STATEMENT OF JOHN W. SCOTT, MASTER, NATIONAL GRANGE

I am John W. Scott, Master of the National Grange, with offices at 1616 H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.

The Grange, a Farm and Rural-Urban Community and Family Organization, is pleased to come before this subcommittee today to carry on a tradition which began many years ago when it led the fight for the Food and Drug Act, whereby the consumers of food having its origin on the farm are protected from adulteration, contamination, etc., thereby making the food purchased by consumers more palatable, more acceptable and consequently more valuable.

However, on the last point, we have encountered considerable difficulty in assuring the producer of the product his fair share of the consumer's dollar for the contribution he has made toward the attainment of our common goal of wholesome food for the consumer.

Through the years, we have been consistent in our support of such legislation as is necessary to protect the welfare of the consuming public, and at the same time, protect the integrity of the farmer's market.

The Grange was a strong supporter of the Meat Inspection Act and the amendments thereto that were passed during the 90th Congress. We noted in our statement of July 19, 1967 the following:

"When the inspection of animals has been discussed in the past farmers have been concerned with the right of the individual farmer to kill and butcher animals for the purpose of himself, his own immediate family or the people hired to work on his farm.

"In some instances, state laws have been proposed which would prohibit custom butchery establishments from doing this work for farmers without getting inspection of each of the animals being butchered and returned directly to the farmer for his own use and not for commercial purposes.

"We note with approval that the proper exemptions are in Section 23 of H.R. 6168 which would preserve these long-standing rights. The proper identification and isolation from meats designed for human consumption from those not intended for human food is a welcomed and necessary part of this legislation.”

This remains our position today and we therefore are in support of H.R. 16485 and identical bills which would amend the Federal Meat Inspection Act as it pertains to the provisions relating to custom slaughtering operations.

We are of the opinion that the provisions relating to custom slaughtering operations are in accord with Grange policy adopted at the 1967 Annual Session of the National Grange at Syracuse, New York :

"MEAT INSPECTION"

"The National Grange urges the Congress to enact legislation to broaden the present meat inspection program by establishing a Federal-State Cooperative meat inspection arrangement under which the Federal Government would provide both personnel and financial assistance to state agencies in order to improve the quality of state meat inspection services, and to amend and modernize existing provisions of Federal law relating to meat inspection to the extent necessary to achieve the purposes of the new program and to provide adequate protection to the health and welfare of consumers."

In our judgment regulations governing these operations should be reasonable so as not to limit the processing of meat for home use. We further support the provisions of H.R. 16485 as introduced by Rep. Purcell and others which would permit custom slaughtering of livestock to be done for farmers and ranchers in an establishment where meat is also cut and sold at retail. We are not advocating the loosening of the protection being provided to consumers under the present law, but we do feel that the authority given to the Secretary of Agriculture to establish exemptions for custom slaughtering operations with proper safeguards is sound and provides ample protection to assure that meat products from such animals so slaughtered will not end up in normal market channels.

The National Grange is aware that there are many problems involved in developing a meat inspection program at both the state and federal levels. However, State Granges have worked at the state level in order to develop a meat inspection program that would provide and assure the consumer a wholesome supply of meat.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for allowing the Grange the opportunity to present our views on this important amendment to the Federal Meat Inspection Act.

Mr. PURCELL. At this time, the public hearing on this matter will be closed, and excuse me.

Mr. KLEPPE. Mr. Chairman, what about the reports? Do you want that in the record?

Mr. PURCELL. This is also included.

Well, if the report from the Department was not submitted by Mr. Lennartson, why, the report from the Department will be included in the record.

At this time the public hearings in this matter will be closed, and I will ask the subcommittee to go into executive session for whatever period of time is necessary.

(Whereupon, at 11:25 a.m., the subcommittee adjourned.)