US orders biggest beef recall

The US government has ordered a record recall of 143 million pounds of beef from a southern California slaughterhouse under investigation for animal abuse.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) declared the meat as unfit for human consumption as a result of its investigation at Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company after a video of employees abusing sick and injured cattle was released.

The Secretary of Agriculture, Ed Schafer, said it has evidence cattle unable to walk were being sent to slaughter, which is against government regulations designed to guard against BSE infection from entering the food chain.

Meat from the plant was destined for various government food programmes, including the National School Lunch Program, the Emergency Food Assistance Program and the Food Distribution Program on Indian reservations.

The government said beef from the plant now in schools or holding facilities would be destroyed.

Mr Schafer said: "I am dismayed at the inhumane handling of cattle that has resulted in the violation of food safety regulations at the Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing company."

Steve Mendell, president of Westland/Hallmark, said two weeks ago on the company's web site the company was co-operating with the USDA's investigation.

"Words cannot accurately express how shocked and horrified I was at the depictions contained on the video that was taken by an individual who worked at our facility from October 3rd through November 14th, 2007," he said.

"We have taken swift action regarding the two employees identified on the video and have already implemented aggressive measures to ensure all employees follow our humane handling policies and procedures."

US charity the Humane Society took a video at the plant showing workers kicking and prodding cows with electric prods to make them move, which led to two employees being charged with animal cruelty.