…shining the spotlight on practices that put your children’s health at risk.
Slaughterhouse video prompts unprecedented beef recall
The US Department of Agriculture yesterday ordered that 143 million lb of beef from the slaughterhouse be recalled. Officials estimate that some 37 million lbs of the recalled meat had been heading to schools across America though they fear that most of it will have already been eaten.
The abattoir run by the Hallmark Meat Packing Company, an associate and supplier of Westland Meat Company, which provides meat for America’s National School Lunch Programme, is now the subject of an an animal-abuse investigation.
Ed Schafer, the US Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer said his department had evidence that Westland did not routinely contact its veterinarian when cattle lost the power to walk after passing inspection, violating health regulations.
“Because the cattle did not receive complete and proper inspection, Food Safety and Inspection Service has determined them to be unfit for human food and the company is conducting a recall,†Mr Schafer said in a statement.
Let me say that a downed animal should never enter the food supply.
I grew up on a farm where we either butchered or own or took it to the local meat locker. Never did we butcher a downed animal. Even if it was a case of something like a broken leg. The meat becomes tainted with adrenaline. Those were euthanized and given to the Byproducts company where it became soap. glue, hide, fertilizer etc.
These downed animals arent even supposed to reach the food supply for our pets.
I’m not a fan of the animal rights activist but if they were the ones that uncovered this gross neglect for public safety then my hat is off to them…in this case.
Unfortunately, I think most people are going to see this as a “cruelty to animals” type issue, rather than the FDA mandate (or “farmer’s rules” for years) of not using an animal that can’t walk for food.
You may be correct, but it’s really about both - or at least it should be. The recall had nothing to do with cruelty, but the capture of cruelty demonstrated the willful use of downer cattle, which is where the violation occurred. And I’m sure this isn’t an isolated event in either department. This sort of behavior needs to be brought to light for both ethical and public health reasons whenever possible, regardless of the economic impact.
It was interesting to hear there were animal cruelty charges filed against the employees. I didn’t think livestock were protected under those laws.
Let me say that a downed animal should never enter the food supply.
I grew up on a farm where we either butchered or own or took it to the local meat locker. Never did we butcher a downed animal. Even if it was a case of something like a broken leg. The meat becomes tainted with adrenaline. Those were euthanized and given to the Byproducts company where it became soap. glue, hide, fertilizer etc.
These downed animals arent even supposed to reach the food supply for our pets.
I’m not a fan of the animal rights activist but if they were the ones that uncovered this gross neglect for public safety then my hat is off to them…in this case.
you are so right on; it is neglect for public safety.
my husband told me that in meat processing plants, it is not uncommon to have 100 cows or more go into a box of stamped out beef patties (like JTM burgers). apparently when there is a problem, because of this “blending” it is really difficult to isolate tainted meats, and “easier” for cases of tainted meat to occur. so when they do occurr, it requires a massive recall.
in this case, those cows should never have made it to the prcessing plant. eek!
This stuff happens every damn day at some slaugherhouse in America. This recall is pointless, most of the meat has already been served up to kids in school cafeterias. Why even bother at this point?
It was the only responsible course of action at this point, even if most of it has been consumed. What else could they do, really.
I think these stories are useful, though. Many parents don’t know and don’t care to know the dirty details of beef (particularly ground beef) production beyond the cost of a Happy Meal. Hopefully these incidents make people take notice and, if nothing more, make an informed decision about what they’re putting into their and their children’s bodies.
I find this snippet especialy interesting: Advocacy groups also weighed in, noting the problems at Westland wouldn’t have been revealed had it not been for animal right activists.
It makes me wonder which fringe groups are trying to ride the Humane Society’s coat tails on this one. I suppose you could call the Humane Society activists but their level of integrity and gemeral sanity are far above that of PETA and their ilk.
The slaughter house named in the article is a small operation and I can’t believe they did this kind of volume. There are no beef ranches in the area; only dairy farms. I always assumed they just did custom orders for the local farmers. Apparently they were the last stop for used up dairy cows.
The photos and footage shown on the news all appear to be dairy cattle. Does this mean that cows in CA aren’t actually happier?
The inspectors are useless. Their schedules are predictable and well known – this sort of activity simply happens when they are not around. No one should be surprised by this.
Thought I would add the link to the video of what went on in that hell hole. This is why I stopped giving my money to factory farms and went vegan. Someone had posted above that they just don’t care about the cows. That really bothers me that you can look at another creature suffer like this and say you just don’t care.
Ok, somebody please explain this to me: The test says that they’re being prodded, beaten, dragged, etc. in order to stand and pass FDA inspection. Are inspectors really that stupid - do they show up like a gang of hokey clowns in a red car with big feet and curly wigs going “Ayuk, they’re standin’…they must be good.”
Don’t they have to walk by, or something? Anything? That video was ridiculous - wouldn’t anyone “goosing” the system be guilty of something - fraud or whatever?
The FDA is a joke. There is continual turnover at the top, appointees are more interested in debating politics/ethics than science (such as the morning after pill being pulled for ethical, not scientific reasons). Continual food recalls and foodborne illness outbreaks, tainted spinach, contaminated foodstuffs from China, drugs like VIOXX, tainted flu shots, the lists go on and on.
Even with the problems, food inspections are on the decline – down 47% from 2003-2006. There are 12% fewer inspectors, and 75% fewer inspections. I’m pretty sure the FDA has some sort of deal with the slaughterhouses that reduced inspections for some voluntary reason, I don’t have time at the minute to look it up. Food-borne illness, of course, is on the rise.
One reason for the rise of food borne illness may be the society we live in.
E coli, salmonella, they are nothing new. these have been around as long as humans. One thing that may have changed is our enviroment. It’s more sanitized. We eat more processed foods and less natural. We are not exposed to it as often or as much so when we are exposed are our bodies are not ready to fight it.
I work in the food industry. It’s pretty clean…very clean actually. There are some bad examples out there but they are by no means a representation of the industry overall.
