Packinghouse abuse outrageous

The biggest beef recall in U.S. history has raised troubling questions about inhumane treatment of animals at slaughterhouses and the danger of meat and products from "downer" cows getting into the food system.

Shocking undercover videos from the U.S. Humane Society, along with statements the USDA obtained from employees and truck drivers at Westland/Hallmark Meat Co.in Chino, Calif., led to the recent recall of 143 million pounds of beef. Some of the meat found its way into school cafeterias, fast-food restaurants, groceries and a number of the nation's largest food manufacturers.

Since 2004, the federal government has banned so-called "downer" cattle (animals too sick to stand), from being killed for human consumption. The ban was enacted after mad cow disease, a brain illness that can be passed to humans, was traced to "downers."

The Humane Society video showed cows being dragged by chains and forklifts, having water sprayed into their noses and faces, and shocked with electric prods to force them to stand up and walk to slaughter. Westland president Steve Mendell acknowledged the animal abuse and subsequent possible contamination of the food supply only after a U.S. congressional subpoena, which forced him to watch the video and testify under oath.

Temple Grandin, a noted professor of animal science at Colorado State University who has designed humane livestock handling facilities worldwide, called the Westland situation "a complete breakdown of management."

There is no excuse for what happened there, she said in a phone interview with the Daily Press Thursday. "The industry needs to get its act together."

Grandin's autism has given her rare insight into animal behavior. In addition to teaching, she has worked with McDonald's since 1999 to audit slaughterhouses that supply their meat. Customer audits tend to do a good job in detecting abuses, Grandin believes.

Education and training in basic principles of animal behavior are needed, Grandin said. "Sometimes people do wrong things because of lack of knowledge." She also cited a need for clearly written legislation  to prevent animal abuse. One reason traffic laws work is they are explicit. "If you run a red light, it's very clear what the rules are."

Wednesday the Associated Press reported that the Agriculture Department is considering a proposal not to disclose where tainted meat ends up except in cases of serious health risk. California currently requires retailers to reveal company names in recalls. Its list from the Chino recall is 147 pages long and has been continuously updated.

No one with an ounce of compassion wants food animals to be abused. Consumers also need to know that the beef and other meat they consume is safe. And if there are possible risks of contaminated food, they need to know.