August 24, 2012

 

US ceases acquisition of beef from Central Valley Meat

 

 

The USDA has suspended Central Valley Meat as its supplier after the agency shuts down the plant to address apparent animal abuse.

 

"Beef purchases from this company have been suspended during the investigation. The Department works to ensure that product purchased for the Federal feeding programmes meets stringent food safety standards and that processors comply with humane handling regulations. While some of the footage provided from this facility shows unacceptable treatment of cattle, it does not show anything that would compromise food safety. However, we are aggressively continuing our investigation," according to an emailed statement attributed to a USDA spokesman.

 

USDA purchased about 21 million pounds of beef from Central Valley Meats valued at nearly US$50 million in fiscal 2011. This amounted to 15.7% of total beef purchases by USDA in that year.

 

USDA's announcement is the second major customer blow to the company this week. California chain In-N-Out Burger also dropped Central Valley as a supplier this week.   

 

If USDA suspends inspection at an establishment that supplies food through the Federal Purchase Programme, they are deemed ineligible to supply product until they can address the concerns.

 

In order for a supplier to become an eligible vendor to the Federal Purchase Programme, contractors and subcontractors must submit their Animal Welfare Plan to the Department for a desk audit. Once they successfully pass a desk audit, the Department conducts an on-site capability audit to verify that the firm is operating in accordance with their approved plan.

 

Contractors and subcontractors are also subject to on-site audits. Audit scheduling is performance-based with a minimum of two audits yearly.

 

The last audit of Central Valley Meats was completed on July 24, 2012.

 

After viewing the video, animal handling expert, Temple Grandin, said while there were some unacceptable practices in the video, she took issues with some of the statements in the voice-over narration.

 

"In general, the narration of the video misleads the viewer into thinking some things are happening that are not.  For example, the cattle in the video are properly stunned with one exception that I observed. Properly stunned, unconscious and insensible livestock will exhibit some reflexive kicking, especially of the unrestrained rear leg, after they have been stunned."

 

Earlier this month the American Meat Institute released the 15th anniversary edition of its animal welfare audit programme, authored by Grandin.