Working At The Slaughterhouse Is Just Torture!
February 7th, 2008 by Brian Ries in Food Sources, Health, Media, Worst OfLooks like all the local school districts have complied with a USDA halt on the use of beef from the Westland Meat Products packing company. If you missed the scandal that broke last week, here’s the sum up:
The Humane Society videotaped workers at the Westland packing plant resorting to extraordinary means to get some obviously damaged and sick cows to get to their feet and walk into the plant. You see, cows that can’t move of their own volition are not allowed for human consumption. How do you convince a sick cow to walk to it’s own slaughter? Shoot water up it’s nose, roll it around on the ground with a forklift, jam it with cattle prods; you know, a typical Saturday night.
You should watch the video. It’s enlightening.
Westland is the second largest supplier of meat to the USDA’s National School Lunch Program. Sorry, was the second largest. Tough luck, Westland.
If that video wasn’t enough to put you off your lunch for the next couple of weeks, here are a few of the best cruelty videos of the past few years:
Foie Gras
Meat Your Meat
Tyson Slaughterhouse
Butterball
February 11th, 2008 at 11:29 am
I think that many Americans are at least somewhat informed about animal cruelty in our meat packing industry, but think that a large part of the problem is that many people don’t know how to begin a cruelty-free or organic diet, or believe that it is too costly for the average consumer.
This is something of a misconception, because while these products can be considerably more expensive, they can also be cost-effective, especially if purchased at local meat markets instead of the chain grocers. I think more emphasis should be placed on the ethical treatment of the sentient beings we consume, and less should be placed on the cost of a pound of hamburger.