Very, Very Interesting

Is the Federal government striking back at Montana? <a href="http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2005/08/10/build/state/30-usda-group.inc">Some think so</a>.<br />n<br />n<blockquote>Rick Parks, an investigator for the Government Accountability Project, a private organization that represents "whistle-blowers," said he has been working the past two years with small, federally inspected plants in the state that believe they have been targeted or held to higher standards than larger plants.<br />n <br />nThe Government Accountability Project is representing John Munsell, a former Miles City meat processor who has sued the <acronym title="United States Department of Agriculture, Bought and Paid for by The Big Meat Packers">USDA</acronym>, saying it retaliated against him for criticizing its food-protection efforts.<br />n <br />nParks said he believes there is support for the assertions of the Montana Cattlemen's Association.<br />n <br />n"It does appear on the surface that <acronym title="United States Department of Agriculture, Bought and Paid for by The Big Meat Packers">USDA</acronym> has an ax to grind with Montana and they're doing the best they can to sharpen it up," he said.</blockquote><br />n<br />nWith that troublesome R-Calf starting here and caring about cattlemen and consumers, which causes trouble for the <acronym title="United States Department of Agriculture, Bought and Paid for by The Big Meat Packers">USDA</acronym> who only cares about the big meat packers, maybe we are a big target in Montana. Somebody has to fight the good fight but if this is true somebody with the Feds is playing really dirty. With the continued John Munsell story out of Miles City I tend to believe the <acronym title="United States Department of Agriculture, Bought and Paid for by The Big Meat Packers">USDA</acronym> can be a little vinditive and use its power to harm the little guy. <br />n<br />nSomething to keep my eye on that's for sure.<br />n<br />n<b>I don't know jokes; I just watch the government and report the facts. Will Rogers</b>