Day 094 - 01 Mar 95 - Page 15


     
     1        A.  That is correct.
     2
     3   Q.   It is more likely to be round 20?
     4        A.  Yes, it could be.
     5
     6   Q.   So the general range is around 20?
     7        A.  How many times do I have to tell you what the range is?
     8
     9   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  It is fair enough, you know.  I do not know
    10        where it will take me at the end of the day, but all you
    11        are being asked is whether 20 would be more typical than
    12        three?
    13        A.  OK, yes, phrased that way, yes.
    14
    15   MS. STEEL:   Is it not right that in actual fact you are relying
    16        on the US DA inspectors and, in fact, they actually are
    17        saying that thousands of birds contaminated or stained with
    18        faeces are shipped every day instead of being condemned?
    19        A.  I am sorry.  You are totally wrong.  I do not know
    20        where you get that from.
    21
    22   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Where do you get that from?
    23
    24   MS. STEEL:  This report.  The report that was handed in
    25        yesterday -- I did not mention the name of it.
    26
    27   MR. RAMPTON:  No, that is not the point.
    28
    29   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  You have to put it as a question which I can
    30        follow, you see.  Just let us all pause there for a moment.
    31          You see, you declare as part of what was meant to be a
    32        question that US DA inspectors are saying that thousands of
    33        birds contaminated or stained with faeces are shipped every
    34        day instead of being condemned.
    35
    36   MS. STEEL:  Yes.
    37
    38   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Let us put it as a question.
    39        (To the witness):  Is that right, that US DA inspectors say
    40        that, to your knowledge?
    41        A.  No, they might say that.  I would not be surprised if
    42        they do; there is a battle, if we can call it that, between
    43        inspectors' union and the government.  The inspectors want
    44        to keep their jobs.  They want to increase the number of
    45        inspectors in plant just because they want to keep a job.
    46        The government is saying it does not add value.  We relied
    47        on our HACCP programmes which is far better and is
    48        recognised around the world as the best system there is.
    49        We are as good as anybody else in the world when it comes
    50        to good inspection by implementing HACCP and by having the 
    51        control suppliers for chickens. 
    52 
    53        Faecal contamination, there is a regulation in the US.
    54        There is zero tolerance for that.  If an inspector is
    55        saying that millions of chickens are, or even one is going
    56        and he sees that, and it is going with faecal
    57        contamination, he is not doing his job.  If he is not doing
    58        his job, he should be fired.  That is his responsibility
    59        and he has the authority to stop the line and condemn those
    60        animals.

Prev Next Index