Blogging About Critters Since 2007

Sunday, February 17, 2008

USDA Issues Biggest Beef Recall Ever

It's amazing that we don't have more meat recalls in this country considering the vast number of animals being slaughtered on a daily basis. Too many animals, too many slaughtering plants, not enough inspectors to go around regularly.

These kinds of stories make me happy to be vegetarian. It's one less thing to be worried about.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced the recall of 143 million pounds of raw and frozen beef from a troubled Chino meat-packing company, deeming it unfit for human consumption because of lapses in required inspections.

The cattle "did not receive complete and proper inspection," according to a news release issued by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service in Washington. Information received by the federal agency shows that Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Co. "did not consistently contact the FSIS public health veterinarian" as required when cattle became non-ambulatory after being inspected, the release said....

Problems at the plant first went public following the release of a video showing treatment of animals at the plant between Oct. 11 and Nov. 9.

The video, taken surreptitiously by the Humane Society of the United States, led to schools nationwide pulling beef suppled by the company from cafeterias.

In the video, a manager is shown using a paddle to hit a non-ambulatory cow in the face and eye, in an attempt, authorities said, to get the animal to its feet to be taken to slaughter.

By law, cattle that cannot walk are banned from the human meat supply...

Photo by bellabellinsky.

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