Sick cows abused, slaughtered and sent to schools for lunch

A California slaughterhouse is under intense scrutiny after the Humane Society obtained video of workers using forklifts, electrocution, high-pressure water and sticks to get sick cattle to stand up on all four legs in order to pass USDA inspection. Hallmark Meat Packing then sold the beef to the Westland Meat Co., which is a major supplier of meat to school lunch programs in 36 states, including Minnesota and Iowa.

“Downer” cattle, cows that have taken ill and can no longer walk, have been banned by the U.S. Department of Agriculture from entering the food chain in an effort to prevent the spread of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, also known as BSE or mad-cow disease. Inability to stand is one of the classic symptoms of BSE in cattle.

Steve Mendell, President and CEO of Westland Meat defended his companies standards and indicated the disciplinary action had been taken against the responsible parties.

We are shocked, saddened and sickened by what we have seen today.  Operations have been immediately suspended until we can meet with all of our employees and be assured these sorts of activities never again happen at our facility.

A statement issued by newly appointed Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer declared that Westland Meat’s contract with the federal school lunch programs will be suspended.

“I am deeply concerned about the allegations made regarding inhumane handling of non-ambulatory disabled cattle in a federally inspected slaughter establishment,” Schafer said. “We are confident in our inspection system and the food safety regulations that ensure the safety and wholesomeness of the food supply.”

Bonnie Powell of the food blog The Ethicurean  does not share Secretary Schafer’s confidence in the system.

“There are 97 million cattle in this country. In 2004, a busy year for the USDA, the agency tested 759,000 cattle and found three to be infected. That’s a sample rate of less than 1 percent. I don’t find that reassuring, and it’s just one of the reasons I don’t eat U.S. commodity beef.”

It is believed, but not proven, that BSE can be transferred to humans through consumption of infected beef. The disease in humans is known as a variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD). To date there have been 10 cases of BSE and one case of vCJD discovered in Canada, compared to three cases of BSE and three cases of vJCD discovered in the  United States.