On July 6, 1996, President Clinton announced in weekly radio address the completion of new rules that will modernize a 90-year-old food inspection program and fulfill the President's broad commitment to protecting the public's health by improving food safety.
The major elements of the new rules include:
Challenging every meat-packing plant to do scientific tests and take safety precautions -- Every plant must adopt and carry out its own Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) plan that takes precautions at every step of production. Each plant will be held accountable for meeting high standards and will be verified by inspectors from USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service.
Mandatory E. Coli testing in slaughterhouses -- Every slaughter plant must regularly test for E. Coli and Salmonella bacteria.
Improving Sanitation Procedures -- Every plant must adopt and carry out a written plan for meeting its sanitation responsibilities to prevent contamination.