“Shame on you, Washington Post”: FSIS Criticizes Reporting on Pork Inspections

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued a press release responding to The Washington Post‘s reporting on an impending change to pork plant inspections. “FSIS is appalled at The Washington Post’s poor attempt at explaining a proposal to modernize inspection,” the press release states. “The Post’s decision to continue to parrot arguments that are devoid of factual and scientific evidence only serves to further the personal agenda of special interest groups that have nothing to do with ensuring food safety. Despite FSIS spending countless hours responding to The Post and providing clarification about the proposed rule, The Post chose to ignore the information and went with an already formed opinion and headline.”

FSIS argues that the article was “deliberately misleading” on several points and lists 11 rebuttals for statements made in the Post article, including the assertion that the pork industry “soon will have more power over meat inspections” and that a former FSIS chief veterinarian was involved in a pilot program for the inspection changes.

“Shame on you, Washington Post,” the press release states. “This story earns you at least four Pinocchios.”