Chino Meat Packer Shut Down Amid Animal Cruelty Charge

The US Department of Agriculture has suspended operations at a Chino meat packing company. Investigators are looking into claims that employees at the plant violated federal rules on the humane treatment of cattle. KPCC's Inland Empire reporter Steven Cuevas has details.

Steven Cuevas: The USDA took the action against the Hallmark/Westland meat company after inspections confirmed numerous violations. Amanda Eamich is with the USDA's Food Safety Inspection Service.

Amanda Eamich: Their humane handling plans, which are required to insure that the animals and are slaughtered humanely, had some deficiencies that they need to re-address.

Cuevas: Eamich declined to go into details because the investigation is ongoing, but video from an undercover Humane Society investigation showed Westland employees using forklifts and electric prods to shove or drag cows to slaughter. The Humane Society says the animals are sick or injured.

Five years ago, the U.S. Department of Agriculture barred the slaughter of so-called "downed cattle" for food after concerns about "Mad Cow" disease. The USDA's Amanda Eamich says Hallmark/Westland's suspension will remain in effect until investigators are confident animals there are treated humanely.

Eamich: It could be days, it could be weeks. You know, it could be a month. They need to make sure that their employees understand what is expected of them and that the plan is carried out. We will verify that these corrective actions fully address the problems we found before they can resume operations.

Cuevas: Hallmark/Westland supplies frozen ground beef to the National School Lunch program and other federal assistance programs. It halted production at the Chino plant after the Humane Society video surfaced last week. The USDA says there is no evidence that the company's meat posed a health risk. Still, dozens of school districts across the country have stopped using Hallmark/Westland meat.