FoodLogistics.com |

With the industry still reeling from the undercover video depicting the inhumane treatment of cattle at the Westland/Hallmark Meat Co. in Chino, CA, Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer has told Congress that he will not endorse an outright ban on "downer" cows entering the food supply or back stiffer penalties for regulatory violations by meat-processing plants in the wake of the largest beef recall in the nation's history.

He rebuffed subcommittee chairman Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.), who called for the government to ban all downer cows from the food supply.

"The penalties are strong and swift, as we have shown," Schafer said. "Financially, I don't see how this company can survive. People need to be responsible and, from USDA's standpoint, they will be held responsible. I believe the rules are adequate."

The hearing came 11 days after officials from the Agriculture Dept. forced the recall of 143 million pounds of beef processed by Westland/Hallmark. No illnesses have been linked to the recalled meat, much of which has already been consumed.

Cows that cannot stand up may be infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or mad cow disease, which is transferrable to human. Such animals are supposed to be kept out of the food supply. 15 cases of BSE have been documented in North America. The majority have been traced to downer cattle.