Deadly School Lunches?
‘Happy Cows’ chat with a duck
I’m beginning to realize how we all are being duped every day!
If you’ve seen the clever commercials that the Dairy Industry has promoted, then you’ve probably chuckled over the fun and relaxing lifestyle that dairy cows lead. When they are aren’t grazing and gossiping in a field of flowers, they’re flirting with the bulls in an adjoining field, or playing jokes on the unsuspecting farmer by ringing his doorbell and giggling about it. Though no one in their right mind really believes that dairy cows have that much fun, few of us are aware of the horrible conditions that the majority of dairy cows exist in during their artificially-shortened lives.
Perhaps you remember the previous series of advertisements that the dairy industry promoted everywhere, including magazines and billboards, showing celebrities wearing ‘milk moustaches’. The message was that famous people drink milk cause it’s “so good for you”.
The dairy industry continues their expensive and effective campaigns to make us think that they have our best interests and health as motivation for everything they do. They tell us they want our children to be healthy, with strong teeth and bones. Buy their products because they are good for you and your loved ones. BAH! I’ve learned the truth and my stomach is churning because of it. I am so horrified that it’s difficult to write this post!
The news for the last several days is all about the massive recall of 143 MILLION POUNDS of meat processed through the Westland/Hallmark Meat Packing Slaughterplant in Chino, California. This meat was dispersed throughout the United States as part of the National School Lunch Program in 36 states, with 40 million pounds dispersed to needy families and the elderly. So 143 million pounds of meat has been recalled. But only a small percentage can actually BE recalled - because it’s already been eaten.
Should we be worried? And why was the meat recalled in the first place?
The Humane Society filmed an undercover investigation on the slaughterhouse from which the millions of pounds of meat has been recalled. The HSUS documented that even though the slaughterhouse has onsite USDA inspectors, so-called ‘downer cows’, which are banned for use in the food supply, are routinely tortured into joining the assembly line of animals to be butchered. These cows, who are too sick to stand or walk under their own power are dragged, forklifted or otherwise tortured into the slaughter.
“So what”, you may say. “They’re going to die anyway.” But even if you don’t believe in humane treatment for animals, think about the danger involved in including downed animals in the food supply. Remember, this meat is going into our children’s school lunches, and to feed the needy and the elderly.
- Downer cows routinely lie in their own feces, unable to move away. That feces is a source of e-coli, which is DEADLY to humans.
- The risk for spreading disease that may have sickened and weakened that cow is increased by adding the meat to the food chain.
- Probably most important, and the main reason downer cows are supposed to be banned from slaughter for food:
This unacceptable cruelty potentially puts the food supply at risk—at least 12 of the 15 identified cases of mad cow disease in North America to date have reportedly been downers!
Well, I was already ’spitting mad’ over this reckless disregard for the health of our school children and the elderly, then I discovered more information that made me determined to have my say.
FIRST: The USDA has now decided that they will check to see “if it happened”. They are not going to admit that their inspectors were a party to this. Thank goodness for video documentation!
SECOND: When the Cattlemans Beef Association was asked about the issue they said:
- “This is not indicative of how most slaughterhouses operate”
- “The welfare of our animals is the heart and soul of our operations.”
Puhleeze!!
The USDA is trying to keep everyone from panicking by saying that there is “probably” no problem with the meat. But then, they’d have to say that, wouldn’t they? And to think of the waste when people go to bed hungry just because greed has made this meat risky.
Now that we’ve discovered how greed and lack of concern for our school children and the elderly motivates the operation of these big factory farms and slaughterhouses, maybe it’s time to investigate more.
- How many downer cows are introduced into our food supply nationwide? You won’t convince me that only one slaughterhouse did this.
- Could all the hormones forced into dairy cows be affecting the behavior we see occurring in more and more students? Now we know that those hormone-fed dairy cows are being slaughtered for meat, so that’s two sources for artificial hormones - meat and milk.
Take some time to investigate further.
Here is a link to an article about dairy cows that explains how factory farming methods are employed. Granted, it’s written from an animal rights perspective, but it gives us a good idea of what the impact is on humans also.
What parents need to know about the Dairy Industry’s effect on our children’s health
I’m also embedding the original HSUS video that caused the meat recall. It’s graphic, but if you want to know the truth, you’ll watch it.
Aren’t you tired of greedy people putting you and your family’s health at risk so they can line their pockets? Are you going to believe those clever ads now, or are you going to understand the truth?
Help to get the word out. Share this post with everyone you care about.
Thank you,
Brennan
Filed under: Education News
When I first heard about this, I thought about those “happy cow” ads, too.
Factory farms should be abolished. When I lived in South Dakota, I belonged to a group that fought tooth and nail against these things coming into the state. It was a losing battle. The small farmers are being forced out. Local packing houses are being bought by large conglomerates and closed so that small farmers no longer have a place to sell their animals. You can’t stay in business long with no market. Many of the larger packing houses won’t deal with small farmers. They only want to deal with large lots of thousands of animals.
Try to buy your meat and milk locally, from producers in your area. This will help to keep small farmers in business, plus it’s a vote against factory farms.
I have a child in middle school. She takes school lunch everyday. I am shocked at what our school children are being fed. If the school districts were required to provide ONLY healthy foods then our kids would greatly benefit. Take out all the ice cream, dounghts, candy, pop, and other sources of sugar and our kids would not be so over weight, would not be going through sugar withdrawals every afternoon, and would be able to concentrate better.
The poor cows’ lives are so unlike those dairy commercials. More people need to know the misery these animals suffer all so we can feed our kids unhealthy food–a lose/lose situation.
I want to thank you all for your comments.
@Darlene - Absolutely, factory farms are the WORST! Not only do they treat the animals with brutality, but they stuff them with antibiotics to prevent infection from being packed in so close together. Those antibiotics are entering our food chain and the runoff is poisoning our water tables. And real farmers, who use decent practices, are unable to compete with the volume so they are losing their homes and their family farms. It’s a real lose/lose situation for the country.
@Dorothy - Absolutely, our children are the biggest victims of this system. If more parents knew what kind of garbage is being shoveled into our children’s mouths, perhaps we could get Don’s school changes implemented. Get rid of the junk. Unfortunately, the junk is so widespread that our youngsters have been getting poisons along with their foods for years. No wonder we are seeing so much more illness at such younger ages.
@Clara - Thank you for your comments about those poor cows. I’m afraid humankind has a lot to answer for, cruelty to animals and cruelty to each other. Sooner or later, we’re going to have to wise up to all those advertising tricks.
I have the same post on my blog, we all need to take a stand and put an end to such madness!!! Great Post Brennan!!!
They claim to have stopped the practice of allowing downer cows into the food chain but that’s not true. Visit a meat processing plant any day of the week. That industry is simply corrupt. Imagine the factory willingly foregoing that several hundred pound animal (and how much $ per pound?) because it’s having a rough time climbing the ramp! As you said, Puhleeze! That is simply not happening.
Read Mad Cowboy if you really want to get your blood boiling.
Thank you for your comments.
@ Brandi - I linked to your blog on my Blogroll. Your topics and mine mesh so well that I know my readers would love your site. Sorry it’s taken me so long to notify you.
@ Kathryn - You are SO RIGHT! There is no way this was the only facility doing it. It is a corrupt industry. Some of the pictures I’ve seen of poor dairy cows with their legs broken down and still getting strapped to those milking machines make me so mad I wanna SPIT! And the dairy industry tries to cover it all up with those “Happy Cow” ads, so even people who abhor cruelty aren’t aware of how awful conditions are for those poor cows.
My blood is already boiling. Will I stroke out if I read Mad Cowboy?
Thank you for your comments and insights!
Brennan
This is a great post to bring awareness to the public.
I have researched the inhumane treatment of feedlot cattle from conception to the plate.
The despicable practices described are happening across the U.S. in alarming numbers.
Thank you for providing this information.
BTW: I had the opportunity to meet with and speak to the Mad Cowboy in 2007. He has some graphic first hand insight into the alarming practices used in American feedlots.
There is a lot more we need to worry about than downed cows…
Thanks again.
Dear Alexander,
Thank you for your comment. I really respect people who are willing to speak up about atrocities.
Although my post focused on the Hallmark Meat Packing Plant recall, you are so right ~ there are so many other things that make America’s meat supply unsafe. And the water supply, etc. And it’s all done for GREED.
I was so glad to hear about the information available from the Mad Cowboy. I was talking to someone about the abuses in rodeos. If as many animals got killed (broken backs, broken necks, etc.) in the old days out on the range as those rodeo folks kill, those cowboys would have been strung-up to the nearest tree.
Thank you for your comment,
Brennan