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UNITED STATES (KFGO) – On “News and Views”, former North Dakota Governor and United States Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer said he believes there are enough federal food inspectors nationwide amid high profile recalls with beef and lettuce this year.
That includes for e. coli, listeria and mislabeling.
Schafer spoke highly of U.S. Department of Agriculture workers.
“The things that have been caught have been caught up front. They have been caught quickly,” Schafer explained. “In one case, there was 8,000 pounds of stuff that they found contaminated in the shipping area and took it out. That’s listed as a recall.”
Schafer pointed out there aren’t a big number of food recalls in 2026 with 24 as there were with 54 in 2008.
Schafer also shared why he believes some politicians and farm groups don’t support country of origin labeling for meat. It shows people where the products they’re buying come from.
The House-passed farm bill includes the process.
Schafer believes it’s an issue with trusting the federal government.
“You have to register your facility. My farm’s on the record, so you’ve got a USDA map with my name on it, and then some IRS guy is going to start looking at that map and say ‘Look at what’s happening over there,” Schafer said.
Minnesota Farm Bureau President Gary Wertish talked about President Donald Trump allowing tariff-free Argentine beef to be imported on KFGO.
“What that’s going to do is allow the big four packers of beef to bring in imported beef, mix it with United States beef. They’re going to sell it with the exact same price and they’re going to pocket the profit,” Wertish said.
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