Washington, D.C. – Congressmen Peter DeFazio (OR-4) and Christopher Shays (CT-4) today reiterated their calls for the humane treatment of farm animals in the wake of mistreatment of animals at a slaughterhouse which is the second largest supplier of meat to the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) School Lunch Program.

Shays and DeFazio wrote to the USDA today to request they implement safer, more humane handling methods at meat packing facilities through regulation or Executive Order.

“This situation is outrageous. American consumers deserve better.” DeFazio said.  “Most cases of mad cow disease have come from downed animals,” he continued.  “As we state in our letter, USDA must get off the dime and act to protect the general public from potential exposure to horrific diseases.  We will continue to push Congress to pass the Farm Animal Stewardship Act to ensure that something like this doesn’t happen again.”

“As our letter states, had the Farm Animal Stewardship Act been law, it would not only prevented the inhumane handling of animals, but also would have precluded the health hazard in federal food programs now occurring across the country, including in Bridgeport,” said Shays.  “The USDA should implement humane handling methods as soon as possible."

In late January, an undercover investigation by The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) revealed widespread mistreatment of "downed" cattle – animals too sick or injured to walk to slaughter – at a Southern California slaughter plant. Under State law and regulations promulgated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), these animals must be given veterinary treatment or humanely euthanized.

Instead, a video released by the HSUS shows workers at a meat packing plant in California kicking cows, ramming them with the blades of a forklift, jabbing them in the eyes, applying painful electrical shocks and even torturing them with a hose and water in attempts to force sick or injured animals to walk to slaughter.

On February 7, DeFazio and Shays wrote to Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Waxman and Ranking Member Davis requesting a hearing on their bill, H.R. 1726, the Farm Animal Stewardship Purchasing Act. 

DeFazio and Shays also joined Representatives Gary Ackerman (NY-5) and Steven LaTourette (OH-14) in writing Agriculture Chairman Peterson and Ranking Member Goodlatte to request hearings on H.R. 1726 and H.R. 661, the Downed Animal and Food Safety Protection Act.

H.R. 1726 will require more humane treatment for farm animals raised for consumption. The bill will require those supplying farm animal products to the federal government to meet a set of basic humane standards for raising farm animals, including a ban on gestation crates.

H.R. 661 will require “downed animals” - those who are too sick or injured to walk - be "humanely euthanized," meaning the animal must be rapidly killed by mechanical, chemical or some other means,  This will help end the suffering of injured livestock.