The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) today ordered the recall of 143 million pounds of frozen beef – the largest beef recall in US history.
The recalled beef cam from a Chino, California slaughterhouse called the Westland Hallmark Meat Company. This slaughterhouse is the subject of an animal abuse investigation and provided meat to schools across the country.
See the horrific video footage taken on this farm:
Although USDA officials say the health threat is likely small, the video above clearly illustrates why the beef “should be” recalled. But the ‘official’ reason for the recall is as follows:
“Because the cattle did not receive complete and proper inspection, Food Safety and Inspection Service has determined them to be unfit for human food and the company is conducting a recall,” Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer Schafer said in a statement to the Associated Press.
Federal officials suspended operations at Westland/Hallmark after the undercover Humane Society video above surfaced on the internet showing crippled and sick animals being shoved with forklifts.
Two former employees were charged Friday. Five felony counts of animal cruelty and three misdemeanors were filed against a pen manager. Three misdemeanor counts — illegal movement of a non-ambulatory animal — were filed against an employee who worked under that manager. Both were fired.
Authorities said the video showed workers kicking, shocking and otherwise abusing cows that were too sick or injured to walk into the slaughterhouse.
Officials estimate that about 37 million pounds of the recalled beef went to school programs, most of which has probably already been eaten.
Hundreds of school districts around the country have stopped using ground beef from Hallmark Meat Packing Company, which is associated with Westland. Two fast-food chains, Jack-In-the-Box and In-N-Out, said they would not use beef from Westland/Hallmark.
I am speechless and very heartbroken!!!!!!!!!
How on earth can this sort of thing go on to that extent before anyone knew about it?
And what amazes me even more is that these people will probably lose their license and that will be the end of it. No time in jail no harm really at all other than they will have to get a license somewhere else and be back at it again.
SICKENING
=[ very saddening to see so much pain and suffering. Are we really what we eat? I feel sick now…=[
This is appauling. How cruel. This place should be shut down and people should be followed so they don’t start up somewhere else and repeat the process. How would these guys liked to be treated like this? I’m certain the processing of the meat (post-death) is just as bad or worse, with filth, contamination of who knows what, etc. Vegetarian may be the way to go.
It breaks my heart to see these poor animals being treated as if they were trash. You can’t call these people humans, they aren’t deserving of such. You think this is the only slaugherhouse that does this? This happens everyday in slaughterhouses all over the country. I only hope when they go before judgement, God returns the favor, “eye for an eye”. These people deserve nothing less. Thank you HSUS for bringing these horrific atrocities to light. G. Mirchandani, Baltimore, MD.
SLG
aim sorry to say this but what are we thinking why are we trusting our life to these people who showes that they don,t care about u or me an our children what is the fda doing to stop this are we so greddy that we are willing to harm other for profit it time every business in this country be held responcible an put out of business so stop playing with our live an start protecting the american people an not big business an u no who it hurt other than use the insuance company because the more people get sick an died the more insurance pay out why arn,t they crying out or is this better for them please tell me what is america about happyness or gred i cant tell but my suguesstion is lets start working together so we can potect our country an our way of live god bless america an u.