Where’s the beef? Probably not in your kid’s school lunch. A disturbing undercover video shot by the Humane Society found that the Westland Meat Company in Chino had some employees who were mistreating downed or ill cows...and possibly allowing them to enter the meat supply. The USDA won’t allow downed cow meat into the food system because this beef is more susceptible to diseases like mad cow disease. This can ultimately cause disease in humans who eat contaminated cow’s meat.
As a result, a ban on beef products from the Westland Meat Company in Chino, and its partner Hallmark Meat Packing Company, is in effect for 150 school districts across the country. Also, two popular fast food chains, In N Out and Jack in the Box, have also decided to not continue doing business with this Chino slaughterhouse . In N Out has discontinued their business relationship with Westland Meat Company, and has since removed all beef suspected of being tainted. Jack and the Box released this statement..."We definitely have very strict animal welfare guidelines that we expect our suppliers to follow."
President of Westland/Hallmark Meat Company, Steve Mendell, has released this statement..."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 have voluntarily suspended our operations pending the completion of the USDA investigation."
I've posted this story, not to scare you, but to make you aware.
