Ban on Downer Cows Gains Support

April 2008

Apr 28 2008 UPDATED ALERT – Steps are being taken in the meat manufacturing industry to eliminate contaminated beef from the food supply. In an important move, major meat and dairy industry groups have backed a total ban on "downer cattle."

Lawmakers and watchdog groups have been advocating for this ban ever since a massive beef recall was issued for meat from a Southern California slaughterhouse in February. Current laws ban the slaughter of most cows that are unable to stand during inspection, but they are allowed in the food supply if they are re-inspected and approved. Though the meat industry once resisted closing this loophole, pressure from Congress and outside groups has reversed their stance.

Undercover video taken at the Westland/Hallmark Meat Company showed workers shocking cattle and pushing them with forklifts to force them through inspection. This video led to the recall of 143 million pounds of beef nationwide. Downer cows are more prone to infections like mad cow disease and can present a public health risk.

Feb 20 2008 UPDATED ALERT – The Pennsylvania state Department of Agriculture released a list of 196 schools and districts that received beef affected by the nation’s largest beef recall. At least 17 school districts in Allegheny County and more than 10 districts in surrounding areas were on the list.

The following counties and school districts were included:

The PA state Department of Agriculture has advised all schools in these counties to check their supplies. A Pittsburgh Public Schools spokesperson said that the 8,500 pounds of recalled beef in the district will be taken to a landfill, incinerated, or taken to a rendering plant. The schools received the beef through the National School Lunch Program.

Feb 18 2008 ORIGINAL ALERT – A California slaughterhouse has issued the largest beef recall in history – the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is trying to track down approximately 143 million pounds of beef sold since February 2006. The recall comes after the Humane Society of the United States distributed a video showing workers at Westland/Hallmark Meat Company violating health and humane regulations.

In the undercover footage, plant workers abuse immobilized sick cows, called “downer” cows, to force them to walk. Downer cows pose an increased risk of disease, including mad cow disease, and are banned from the food supply. Though the cattle passed an initial pre-slaughter inspection, federal law stipulates that USDA veterinarians should have been alerted when the cows could not walk.

The USDA has started an inquiry and suspended the company as a supplier to federal nutrition programs. Additionally, the president of Westland/Hallmark voluntarily suspended operations at the plant. About 37 million pounds of the recalled meat was distributed to school lunch programs and other federal nutrition programs. It is believed that much of the beef has already been consumed.