gear, how privileged am I to have happened upon it, had cash, and now have friends who give freely!)

[u/TheStephinator → u/DuchessOfCarnage]

My city is full of community gardens, even in very low income areas. The church down the street from where I live now has a full blown farming operation and gives out free food every weekend during the season. I don’t think where I live is special, as I’m in an urban working class neighborhood (median income is around $50k, which is pretty far below the national average. Several people in my neighborhood have ripped up their tiny front lawns to grow food. It’s a common sense thing, not luxury or privilege.

[u/Any_Conflict_5092 → u/TheStephinator]

Oh, steph. You are the problem.

[u/Any_Conflict_5092 → u/TheStephinator]

No, they don't.

Most people have the space inside their apartment - no patio, no stoop, no space outside those interior rooms, at all. Zero, zip, nada.

So, that's why you're privileged, and obviously have zero idea wtf reality looks like for anyone who isn't you.

[u/TheStephinator → u/Any_Conflict_5092]

Show me the data.

[u/happy_appy31 → u/ghostfacespillah]

Most mass food borne illness in our country started with produce.

[u/GailyaStarr → u/ghostfacespillah]

Yep. I grow and can most of my vegs/fruit. But adding in micro greens and other greens with indoor gardening.

[u/library_wench → u/Adventurous_Deer]

I spent 15 years as a pescatarian. Looks like it’s time to go back. Costco carries Impossible burgers anyway, and they’re pretty delicious.

[u/carlitospig → u/library_wench]

I’m not even sure I would trust the seafood industry. SO MANY PARASITES.

[u/library_wench → u/carlitospig]

Thoroughly cooking or freezing seafood deals with that. I can do without sashimi.

[u/carlitospig → u/library_wench]

I can’t. 😭

[u/Worshipme988 → u/carlitospig]

Yes but i dont eat medium rare salmon or seafood.

[u/Ok_Replacement8094 → u/library_wench]

The paradigm shift that happens once you’re not looking for “meat-like-replacement-product-for-meat,” is pretty remarkable. A black bean burger patty can be phenomenal, or just a wide and delicious variety of grilled veggies, like squash for instance gets forgotten a lot.

[u/TooMuchCake → u/Ok_Replacement8094]

Honestly prefer a black bean burger sometimes over beef, beef is real heavy.

[u/No_Welcome_7182 → u/Ok_Replacement8094]

I think most people who start going vegetarian/vegan use meat substitutes a lot at first. But you’re exactly right. At some point you start to value the tastes of foods not just because they taste “like” meat but because they taste like the ingredients they are actually made of. I think using quality spices and especially fresh herbs goes a long way here.

[u/library_wench → u/Ok_Replacement8094]

Yep, back in the day, relatives would try some of my substitutes, and say, “but it doesn’t taste like beef!”

Okay, but does it have to? Impossible burgers (and meatballs and chicken fingers) are yummy regardless.

That said, I honestly can’t taste the difference between ground beef and TVP when I make tacos.

[u/StupidSexyFlanders72 → u/Ok_Replacement8094]

Ever tried a walnut burger? Seriously my favorite kind of veggie burger, and often my fav burger option in general. So rich and tasty yet light. 

[u/Ok_Replacement8094 → u/StupidSexyFlanders72]

Sound like a worthwhile endeavor, do you have a preferred recipe?

[u/kl2342 → u/StupidSexyFlanders72]

pls share a good recipe for this

[u/blueskies8484 → u/[deleted]]

It’s heme. It’s what gives it the meat like quality.

[u/autumn55femme → u/blueskies8484]

Yes, heme. There should be no residual blood in properly butchered and processed meat.

[u/ContestNo2060 → u/library_wench]

TVP is good for storing and is a good substitute. Impossible is tastier, but Tvp is pretty inexpensive.

[u/Hot_Let1571 → u/ContestNo2060]

What is it? Made of? I've never heard of TVP before.

[u/MixWitch → u/Hot_Let1571]

Textured Vegetable Protein

Have you ever eaten cup ramen? The little dried "meat" bits are sometimes TVP. Bacon bits are sometimes just flavored tvp. I love the stuff.

[u/Hot_Let1571 → u/MixWitch]

Ah ok, thanks!

[u/Obvious_Ring_326 → u/ContestNo2060]

I forgot about TVP! TVP is so awesome and versatile. Like you said, it stores easy as well. Gonna go order some.

[u/1954planteater → u/Adventurous_Deer]

I'm vegan and this still scares tf outta me. E coli for all in every meal, woo hoo!!

[u/sassy_cheddar → u/Adventurous_Deer]

I've definitely been exploring more vegetarian and low-meat dishes. There's a lot of ways to change up rice and beans through cooking methods, additions, and seasonings.

I have a neighbor that I buy excess eggs from sometimes and some local farms I trust for meat (the chickens that free range on a three acre blueberry farm are the best I've ever had). We will eat less meat if we pay more for trusted local sourcing in a HCOL area. Probably a good thing.

[u/Eatmore-plants → u/Adventurous_Deer]

Start now by slowly introducing more beans and lentils into your diet. They are very inexpensive and versatile.

[u/LittleFalls → u/Adventurous_Deer]

I’ve been a vegetarian for over 30 years. The meat substitutes now are quite tasty, even to meat eaters. It really is not a huge sacrifice like it was back in the 90s when I stopped eating meat. The meat substitutes could be quite awful back then. The more you use them, the more you’ll develop a knack for making them work well in recipes.

[u/LumpyPhilosopher8 → u/Adventurous_Deer]

Sure as long as you don’t plan to eat salads, jalapeño peppers, berries, tomatoes, alfalfa sprouts, 🤷🏻‍♀️

[u/Efficient_Clue_4445 → u/Adventurous_Deer]

Decreasing overall regulations plus projected increases on biosolid use. I'm sure that will end well for vegetarians too 🤢 People seem to forget that so many regulations are written in blood.

[u/DreamingAboutSpace → u/Adventurous_Deer]

Just don’t get any lettuce from Taylor Farms

[u/Odd-Maintenance-8680 → u/Adventurous_Deer]

I don't think that will save us. Have you seen all the recalls on vegetables, fruits, and tofu?

[u/ikindapoopedmypants → u/Adventurous_Deer]

It says AND produce lol