Now that the pink slime controversy has come and gone, we’re now seeing some serious complaints in the U.S. poultry processing industry, as the U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to eliminate 800 poultry inspector positions and allow poultry companies to speed up processing operations. A lot, according to The Daily.

The USDA estimates the faster line speeds will result in an annual windfall of $257 million for the industry. Officials insist that food safety will not suffer. “One thing I want to be crystal clear about is that we are not turning over the keys, as far as food safety goes, to industry,” Department of Agriculture Under Secretary Elisabeth Hagen told The Daily.

But inspectors on the inside vehemently disagree, according to reports.

The Food Integrity Campaign reports that USDA Food Safety & Inspection Service inspectors at plants across the United States see significant threats to food safety.

The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service is responsible for examining all poultry carcasses for blemishes or visible defects before they are further processed, according to Food Safety News. Under the proposed rule, the agency would transfer much of this quality-assurance task over to the poultry plants so that it can devote more of its employees to evaluating the companies’ pathogen-prevention plans and bacteria-testing programs.

The Government Accountability Project‘s Amanda Hitt claims “The new standard for poultry isn’t ‘would you eat it’ but ‘will it kill you or make you sick.’ ” There’s some pretty revolting claims from whistle-blowers and inspectors on this page. For example:

Under traditional inspection methods, inspectors can see all sides (and the inside) of the bird. But inspectors at HIMP plants can only see the backside of the bird – not the front (where the breast meat is) that may clearly show tumors or scabs. Nor can HIMP inspectors see the inside of the bird, where fecal matter and other disease causing abnormalities are found.

Really? They may miss a tumor that will end up in my cacciatore? How unsettling is this to you?