FW: DawnWatch: USDA closes slaughter plant -- Washington Post, Los Angeles Times 2/7/08

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> Thu, 7 Feb 2008 16:38:40 -0700> news DawnWatch: USDA closes slaughter plant -- Washington Post, Los Angeles Times 2/7/08> > Last week, shocking news broke in the Washington Post about egregious cruelty at a California slaughterhouse. If you missed it, you'll find the DawnWatch alert, which links to the Post story, which in turn links to the video footage, at> http://tinyurl.com/35foyr> > Today, Thursday February 7, the Washington Post has followed up, as has the Los Angeles Times. > Rick Weiss's Washington Post article is headed, "Inspectors Verify Abuse Of Cows in California; > Mistreatment Was Captured on Video At Slaughterhouse." (pg A 02)> > It tells us, "The agency's Food Safety and Inspection Service formally withdrew its inspectors from Hallmark Meat Packing in Chino on Monday after verifying the mistreatment and discovering other problems at the plant, an agency official said yesterday.> > "The problems came to light last week when the Humane Society of the United States released video footage taken by a Hallmark employee who was working undercover for the Washington-based animal welfare group. The film showed workers using chains to drag cows unable to stand; shoving and rolling crippled cows with forklifts; and rampant use of electric prods to drive infirm animals to slaughter.> > "Under state and federal regulations and laws, livestock must be treated humanely, and only animals that can walk under their own power can be slaughtered -- a way of minimizing the chances that diseased animals will enter the food supply."> > We learn that the company had received negative attention before: > > "USDA records indicate the company was cited in 2005 for several animal welfare violations, including 'too much electric prodding.'"> > (How much is just enough?)> > That article is on line at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/06/AR2008020604129_pf.html> OR> http://tinyurl.com/35jcdn> The Washington Post takes letters at letters > Today's Los Angeles Times article on the issue is headed, "Questions raised on meat safety; > Food experts are critical of USDA's oversight after a video shows abused cattle being slaughtered." (Pg B1)> > Reporter Victoria Kim opens with this important point:> > "The U.S. Department of Agriculture has 7,800 pairs of eyes scrutinizing 6,200 slaughterhouses and food processors across the nation. But in the end, it took an undercover operation by an animal rights group to reveal that beef from ill and abused cattle had entered the human food supply."> > The article tells us:> "Now, in the wake of the video's release and the agency's response, food industry insiders are questioning just how reliable the USDA's inspection process is. The incidents recorded at Hallmark Meat Packing occurred under the noses of eight on-site USDA inspectors."> > A professor emeritus of food safety at UC Davis is quoted:> > "It's a shame when USDA has to read about this stuff in the newspaper before they take action....That the most intensive inspection system we have was asleep on this situation bothers me enormously."> > You'll find the Los Angeles Time article on line at > http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-usda7feb07,1,860354.story> OR> http://tinyurl.com/yofuzj> > You can respond with a letter to the editor at letters > The stories cited above open the door for letters about human society's treatment of other animals. Those of us on plant-based diets have been given an opportunity to sing their praises. Please seize it!> > Always include your full name, address, and daytime phone number when sending a letter to the editor. Remember that shorter letters are more likely to be published. > > Yours and the animals',> Karen Dawn> > (DawnWatch is an animal advocacy media watch that looks at animal issues in the media and facilitates one-click responses to the relevant media outlets. You can learn more about it, and sign up for alerts at http://www.DawnWatch.com. You may forward or reprint DawnWatch alerts if you do so unedited -- leave DawnWatch in the title and include this parenthesized tag line. If somebody forwards DawnWatch alerts to you, which you enjoy, please help the list grow by signing up. It is free.)> >