Articles by Kurt D. Vogel PhD

Although we cannot control the weather, we can make preparations now for the heat that is sure to arrive as summer sets in.

Historically, the meat industry has been a place where hard work could result in upward movement within a company.

Significant changes have occurred in the arena of accountability and transparency for the meat industry. The move toward transparency has been significant.

Earlier this year, the Food Safety and Inspection Service began posting notices of humane-handling enforcement actions taken at federally inspected slaughter establishments.

As the debate over the use of gestation stalls continues, it has become clearer that science is not the trump card in decision making, but it is still an incredibly valuable component.

Applying HACCP to animal-welfare assurance.

In early January, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a draft guidance that may prohibit specific uses of a class of antibiotics in the major food animal species, which include cattle, swine, chickens and turkeys.

In September, the Food Safety and Inspection Service issued Directive 6900.2 Revision 2. This 40-page document provided much-needed clarification on several potential animal welfare-related issues in livestock slaughter facilities.

Over the past decade, animal welfare has become an increasingly important concept in the meat industry.

In mid-July, the Midwest experienced one of the most brutal heat waves in recent history. As the heat index climbed into the triple digits, most people were looking for the nearest air-conditioned shelter to stay cool. Unfortunately, there just isn’t enough space to take the animals inside with us.