>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> YOU BET.
>>> A TRUMP ADMINISTRATION RULES
TEAM IN AN NBC EXCLUSIVE.
MORGAN RADFORD SAT DOWN WITH TWO
FEDERAL INSPECTORS.
FEDERAL INSPECTORS. >> TOENAILS, HAIR, SEXUAL
ORGANS, BLADDERS --
>> ALL OF THE ABOVE.
>> Reporter: THAT’S WHAT IS
POTENTIALLY IN YOUR PORK,
ACCORDING TO SOME OF AMERICA’S
FEDERAL INSPECTORS.
FEDERAL INSPECTORS. SPEAKING OUT FOR THE FIRST TIME
IN AN NBC EXCLUSIVE.
USDA INSPECTORS ARE SOUNDING THE
ALARM.
ALARM. DO YOU FEED YOUR CHILDREN OR
YOUR FAMILIES THIS PORK?
>> I DON’T EAT FROM THIS PLANT.
>> YOU DON’T EAT FROM THE SAME
PLANT WHERE YOU WORK?
>> CORRECT.
>> CORRECT. >> NO.
>> NO. >> Reporter: THEY SAY THE MEAT
YOU EAT MAY SOON BE LESS SAFE
THAN YOU THINK, THANKS TO A
CHANGE IN RULES FOR PORK
INSPECTION.
INSPECTION. SET TO ROLL OUT NATIONWIDE UNDER
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.
>> THE CONSUMERS ARE BEING
DUPED.
DUPED. THEY BELIEVE IT’S GETTING
FEDERALLY INSPECTED WHEN THERE’S
NO ONE THERE TO EVEN WATCH OR DO
ANYTHING ABOUT ANYTHING.
>> Reporter: BOTH INSPECTORS
WORK AT A PORK PLANT IN THE
MIDWEST, ONE OF THE FIRST TO
ADOPT THE PILOT PROGRAM.
THEY SAY THE CHANGES HAVE BEEN
DRAMATIC.
DRAMATIC. IN TRADITIONAL PLANTS, AS MANY
AS SEVEN FEDERAL INSPECTORS
CHECK THE ANIMALS FOR DEFECTS,
LIKE CONTAMINATES OR DISEASE.
UNDER THE NEW SYSTEM, THAT
NUMBER GOES DOWN TO TWO OR THREE
MORE EXPERIENCED FEDERAL
INSPECTORS.
INSPECTORS. BUT NOW THE PLANT’S OWN
EMPLOYEES WILL BE CHECKING AND
SORTING, WITH NO FEDERAL
TRAINING REQUIRED WITH
INSPECTORS VERIFYING THEIR WORK.
>> THERE’S NOT ENOUGH TIME TO
REACT TO SITUATIONS THAT ARISE.
YOU’VE GOT 2.6 SECONDS PER
CARCASS.
CARCASS. >> Reporter: TO INSPECT?
>> YES.
>> YES. YOU CAN’T SEE VERY MUCH IN THAT
TIME.
TIME. SO THERE’S A LOT OF
CONTAMINATION HEADING OUT THE
DOOR.
DOOR. >> Reporter: THEY SAY THAT’S
BECAUSE THERE’S NO FEDERAL CAP
ON LINE SPEEDS, MEANING NO SET
LIMIT ON HOW FAST THE MEAT CAN
GO BY.
GO BY. >> AS LONG AS THEY FEEL LIKE
THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH IT, THEY
WILL.
WILL. >> Reporter: THE USDA DECLINED
TO DO AN ON-CAMERA INTERVIEW FOR
THIS STORY, BUT SAID VIA EMAIL
THAT INSPECTORS HAVE THE
AUTHORITY TO SLOW AND STOP THE
LINE TO ENSURE FOOD SAFETY AND
INSPECTION ARE ACHIEVED.
ADDING THAT INSPECTORS WILL
CONDUCT 100% CARCASS BY CARCASS
INSPECTION.
INSPECTION. WHILE THESE FEDERAL INSPECTORS
SAY THAT’S TRUE, IN PRACTICE
THEY SAY THE POTENTIAL FOR
UNSAFE FOOD TO PASS INSPECTION
WILL BE MUCH HIGHER.
A CONCERN SIX CURRENT AND FORMER
FEDERAL INSPECTORS HAVE SHARED.
THROUGH SWORN AFFIDAVITS TO
FEDERAL REGULATORS AND VIA
EMAILS TO NBC NEWS.
>> WHEN YOU OPEN YOUR PACKAGE OF
MEAT, WHAT YOU’RE GOING TO GET
FOR A PATHOGEN IS GOING TO BE A
MYSTERY.
MYSTERY. >> Reporter: WHAT ARE PATHOGENS?
>> THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT
MAKE YOU SICK, LIKE E. COLI AND
SALMONELLA.
SALMONELLA. >> Reporter: UNDER THIS PILOT
PROMISE, THOSE THINGS COULD
POTENTIALLY ENTER INTO OUR FOOD?
>> CORRECT.
>> CORRECT. >> Reporter: THE PILOT PROGRAM
IS IN FIVE PLANTS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY, WITH PLANS TO EXPAND TO
35 PLANTS STARTING NEXT YEAR.
COMBINED THOSE 40 PLANTS PROCESS
MORE THAN 90% OF AMERICA’S PORK.
CDC RECORDS SHOW THERE HAVE BEEN
NO FOOD ILLNESS OUTBREAKS LINKED
TO THE PILOT PLAN SINCE THE
FIRST ONE STARTED IN 2000, BUT
FOOD SAFETY ADVOCATES ARGUE THE
RISK WILL BE MUCH GREATER ONCE
IT EXPANDS.
IT EXPANDS. >> SORTERS, INSPECTORS, WHATEVER
YOU WANT TO CALL THEM FOR THE
COMPANIES ARE DOING THE WORK
THAT PUBLIC SERVE ANT INSPECTORS
USED TO DO.
IT’S ALL BEING DONE AT A MUCH
HIGHER RATE.
HIGHER RATE. YOU’RE BOUND TO MAKE MISTAKES.
AND IF YOU MAKE MISTAKES, IT’S
THE PUBLIC THAT IS HARMED.
>> Reporter: SO, AS AMERICANS
HEAD TO THE KITCHEN, THESE
FEDERAL INSPECTORS SAY THEY
SHOULD ALSO BE LOOKING TO
WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON. WHEN WILL THE LINE SPEEDS STOP?
>> WHEN WILL IT STOP?
ACTUALLY, IT WILL STOP WHEN
SOMEONE DIES.
SOMEONE DIES. >> NBC NEWS CONTACTED ALL FIVE
PLANTS AND THE NORTH AMERICAN
INSTITUTE WHICH SAID INSPECTORS
ARE STILL REQUIRED TO INSPECT
EVERY ANIMAL AND THAT THEY
ALWAYS HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO
AFFECT AND ESTABLISH LINE SPEED.
ONE OF THE FIVE PLANTS RESPONDED
SAYING IN PART, SMITHFIELD
FOOD’S SUCCESS AS A GLOBAL FOOD
COMPANY DEPENDS ON US UPHOLDING
THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF FOOD
SAFETY AND QUALITY EVERY SINGLE
DAY.
DAY. NBC NEWS ASKED TO INTERVIEW
INSPECTORS AT ALL FIVE PILOT
PLANTS BUT THE USDA DECLINED TO
MAKE THEM AVAILABLE FOR AN