HSUS video a new headache for packers, USDA
by Peter Shinn
Brownfield Network
The Humane Society of the U.S. (HSUS) released a disturbing video Wednesday that appeared to show the abuse of downer cattle at a southern California packing plant. The incident may well represent a fresh black eye for the U.S. meat processing industry.
To make matters worse, the abuse appeared to be an effort to get the downer animals into the human food supply, a practice banned by USDA. And to make matters worse yet, the packing plant involved is owned by Westland Meat Company, which supplies beef products to USDA nutrition programs.