The Humane Society of the United States recently revealed a shocking undercover video that exposed what many of us already knew, and what many others don't want to know.... If you eat meat bought from the standard industrial supply chain ('machine'), I'd encourage you to take a look yourself. If you want the non-graphic version: essentially workers were filmed pushing sick animals around with forklifts, dragging them by their legs behind forklifts (over faeces laden concrete), beating them, using electric cattle prods on their faces and eyes and water-boarding them.
Warning: Extreme Animal Cruelty Video
As a result of the exposé, two Hallmark Meat Company employees, Daniel Ugarte Navarro and Jose Luis Sanchez, have been charged with animal cruelty -- the first of the two facing up to fifteen years in prison and $100,000 in fines. This is a landmark case, setting an excellent precedent:
The filing of these charges marks a milestone because U.S. farm animals are normally denied — either on account of legal loopholes, cultural disregard or by virtue of being kept out of public sight — the most basic protections afforded other creatures. -- hsus.orgHallmark Meats supplies Westland Meat Co., which is the U.S. No. 2 supplier of ground beef for the National School Lunch Program. Westland's President says "We are shocked, saddened and sickened by what we have seen..." But it seems to me that it is virtually impossible for them not to know what was going on:
Hallmark principally slaughters "spent" dairy cows for the Westland Meat Co. -- hsus.org
Click for full strip
Courtesy of Throbgoblins |
Aside from the shocking cruelty aspect, this is yet another example of industrial practices putting consumers at risk. The animals, as mentioned, were sick -- so sick they couldn't stand (hence the cruelty to 'encourage' them to do so; they needed to make their last steps to slaughter). These sick cows, called 'downer cows', potentially carry disease -- including BSE ("Mad Cow Disease"). The fact that these creatures sail through meat inspections should be enough to put anyone off their lunch.
Such "downer" cattle are at greater risk of contamination by E. coli, salmonella or contracting mad cow disease, as they have weaker immune systems and greater contact with faeces than walking cattle. -- BBC
The meat recall is a welcome result -- as it impacts not just the employees, but the organisation that allowed these practices to continue.
The NY Times article states that meat recalls are on the rise -- confirming my thoughts in Is it Crunch Time for Factory Farms?.A California meat company on Sunday issued the largest beef recall in history, 143 million pounds, some of which was used in school lunch programs, Department of Agriculture officials announced.
... “The great majority has probably been consumed,” said Dr. Richard Raymond, the Agriculture Department’s under secretary for food safety. -- NY Times
There were 21 recalls of beef related to the potentially deadly strain of E. coli last year, compared with eight in 2006 and five in 2005. No one is quite sure what caused the increase, though theories include the cyclical nature of pathogens and changes in cattle-feeding practices caused by the ethanol boom. -- NY Times
The constant race-to-the-bottom effect of corporate competition drives down prices, pushing suppliers to utilise the cheapest labour, the cheapest methods, and to sell as much of their 'product' as they can get away with.
Incidentally, my dictionary tells me 'hallmark' means "any mark of authenticity or good quality".
Further Reading:
- Earthlings
- Supermarket Secrets
- The Future of Food
- Is it Crunch Time for Factory Farms?
- Will Disease Halt Global Warming?
- The Meatrix
- Old McDonald Had a Factory
- The Pig Farmer
- Porkine Putridity in Profusion
- Save the World - With Your Fork!
- Livestock - Public Enemy Number One?
- Chicago's Chicken Ordinance
- What Price Cheap Chicken?
