Many Americans have read with great concern the stories about an animal processing plant in Chino, California.  Sick or injured cows were forced to stand, using inhumane practices, before entering the slaughterhouse.  This practice raises clear questions about animal cruelty at the plant, and about the safety of the meat processed there.

When I heard of the practices at the Chino plant, I wrote to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) calling for an immediate investigation of whether the facility had been inhumane in its practices, and whether it had been slaughtering “downer” cattle in violation of federal regulations meant to keep diseased cattle out of the food supply.  Following an investigation, the USDA ordered the recall of 143 million pounds of meat, more than one-third of which had been distributed to Federal nutrition programs commonly used for school lunches. 

I have now asked Senator Tom Harkin, Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, to begin a process to examine the need for changes in the administration of food safety and humane animal handling laws.  You can find a copy of my letter to Chairman Harkin by clicking here.

The abuses at the Chino plant were serious, and we should use this as the grounds to close any loopholes in existing law and provide the best possible assurances that our food supply is safe and that we treat animals in a humane manner.  You can count on me to continue my work in this area.

Sincerely,

Barbara Boxer
United States Senator