A century ago, it was difficult to get accurate information about the food we ate. Slaughterhouses were not being inspected; there were no labeling requirements. Upton Sinclair’s 1906 meatpacking expos, The Jungle , changed all that. Sort of.

When the Meat Inspection Act became law on the heels of Sinclair’s novel, the meat industry kicked up a ruckus. But who’s against testing and consumer notification today? It’s not the meat packers, it’s the US Department of Agriculture. Yes, the USDA says that American farmers can’t legally test their beef for “mad cow” disease.

Creekstone Farms is not only willing to test all of its cattle, it wants to. That makes good sense, both for satisfying countries Creekstone exports to, like Japan, which has banned US beef, and for helping consumers make informed choices. But the USDA bureaucracy says if Creekstone tests it might suggest American beef is somehow unsafe. Of course, it would have the opposite effect for the meat tested, bolstering perceived safety.

But consumers, through the market, might compel others to test. The USDA also argues testing every cow is, “not scientifically warranted.” Okay, but testing every animal as opposed to just a few can’t hurt. It may be the only way Creekstone Farms, with nearly 800 employees, can stay in business. A century after the meat industry tried to suppress Sinclair’s account of filthy meatpacking, it is the USDA that is suppressing information. That sounds like a very different cattle byproduct to me.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.