Vermont slaughterhouse closed amid animal cruelty allegations

A Vermont slaughterhouse ordered closed Friday after video showed calves kicked, shocked and cut while conscious had its operating license suspended three times earlier this year for similar conduct.

U.S. Department of Agriculture records show Bushway Packing Inc. of Grand Isle was shut down for a day in May, again in June and again in July after an inspector cited it for inhumane treatment of animals.

The revelation came Monday as the Humane Society of the United States released more video footage taken with a hidden camera this summer. The video shows days-old male calves culled from dairy herds being dragged, kicked, repeatedly shocked with electric prods and apparently cut while still conscious.

"We found even two calves who appeared to be skinned alive while they were still conscious," said Michael Markarian, the Humane Society's chief operating officer.

The video also appeared to back up a Friday statement in which U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack described the conduct of a USDA inspector at the slaughterhouse as "inexcusable."

It showed an unidentified inspector appearing to coach a plant worker on how to avoid being shut down by another inspector and failing to stop an animal being cut while awake.

A call to the slaughterhouse on Monday was not immediately returned, ane neither  was a call to a Ronald Bushway listed in Grand Isle.

USDA spokesman Caleb Weaver said Monday he could not comment on the inspector's conduct because it was a personnel matter.

Markarian said it appeared several calves were abused because they would not or could not stand up to be prepared for slaughter. The slaughterhouse specialized in "bob veal" -- meat from days-old calves that ends up in hot dogs and lunch meats. Meat sold as veal usually come from animals raised to about 4 months old.

Some in the Vermont dairy industry said they worried the revelations would give an enterprise generally viewed as wholesome a black eye. Bushway Packing was certified as an organic processor, raising extra concern in that sector.

"That's not right, that's really nasty," said Paul Stecker, an organic dairy farmer from Cabot, after watching the video on the Humane Society's website. "I wouldn't be in this business if that's the way it was. That's not the norm, I can tell you that."

Stecker said the slaughterhouse's problems also would bring attention to an aspect of dairying most farmers don't like or talk about much: The vast majority of male calves born on dairy farms face very short lives.

"That kind of thing hurts us all, like our industry really needed that," he said.

Dairy farmers nationwide have been struggling as a global milk glut has resulted in dramatically lower prices for their milk.

The Humane Society said it would propose tighter rules for the meatpacking and related industries, including a requirement that male calves born on dairy farms be kept there until they are 10 days old to ensure they are strong enough to travel.

Kelly Loftus, a spokeswoman for the state Agency of Agriculture, said she expected there would be strong opposition to such a measure.

"There are labor costs involved. There are feeding costs involved," she said. With the current crisis in dairy farming, "any extra expense could mean that a farm has to close."

Nicole Dehne of Vermont Organic Farmers, a group that certifies Vermont farms as organic under an agreement with the USDA, said the group's national counterpart is meeting in Washington this week and will discuss humane treatment of farm animals.

Organic rules now are geared mainly toward ensuring meat labeled organic comes from animals raised without hormones or chemicals.

"I think consumers expect organic regulations to cover all aspects of animal welfare, including slaughter and transportation," Dehne said. "If we need to tighten the regulations in regard to processing facilities, and come up with guidelines to address more humane transportation, I think we would respond to the expectations of the organic consumer."

-- Associated Press

Video: Since the Humane Society's video is graphic (you can see it here if you'd like, but don't say we haven't warned you), we elected instead to show you Pinto, a rescued veal calf, enjoying a bottle of milk.  Credit: Voltalocke via YouTube

Comments

[mike dills]

Are you serious, I thought my hot dogs were just left over meat. This is sickening and who cares about labor cost, let them eat cake. I really need to be a vegatarian.
If we thought about all the crap we eat, we would be like Karen Carpenter. Oh yeah, the Carpenters have a new DVD out, Karen's picture or is it Karens' picture is on the side.
Mike

[Emily Johnson]

This is so sad. I first became aware of this issue from watching Food Inc the movie. I am now more apt to buy organic and local produce and meat. It is healthier for you and the animals are treated better. For anyone who wants to find out more about where their food comes from I recommend the film.

[Donna]

After having heard about this, I went to the Humane Society and our whole family watched this video in it's entirety in utter horror. We all cried hard and long. We are STILL suffering the side-effects as the grief feels just as bad as losing a family member! I'm glad we all watched it however, as it's life-changing and we all want to do our part in boycotting beef now. This is a letter I sent to the Vermont and Texas Beef Producers Association and to my local grocery store chains.

Dear Beef Industry,

I love beef! I love steaks, hamburgers, roastbeef sandwiches, hot dogs, luncheon meats and yes even the occasional veal cutlet! My husband and large family also love beef products!

However, we will never touch, eat, nor LOOK at another beef product for the rest of our existing lives! We are hearty eaters & yes we may suffer the occasional craving however what has been etched on my mind & heart recently will forever repulse those cravings away with little effort.

I have the power to do something about this cruelty & that power is my choice, & my family's choice, to stop eating all forms of beef. That is exactly what this 45 yr old gal & family is doing in response to the recent exposure video we watched in it's entirety. I applaud the people involved in exposing this Grand Isle plant & fear there are many more plants who are just as brutal, if not more, yet are still UNexposed.

I have hunted my fair share of deer, fowl, and fish. I love meat, only now I love it in a different form. Alive and well. I cannot stomach what I've just seen. We shall boycott ALL beef companies, ALL slaughterhouses all restaurants who sell beef products by taking away our business. We are hefty eaters who up until today, have definitely supported the beef industry!

Beef industry, you'd best be prepared for boycotts all over the U.S., because not only will I stop eating beef, I will spend every waking hour thinking up new ways to bring others to the choice we've made this day. The choice of never eating meat again for as long as breathing is in fashion! I will spend every waking hour using my voice, my influence on friends, family, and even strangers I meet each day, to stop the consumption of beef! I will spend every waking hour blogging against all you stand for! I feel so free not needing you anymore!

Goodbye beef, it was great while it lasted but you've turned rotten to us!

Donna & Joseph
Las Vegas, NV

[Donna]

Please tell me how to rescue veal calves, like Pinto, the calf shown in your video above. I would really love to facilitate this venue for others who have the heart and the land to rescue them. Up until now I had no idea they could be rescued.