On the one year anniversary of President Obama's landmark legislation to ban the usage of downer (sick and injured cows) cattle in our nation's food supply (which began weakly and with loopholes during the Bush administration), animal advocate, Farm Sanctuary, will be hand-delivering a petition, 15,000 signatures strong, to the United States Department of Agriculture urging them to include downed pigs and other animals/livestock in the legislation.  

Without the notable hesitation by previous administrations, President Obama decisively enacted the ban with the help and recommendation by Agriculture Secretary, Tom Vilsack, in his first 50 days in office.  The previous ban left a loophole which allowed cattle to be slaughtered for food so long as they were still standing during the USDA's inspection.  Cattle were grossly abused by handlers to make them stand before inspectors came on the premises by way of electric shock, being jabbed with forklifts, and even getting hit with high-powered water hoses in their mouths.  (See Food Inc. for graphic details of such abuse.  Know where your food comes from!)  

Two major incidents prompted the beginnings of this ban.  In December of 2003, a sick cow, later diagnosed with "Mad Cow Disease" was slaughtered and entered into the food supply.  The recall on all beef remotely associated with where this particular animal was slaughtered prompted 50 countries to close their markets to U.S. meat imports.  Combined with the investigation to pin down how and where this diseased beef entered the food chain, the cost of the recall due to use of a downer cow was over $11 billion.  (With our economy in such dire straights, using common sense, such as not slaughtering and processing a sick or injured cow could save our nation billions!)

The second incident (apparently our government and food corporations don't readily learn from their first mistakes) occured in California when video footage went public on the horrendous abuse of the cattle (that were sick or injured) in a Chino, CA., slaughterhouse.  This slaughterhouse, which provided meat to the National Lunch Program for public schools, voluntarily shut down upon having its practices exposed. 

Parents, children, and people around the world were outraged by what they saw in the footage. 

As a friend to all animals, I cannot see any need to abuse or torture any animal.  Cows, pigs, chickens, goats, whatever, that are raised as food deserve our full respect and care.  I often say that those who treat animals thusly should be put in their situation to see how they like it.  It's an extreme thought, but one that gets the point across. 

In addition to the physical abuse, these animals are fed fattening corn which is contrary to their natural diet.  This causes the animals to have digestive problems (it is the key reason for E-Coli in cattle), grow too quickly for their bones to hold them up (chickens), and much like a fattening diet to humans, may cause heart disease.  It's very true that we are what we eat, and if we're eating diseased and fattened animals, we will become a nation of diseased and fattened people.  Oh wait!  We're already there.

Consider that the need for healthcare reform should begin with our nations food supply; how we raise and treat our livestock, to how we process it for consumption. 

What Farm Sanctuary does today with the delivery of their petition to include sick and injured pigs (and all animals) in the ban on downer cattle, is beneficial all the way around the board for animals, humans, and the economy.

If you'd like to support Farm Sanctuary's efforts, send in your comments to WhiteHouse.gov.  You may also contact the USDA with your comments.  Be the voice of reason.  Remember that your efforts in this matter directly affect you! 

Special thanks to Meredith Turner, of Farm Sanctuary, for alerting me to this story.

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