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Video Reveals Violations of Laws, Abuse of Cows at Slaughter

REPORTER: Agatha Jennifer Kelligher (sp) with Newsday in New York. Are there
any states being told to stop serving Westland products in their schools?

MR. ERIC STEINER: At this time, USDA has asked all schools at this time to
suspend the use of the Hallmark/Westland meat packing company products.

REPORTER: And how do schools know or how do people know if their schools are
using Westland products, or have used Westland products?

MR. BILL SESSIONS: That information is given out through the electronic
information distribution system by FNS, and I would assume that that
information would then be transmitted down to local school districts who
would in turn notify the participants in the School Lunch Program.
 
MEDIA REPORTS INACCURATELY PORTRAY BEEF HOLDBACK AS FOOD SAFETY ISSUE

USDA Officials Say California Action Was Administrative



(Boise) February 13, 2008—Idaho beef industry leaders are warning consumers that recent removal of beef from some school menus stems from an administrative action taken by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) in California. Media stories this week have inaccurately portrayed the action as a food safety issue.


On Jan. 30, USDA placed an administrative hold on all Westland Meat Packing Company products because of potential violations of regulatory requirements and contractual terms as a supplier of products to the Federal food and nutrition programs. USDA at the time of the hold also indefinitely suspended the eligibility of Westland Meat Packing Company to participate as a supplier to Federal food and nutrition programs, specifically the National School Lunch Program, the Emergency Food Assistance Program and the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations.



"We take food safety very seriously in our business and that's why we support all of the safety checks on our products by federal and state agencies," said Idaho Cattle Association President Jennifer Ellis. "Unfortunately, recent media coverage has cast this grave disregard for animal welfare as a food safety issue. As parents and beef producers, beef safety is an obligation we take seriously and we feel confident that our beef supply is safe and wholesome."



The beef industry is committed to the safety of its products and cattle farmers and ranchers have invested millions of their own dollars through the beef checkoff program in safety research and education over the last decade. Idaho producers have joined in this effort to fund beef safety research and develop best practices for beef processing and safety.



"This is not a food safety issue," added Kim Brackett, Idaho Beef Council Chairman. "Parents need to know that government safeguards and science-based food safety practices keep our beef supply safe."

On Feb. 4, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) suspended inspection at Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company based on the establishment's clear violation of Federal regulations and the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act. This Notice of Suspension is a regulatory course of action available when FSIS finds egregious violations of humane handling regulations.



I'm a parent and a member of the Idaho Cattlemans Association, I watched the video.... it is a safety issue as well as a humane treatment of animals issue, those cattle should have never been sent to slaughter in the 1st place, I place more concern on the safety part... I don't want my kids eating that. Let me rephrase that I was a member of the Idaho Cattleman's Assoc. before I received this!
 
http://www.usda.gov/2008/02/0046.xml

Release No. 0046.08
Contact:
USDA Press Office (202) 720-4623


Statement by Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer Regarding Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company Two Year Product Recall

February 17, 2008


"Today, USDA is announcing additional actions as a result of the ongoing investigation at Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company. USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has evidence that Hallmark/Westland did not consistently contact the FSIS public health veterinarian in situations in which cattle became non-ambulatory after passing ante-mortem inspection, which is not compliant with FSIS regulations. Because the cattle did not receive complete and proper inspection FSIS has determined them to be unfit for human food and the company is conducting a recall.

The United States enjoys one of the safest food supplies in the world. To help ensure the safety of the food supply, we implement a series of safeguards to protect against foodborne disease. These safeguards include in-plant procedures to reduce dangerous foodborne pathogens such as E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella. It also includes the removal of specified risk materials-those tissues demonstrated to contain the bovine spongiform encephalopathy agent in infected cattle-from the human food chain, along with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's 1997 ruminant to ruminant feed ban. The prohibition of non-ambulatory cattle from the food supply is an additional safeguard against bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

Upon notification of possible violations of USDA regulations, we immediately began an investigation and placed products from this plant destined for the National School Lunch Program, the Emergency Food Assistance Program and the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations on hold. Since then, we also suspended all Federal food and nutrition program contracts with Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company. To date, Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company remains suspended by the Food Safety and Inspection Service. The products destined for the Federal food assistance programs, including the National School Lunch Program, will now be removed from schools and other holding facilities and destroyed.

I am dismayed at the in-humane handling of cattle that has resulted in the violation of food safety regulations at the Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company. It is extremely unlikely that these animals were at risk for BSE because of the multiple safeguards; however, this action is necessary because plant procedures violated USDA regulations.

In addition, our Office of the Inspector General and the Food Safety and Inspection Service continue the investigation. We will respond immediately if further findings warrant. Details about this recall and USDA actions are available at www.usda.gov/actions . "

#
USDA News
[email protected].
202 720-4623
 
Saturday, February 16, 2008

specified risk materials (SRM)

re-mad cow downers and kids


>>>But let's not forget that all specified risk materials, i.e. brain and
spinal tissue, are removed from the food supply on all cattle, whether they
can walk or not. The bottom line is that, even if my girls ate ground beef
from a cow that tested positive to BSE, their risk of being abused is
greater than their risk of acquiring BSE. And, no, I don't believe in or
practice child abuse.<<<


http://www.hpj.com/archives/2008/feb08/feb18/Cowsorkids.cfm



i had to laugh when i read that, as sad and disgusting as it is. i wanted to
post this as a comment, but the data i have is much to long to post. facts
usually are. if you think that feed ban of 8/4/97 held, please think again.
it was only ink on paper. also, please read the latest science on the last
two mad cows in in the USA i.e. Alabama and Texas. the BASE mad cow, whether
it be h or l BASE, its much more virulent to humans than the UK BSE. this is
fact. i am not anti meat eater. i am anti stupid, anti corporate homicide,
i,e. for profit. how could anyone feel safe by beef in the usa via USDA
certified is beyond me. we must stop the big ag factory farming policy of
'don't look, dont find'. and the incubation period. these kids will not know
if they will die from cjd for years and even decades to come. and if you
think that is the only slaughterhouse that allow downers to still go into
the human food chain, think again. i know of one right here in texas. nope,
big ag has such a strangle hold on USDA, it will take much more than a
democrat or republican to clean it up, there to worried about baseball and
those over paid brats and steroids. ................ oh well, i have
probably said too much///


Washington January 31, 2008


snip...


SRM SPECIFIED RISK MATERIALS

RUMINANT TO RUMINANT ANIMAL PROTEIN IN COMMERCE 2006-2007


http://madcowspontaneousnot.blogspot.com/2008/02/specified-risk-materials-srm.html


USDA CERTIFIED H-BASE MAD COW SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM


http://cjdmadcowbaseoct2007.blogspot.com/2008/02/usda-certified-h-base-mad-cow-school.html


http://tinyurl.com/yul2lw



TSS
 
143 million pounds of beef is being recalled by a Calif. slaughterhouse being investigated for mistreating cattle.
 
ranch hand said:
143 million pounds of beef is being recalled by a Calif. slaughterhouse being investigated for mistreating cattle.
Click to expand...


your wrong, it was about the children. it was all about the children. ...tss


usda spin machine, in high spin cycle;

Release No. 0048.08
Contact:
Office of Communications (202)720-4623

Printable version
Email this page

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS HALLMARK/WESTLAND MEAT PACKING CO.

February 17, 2008

USDA Actions


http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usdahome?contentidonly=true&contentid=2008/02/0048.xml



Sunday, February 17, 2008

Release No. 0046.08 Statement by Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer
Regarding Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company Two Year Product Recall

Release No. 0046.08

Contact:

USDA Press Office (202) 720-4623


http://cjdmadcowbaseoct2007.blogspot.com/2008/02/release-no-004608-statement-by.html



TSS
 
143 million pounds of beef is being recalled by a Calif. slaughterhouse being investigated for mistreating cattle.
Q;What must be done with any Hallmark/Westland products or processed items containing Hallmark/Westland products in the Federal food and nutrition programs?

A. Any Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Co. products in the Federal food and nutrition programs, or its derivatives, must be destroyed and cannot be used or reconditioned for human consumption. All disposal methods must be fully documented regarding type of product and destruction method and witnessed with two signatures. Entities holding 50 cases or less may destroy the product on-site by rendering the product unfit for human consumption according to destruction guidance from the State or local health authority. Quantities greater than 50 cases must be taken to a landfill, incinerated, or sent for inedible rendering. FNS has provided destruction verification forms to all affected States.

Q. Who is responsible for ensuring that product in the Federal food and nutrition programs is properly disposed?

A. For quantities destroyed on-site, an appropriate person of authority (e.g. food service director) and one other person are required to witness the destruction using approved methods to render the product inedible. In the case of incineration or landfill destruction, two witnesses must be present, one of whom must be an official from the local health department or authority.
 
ranch hand said:
It was the cnn breaking news. So I am not wrong, maybe Cnn is.
Click to expand...

did not see the link quoting cnn, thought it was you.
you are correct then ranch hand, my bad................terry
 
And they can't go to the authorities or be a whistle blower on fear of being caught and deported....Packers get semislave labor- and then have them right under their thumb where they want them .... :( :mad:

Recalled Beef Plant Worker Says Workers Threatened



CBS 8 – San Diego, California

03-01-08 at 5:30PM



A jailed slaughterhouse employee connected to the nation's largest beef recall said workers at a Chino plant were threatened with being fired if they did not butcher sick cows.



This claim was reported in an interview with an illegal immigrant who worked at the plant in the Riverside Press-Enterprise.



The worker said he and coworkers mistreated animals and butchered cattle that were not fit for human consumption.



Use of the sick cattle led to a recall of 143 million pounds of beef from the meat packing company.



cbs8.com
Click to expand...
 
I say again as I have said in another post, you owe it to your livestock as a producer to put these unfortunates in the ground at home. Most of them don't net any $ anyway. Maybe if farmers weren't so greedy and/or broke BSE would never have become an issue in the first place. If you are worried about BSE in your herd you can ask for your downers to be tested at home. ( Not trying to start another heated discussion, just stating my opinion)
 

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