Proponents of the HIMP model favor it because it is designed to increase food safety and increase production. HACCP, the acronym for "hazard analysis and critical control points," is a systematic preventive approach to food safety that reduces the risk
Proponents of the HIMP model favor it because it is designed to increase food safety and increase production. HACCP, the acronym for "hazard analysis and critical control points," is a systematic preventive approach to food safety that reduces the risk of biological and chemical hazards to a safe level. However, as implemented the HIMP-modeled poultry inspection program may not provide the safeguards that it boasts. In fact, not only may HIMP fail to ensure the safety of poultry, as implemented it may also increase the risk of poultry plant workers. As a result, poultry businesses may risk increased lawsuits from consumers sickened from unhealthy poultry and from workers injured in the workplace.
With HIMP the role of federal inspectors is de-emphasized in favor of antimicrobial sprays and private inspectors. The advantage of the HIMP system to the poultry industry is that it could save the industry over $256 million per year and speed up production. The concept is attractive to the federal government not only because it is supposed to increase food safety, but also because it would save the government $30 million per year and result in the elimination of over 800 inspector jobs.
Consumer rights group Food & Water Watch (FWW) is not convinced that the HIMP system is a safe alternative for consumers. Based on facts from the HIMP pilot program that FWW received through a Freedom of Information Act request, FWW concluded that private inspectors do a much less thorough job of inspecting poultry compared to governmental inspectors. For example, the data collected from the pilot program shows that private inspectors miss many defects in poultry carcasses including defects in feathers, lungs, oil glands and trachea. Private inspectors also miss bile that remains on carcasses. As a result of these sub-par inspections, unhealthy chickens co