The USDA has ordered a massive recall of 143 million pounds of beef from Westland/Hallmark Meat Co., affecting beef products dating back to Feb. 1, 2006. This is the largest beef recall to date in the United States.
The beef recall came in response to a six-week undercover investigation by The Humane Society of the United States that revealed widespread mistreatment of "downed" dairy cows - animals who are too sick or injured to walk - at a Southern California slaughter plant. The abuse occurred even though USDA had a number of inspectors at the facility, and two former Westland/Hallmark employees are now facing animal cruelty charges.
Video evidence obtained by an HSUS investigator shows workers at the Chino, California slaughter plant kicking cows, ramming them with the blades of a forklift, jabbing them in the eyes, and applying painful electrical shocks in attempts to force sick or injured animals into the "kill box."
The U.S. Department of Agriculture says the cattle were being processed for human consumption - a huge concern for food safety because it increases the risk of spreading deadly diseases. Of the 15 known cases of animals infected with mad cow disease (BSE or bovine spongiform encephalopathy) in North America, at least 12 involved downed animals.
Westland/Hallmark provides meat to the National School Lunch Program, the Emergency Food Assistance Program and the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations. About 37 million pounds of the beef has gone to schools, and schools in 36 states were warned to stop using the meat two weeks ago. However, since the recall includes products dating back 2 years, chances are good that many individuals and children have already consumed meat included in the recall.
"It's clear that USDA's system failed and it allowed this company to engage in long-term inhumane practices," said Carolyn Smith DeWaal, of the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
The Humane Society of the United States is calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Congress to take immediate steps to strengthen federal humane handling procedures and to enact more stringent laws to prevent a recurrence of the gross abuses documented at the southern California slaughter plant.
The HSUS also called on the USDA to change its policy and prohibit the slaughter of all - not just some - downed cows. The animal welfare organization says this case further underscores the need for Congress to enact pending farm animal welfare legislation -- the Downed Animal and Food Safety Protection Act and the Farm Animal Stewardship Purchasing Act - without further delay.
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