WASHINGTON - In light
of heightened security measures recommended recently by the Food and
Drug Administration, The Humane Society of the United States is
calling for the end of the processing of diseased and dying animals
for human food, stating that these conditions could mask intentional
inoculation of livestock with diseases or toxins.
"The threat of bioterrorism adds one more reason to end the use
of nonambulatory animals in human food. An animal that is unable to
walk because of illness should probably not be processed for human
food consumption, regardless of whether the animal was intentionally
or unintentionally contaminated. As long as the USDA continues to
slaughter diseased livestock, it is possible that a bioterrorist
attack could make people very sick and undermine confidence in
American agriculture," said Dr. Frank Garry, DVM. Dr. Garry is the
coordinator for the Integrated Livestock Management Program in the
College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at Colorado
State University.
Contrary to its reputation as a stamp of approval, U.S.
Department of Agriculture inspectors can't possibly ensure the
absolute safety of the meat supply. Inspectors routinely test for
only a handful of diseases if an animal is exhibiting symptoms of
illness. Those diseases include Mad Cow Disease, Foot-and-Mouth
Disease and other diseases that are highly contagious or would have
a significant negative economic impact. Dr. Garry provided The HSUS
with a laundry list of potential poisons that could be fed to cattle
but might not be detected by USDA inspectors. Under current
regulations, those animals could be processed for human consumption.
The HSUS points out that the USDA must stop processing diseased
and injured animals for human food if they are to implement a
thorough plan to protect consumers.
Wayne Pacelle, Senior Vice President for the HSUS stated, "As
long as our slaughterhouses continue to process thousands of animals
afflicted with such devastating illnesses and injuries that they are
unable to walk, trying to identify an animal who has been
purposefully poisoned or inoculated with a disease that is harmful
to consumers is like looking for a needle in a haystack." The USDA
estimates that 130,000 non-ambulatory animals are processed
nationwide each year, a tiny fraction of the total number of
livestock.
Both House and Senate Farm Bills include provisions to require
the euthanasia of non-ambulatory animals when they are brought to
market, but Senator Jesse Helms (R-NC) filed an amendment in
December that would weaken the provision and he may continue his
efforts when the farm bill returns to the floor of the senate.
Gene Bauston, executive director of Farm Sanctuary, a farm animal
welfare organization that has recently filed a lawsuit against the
USDA for knowingly approving diseased animals for slaughter, stated,
"I think that consumers would be appalled to learn that they are
eating sick and diseased animals. With this additional threat of
bioterrorism, perhaps Congress will finally act to end the unhealthy
and cruel practice of slaughtering sick and injured animals."
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