FSIS Suspends Inspections at Hallmark/Westland
(Update to the entry below: FSIS has announced the recall of more than 140 million pounds of raw and frozen beef. Read about the Hallmark/Westland beef recall.)
Dr. Richard Raymond, USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety, announced in a statement the suspension of FSIS inspections at the Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company. The suspension is in response to the company’s violations of Federal regulations and the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act.
The Hallmark/Westland voluntarily stopped production on February 1 and the suspension will be in effect until the company submits a written document containing ways to correct their treatment of animals.
The suspension has impacted the company's ability to supply food for government programs. According to the statement:
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.
On Jan. 30, Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer called upon the Office of the Inspector General to work with FSIS and the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service to conduct an investigation into allegations of inhumane handling of non-ambulatory disabled cattle at Westland Meat Packing Company. These allegations were made by the Humane Society of the United States against Westland Meat Company.
Many school cafeterias around the country have temporarily stopped serving cheese burgers and other meals containing beef.
Eating any kind of meat is a risky business, John Kellogg, M.D.
(father of the Kellogg Cereal Co) has always warned of the
dangers of eating meat, esp. pork...everyonce in awhile I
"crave" some beef...after watching many videos of the inhumane
treatment of : Chickens, Pigs, Cows...I've just about had it...
but, isn't anytime you have to kill something to eat it, inhumane ?
I'm starting to think that a diet that doesn't include some animals that
produce 4 times as much waste as humans (hogs,) might be worthwhile,
and might make me feel better, both emotionally & physically !
I know one thing, that always melts my "soul"-is when I see anything or
anyone that is "cruel" to any animal....
Organic. with vegetables might be a better way to go !
Thanks !
-Steve
Shame on them.
I saw the torturing of those animals on the news.
Absolutely discusting... FIRE those pathetic employee's and shut that place down!!!!!!!!
May the people responsible have animal nightmares for the rest of their pathetic lives and rot in hell!!! Steve Mandell (President), says the vet they hired states it's "the best he has ever seen in any plant". If that's true, we need to stop eating animals forever!!
It's all about greed, the dollar is what these people care about. Not the health and care of there animals. They should be charged as well if they really care they would be out there making sure animals and workers were all ok. Instead they get rich off the sweat of the workers that don't get paid much and over worked, with sick unhealthy animals. So sad that money makes people blind.
Contact Diane Feinstein, California Senator to have this plant shut down FOREVER.
To STEVE MENDELL, President of Westland/Hallmark Meat Co (see below)
Nice letter Steve but I can't believe any of it. Myself along with millions of other Americans are Red meat eaters and are so because WE believe that these animals are treated with dignity and care when killed. You will have to do much better than this letter to convince me now. Steve, you need to show some true leadership and character by leading, not only the reform of WESTLAND/HALLMARK MEAT CO but every other Slaughterhouse in America. You are about to become the "Poster Child" for animal abuse across the country! If you really truly believe in the words below and you want the American public to do so as well, you need to turn this around and become a champion of animal rights reform! If I were you I would strongly consider your next career move or consider resigning before the board and the American public forces you to in disgrace.
Mark Wilhelms, Chicago, IL
WESTLAND/HALLMARK MEAT CO.
February 3, 2008
As President of Westland/Hallmark Meat Co. I want to reassure our customers and consumers that our company has met the highest standards for harvesting and processing meat under the Federal Meat Inspection Act. A fulltime USDA veterinary medical officer has been assigned to our facility for many years, and he oversees the work of three inspectors in the harvest operation and another inspector assigned to the processing operations. In addition, we have had a full time official from the USDA's Grading Service in our operation for the purpose of ensuring contractual compliance for the meat we sell to the USDA commodity program.
During 2007, we had 17 third party audits of our operation to confirm that we meet the statutorily mandated humane handling and food safety standards. In addition we have conducted 12 internal audits by our own personnel to ensure that such standards are met. We also, conduct weekly humane handling audits based on standards set forth in the American Meat Institute's (AMI), Recommended Animal Handling Guidelines and Audit Guide 2007 Edition, which was authored by Dr. Temple Grandin, a world renowned expert of humane handling practices. Complete documentation of this activity has been made available to the USDA investigation team currently at our plant.
Words cannot accurately express how shocked and horrified I was at the depictions contained on the video that was taken by an individual who worked at our facility from October 3 thru November 14, 2007. We have taken swift action regarding the two employees identified on the video and have already implemented aggressive measures to ensure all employees follow our humane handling policies and procedures. We are also cooperating with the USDA investigators on the allegations of inhumane handling treatment which is a serious breech of our company's policies and training.
As part of our own investigation, we have retained an outside consultant to take an independent look at our operations. He is a veterinarian who worked for FSIS in a supervisory position for 26 years all over the U.S. He spent two days in our facility with full and free access to all documentation and plant personnel. He told us in a written report that our records and programs are "the best he has ever seen in any plant." We have provided his report to the USDA.
We have voluntarily suspended our operations pending the completion of the USDA investigation. We are dedicating our full efforts and resources to fully cooperate with the USDA investigative team that has been assigned to our plant.
Finally, I proudly assure our customers that we comply with all USDA requirements, including the requirement that only ambulatory livestock may enter the harvest facility to be processed for human food. I am confident that we have met this high regulatory standard.
All those involed with the treatment of the cattle at hallmark/westland meat should be sent to spend a considerable amount of time with Micheal Vick in prison. If the FDA cannot do a better job (westland was the FDA's first endeavor at a comprehensive inspection). God only knows if this is a typical occurance at meat packing plants. I would feel much more comfortable if the FDA installed video cameras at all meat packing plants as a standard part of doing business. Much as is done at nuclear plants abroad. "Trust but Verify". Aaron
WHO OWNS THIS COMPANY? IS THE CEO GOING TO LOSE HIS YEAR END PAYOUT? DO THE EMPLOYEES HAVE AT LEAST A GREEN CARD TO WORK IN AMERICA? IS THE GOVERNMENT GOING TO LEVEY FINES THAT AMOUNT TO SOMETHING OR IS IT BUSINESS AS USUALL?