UPDATES - APRIL 9, 2008...
Here are a few more articles / updates related to the beef industry investigations that began with Hallmark / Westland in Chino.
In wake of beef recall, more slaughter houses found to have problems.
A USDA hearing is set for Wednesday in the wake of the Westland/Hallmark beef recall and others rocking the beef industry.
More - Press Enterprise
Is eating beef safe?
A federal audit of slaughterhouses licensed to provide beef to the nation's schoolchildren found animal-handling problems at four of the 18 plants, including one that was shut down briefly. The audit was triggered by the unprecedented recall of beef from a Chino slaughterhouse in February.
More - Orange County Register
Chino Slaughterhouse Story Goes Nationwide
Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company recalling 143 million pounds of raw and frozen beef
The graphic video footage shown by the Humane Society of the United States was shocking. It's no wonder that this story has become so big. The USDA called a Sunday Press Conference to announce that the Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company is is voluntarily recalling 143 million pounds of raw and frozen beef products produced since February 1, 2006.
On Friday, the San Bernardino County DA's Office filed 5 felony counts of cruelty to animals and 3 misdeameanor accounts related to moving cows that can't walk on to slaughter. The announcements were made at a join press conference between the DA's Office and the Humane Society of the United States.
Whose fault is this?
I'm glad to see that something is being done about this but I'm also troubled that the blame and the worst punishment seems to be falling on the employees of this company. What was their incentive? What rules were they following? I don't really get why it was so important to those employees that downed and dirty cows get pushed into the meat supply. Were they on some kind of incentive program? If so, I hope that Westland/Hallmark will change those policies and that the USDA will wake up. I find it hard to believe that the management and the USDA inspectors had no idea that any of this was going on.
More Stories & Updates...
- Cows down (The Economist)
- U.S. Meat Inspectors Put on Leave (WSJ)
- Meat Recall Prompts Insurance Concerns (WSJ)
- Investigators records detail treatment of cows at Chino slaughterhouse (Press Enterprise)
- USDA vows to enforce humane practices at meat plants (CIDRAP)
- Animal expert advised Chino slaughterhouse owner after video's release (Press Enterprise)
- Meat is a mystery to schools (LA Times (LA Times login needed to view))
- Meat plant drew scrutiny years before video (Scripps News)
This story is close to many people around here.
and is not a part of nor affiliated with the City of Chino Hills.