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Good scandals have their lawsuits, including the Humane Society's disturbing undercover video that led to the biggest beef recall in U.S. history. On Wednesday the organization officially filed suit against USDA for permitting downer cows into the food supply.
At this point, thousands of people have viewed the Humane Society's video, which shows workers abusing cows unable to walk in an effort to get them to stand and pass inspections. Downer cows, which are at higher risk for carrying diseases, such as BSE or "mad cow disease," were "tentatively" banned from the food supply in 2004. In 2007, the ban became official, but not before the meat industry successfully lobbied for an amendment.
The change? The ban was "too broad," lobbyists argued, because it included cows that had injuries, like a broken leg. These injuries shouldn't deem animals unhealthy for slaughter, they said.
A day after the suit was filed, Secretary of Agriculture Edward Schafer resisted pleas by Democtratic Senators for a complete ban on downer cows entering the food supply. Basically, he said the rules are fine as is, including the amendment, and while more "random" inspections will be implemented -- feel better? -- not much will change. That is, downer cattle can still enter the food supply as long as the agency's rules were followed.
The Humane Society's lawyer said the amendment allows slaughter plants like Westland/Hallmark to take advantage of "lax inspection." He points to a 2006 audit by the agency's own inspector general that found downer cows were indeed entering the food supply. (Oh, and it mentioned there was no evidence of injury in the vast majority of the cases.)
A spokesperson for the American Meat Institute said the amendment his group lobbied for is "founded in common sense."
I think he meant: founded in common cents.
Source: The New York Times
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