The Meat Inspection Act of 1906

Throughout Theodore Roosevelt’s presidency, “Muckraking” – or the practice of investigative journalism – became a prominent way of spreading information regarding societal ills and unscrupulous practices of the day. While Roosevelt was not always a fan of this sort of journalism (comparing them, as the name does, with the Pilgrim’s Progress character who was so engrossed with raking the muck he did not bother to look at anything good), he was occasionally greatly affected by the conditions they highlighted.

One of the seminal works of this movement, Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle, focused on the deplorable conditions of much of the nation’s meat processing industry and caused Theodore Roosevelt to take a particular interest in the industry. Being a victim of past malpractice during his time as a Rough Rider, this interest may have gone beyond general societal concern and become personal, as he remembered the troops under his command having to deal with spoiled and improperly produced meat.¹ Using his colleagues Labor Commissioner Charles P. Neill and social worker James Bronson Reynolds, he sought to expose how meat was treated in the United States, and to improve its quality for American consumption.

Working in tandem with Congress, Roosevelt passed the Pure Food and Drug Act, leading to the establishment of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) whose job it was to rigorously inspect all meat or drugs that were to be sold for human consumption. Additionally, due to the growing disgust within the meat packing industry and using the findings of Neill and Reynolds as justification, the Federal Meat Inspection Act was passed on June 30, 1906, granting the United States Department of Agriculture the power to inspect livestock both before and after slaughter. This also extended to foreign products, which were given equal scrutiny. Thanks to the efforts of Theodore Roosevelt the quality of food in America greatly improved.

Sources

¹ Rouse, Kristen L.. “Meat Inspection Act of 1906”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Jun. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Meat-Inspection-Act. Accessed 12 November 2024.

Entry contributed by Isaac Baker – Theodore Roosevelt Center Student Employee.