www.safetyissues.com: Do Abused Cows Yield Unsafe Food Products? 

Do Abused Cows Yield Unsafe Food Products?
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Staff Writer on 01/31/08 09:00:00
 
This incident also raised many questions about food safety in the U.S. in
general and the nation’s public schools in particular.
The video shows slaughterhouse workers kicking cows or landing jabs on the area
near their eyes. They repeatedly gave electric shocks to the cows. At some
points, they rammed the cows with a forklift and forced water in high pressure
hoses up the noses.
The cruel treatment was apparently aimed at forcing the animals to their feet
in preparation for slaughter. There was a big reason the animals were down on
the ground: they were too sick, very weak, or otherwise in such a sorry physical
condition that they could not stand on their own four feet.
Downed cows and animals are more likely to get contaminated with pathogens and
diseases that may harm consumers. U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations do
not allow the use of disabled or contaminated livestock to be processed for
food.
The Hallmark Meat Packing Company, which owns the slaughterhouse, has a sister
company, Westland Meat, that distributes meat products to federal programs, one
of which is the National School Lunch Program.
Westland Meat is the second biggest supplier of beef for the National School
Lunch Program and has supplied beef to schools in 36 states. In 2004-2005, the
USDA named the company as “supplier of the year.”
The Humane Society called for the U.S. Congress and the USDA to act quickly to
ensure that farm animals receive humane treatment and that recipients of federal
food programs, especially the children, the elderly and needy families, are
protected from potentially dangerous meat products.
A member of the U.S. Senate said that while the treatment of dairy cows was
appalling, the greater and more significant concern is the safety and quality of
the ground beef being supplied to the National School Lunch Program and the
nation’s schoolchildren. The senator observed that the slaughter of weak and
sickly animals violated USDA regulations and appeared to pose a danger to the
food supply.
The Agriculture Secretary assured that they are investigating the facility and
assured that there was nothing to indicate that the nation’s beef supply had
been compromised. The secretary said there was no immediate health risk found in
their investigations so far.