Do you respect and trust the USDA to fairly apply the processing rules to all in our meat and poultry industry?

Over the years, I had my run-ins with USDA inspectors at the various meat and/or poultry plants for which I was responsible. And, sure, I would get mad as hell at them and they at me. But, it always seemed like we could get over the negative rhetoric, sit down, discuss the issue, and come to a resolution that was not completely what either of us fully wanted but workable for us both.

We would never have even started these “discussions” if there hadn’t been a level of trust fostered by mutual respect. And, I remember clearly going back to my office after some of these “discussions” mad and upset that I didn’t get my way or maybe even part of my way, but still the level of trust didn’t dissipate because of it.

I can also remember meeting with various FSIS officials over the years to try to convince them to authorize a label that hadn’t been approved before and meant a new way of categorizing meat products. These “discussions,” too, were often heated with little give on either side, but the level of trust was not destroyed nor harmed just because we had differing opinions. Common ground was always sought but, of course, not always reached.

Many of you have had some level of interaction with the USDA. And, maybe some of your interactions, too, have been acerbic. I am sure many of you could relate such incidences of rancor amongst government and industry representatives. But, did that rancor destroy mutual trust or was such trust never a part of the equation?

What triggered my wanting to discuss “trust” of government institutions and people was the terrible, divisive name-calling that now is almost commonplace in our society. Respect flies out the window when we call each other names seemingly as a way to raise ourselves up by tearing others down to get our way. What it does, however, is tell others of our deep seated hatred or distrust of some other person(s) or entity.

Or was my trigger the politically motivated name-calling prevalent in our general society? Maybe that’s what I am objecting to most, and my observation of the interaction between our industry and our government is not evidenced by as much vicious name calling. At least, I sure hope not.

Please don’t misunderstand me. I am not painting all in or out of our industry nor all government employees who inspect us of being naysayers and name callers. No, I am trying to point out that distrust is sown by any name calling. It is not the way to start any conversation anywhere by anybody trying to reach any mutually needed goal.

Trust is a two-way street, and someone has to take the first step if there ever is to be any trust amongst two or more people

But, is it too late to try to recapture government-industry trust? Or, was it never there and I am just too blind not to have seen it?

Well, I did see trust amongst those managing meat and poultry processing plants trying to make a product for consumers that satisfies their needs and those charged with the responsibility of making sure those processing methods produce what they intend to in a safe way. And, in doing so, I think there can be trust amongst the disparate parties. But the name calling, if it ever existed, has to stop.

How do we get back to starting from a position of trust, no matter the issue, and working from there? It begins with mutual respect. As industry representatives we must respect our government representatives and they us. From that mutual respect, a level of trust can be established.

Please tell me we can start to mutually respect one another, because that’s a New Year’s resolution we all should keep!

Trust is a two-way street

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