The video that led to Hallmark/Westland meat recall
If you didn't hear yet, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced yesterday the recall of 143 million pounds of raw and frozen beef from California-based Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Co. That's the largest meat recall in U.S. history -- far surpassing 1999's 35 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat.
Although USDA officials say that health concerns in this situation aren't as serious, the recall action was taken due to "egregious violations to humane handling requirements and the prohibition of non-ambulatory disabled cattle from entering the food supply." By law, cattle that cannot walk are banned from the human meat supply. Also, the USDA says that "Plant employees are required to handle animals in a humane manner that minimizes excitement, discomfort and stress."
As you can see in this video, shot by the Humane Society of the United States, there were some pretty clear violations taking place. Hope you ate lunch already because there are some graphic and troubling images.
The HSUS investigation showed animals too sick or injured to stand or walk -- called "downers" by industry -- being kicked, beaten, dragged with chains, shocked with electric prods, sprayed in the face with hoses, and rammed by forklifts in efforts to get them to their feet to pass USDA inspection.
As a meat eater, I would refrain from spending my money on products or eating products produced by companies that treat their animals like this. Just because we eat meat doesn't mean we want the animals abused along the way. Seeing video like this also makes me wonder what other kinds of shortcuts did this producer take to get that meat into our kitchens? With as much food that's been recalled last year, it's incredibly troubling that a company would still takes such risks.
It's not good for consumers and it's definitely not good for the animals. I interviewed a cattle farmer a few years back, an advocate of humane and high quality care practices for food animals, who explained that treating the animals well was in his best interest because stress can affect the quality of the meat.
Such outrageous practices by large meat producers led to the start of Humane Farm Animal Care in 2003* by a consortium of animal-welfare organizations, which is a told standard for animal welfare that audits producers according to the strictest animal welfare criteria in the U.S. Products carrying the label mean that producers and inspected and certified for raising animals that were properly cared for from birth to slaughter.
Here's what Kirsty Laughlin, the group's director of animal-science programs, said to me in a 1994 story I wrote on them: "More and more farmers -- even big producers -- are looking for an edge. As more and more groups document abuses taking place at farms, more and more people will become more aware of the problems and demand change. What we're saying is that just because we eat the animals doesn't mean we shouldn't treat them right. We're hoping the more people who join the program, the more standardized these humane practices will be throughout the industry. It's going back to the way farming used to be."
If you're interested in purchasing Certified Humane raised meat, check out their Web site where you can learn more.
*Thanks, HFAC's Mary Chestnut for catching the misstep on my part! I accidentally wrote 1993 when I meant 2003. That should teach me for writing blog posts late at night.
(Video from the Humane Society of the United States)
