CRIMES WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES - gpvec

ConClusion
speeds, c) requiring emergency stops on the bleed rail, d) requiring a portable
stunning device, and backup, for use in ante-mortem areas, e) requiring a backup
stunning device in the stunning area and at the bleeding station on the slaughter
line, f) requiring testing of all stunning devices, including backups, at the beginning
of each shift and regular stunner preventive maintenance and cleaning, and g)
requiring formal worker training in humane handling and slaughter.
11.2 Federal Enforcement in U.S. Plants
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Finding #4:
The USDA issued approximately 500 humane handling/slaughter NRs for all federal
inspected slaughterhouses during an 18-month period. This represents no increase
in the number of deficiencies cited for humane handling/slaughter since the mid-
1990s. (This suggests that either no increase in enforcement has occurred or that
industry compliance with regulations and federal enforcement of the regulations
increased proportionally during the time period, which seems unlikely.) The number
of slaughter plants suspended for humane violations over the past 10 years has
increased, however, overall, less than 1 percent of all food safety NRs—and less
than 10 percent of all food safety suspensions—are issued for humane handling and
slaughter violations.
Recommendation:
The USDA should consistently cite all incidents of noncompliance with federal
humane handling and slaughter regulations and take all appropriate associated
regulatory actions, such as the suspension of plant operations, until the problem
is resolved. USDA personnel who repeatedly fail to cite noncompliance should be
subject to discipline, including termination.
Finding #5:
District veterinary specialists in humane slaughter have improved oversight of
humane activities in federal plants, as evidenced by the number of NRs referencing
the involvement of the district vet. However, these specialists visit individual
slaughter plants only rarely, suggesting that most humane violations go either
unobserved or unreported.
Recommendation:
The USDA should permanently station inspection personnel in the stunning
area of all federal slaughter plants classified as “large.” Their sole responsibility
should be ensuring enforcement of the Humane Slaughter Act. In addition, the
USDA should require that inspection personnel in all “small” and “very small”
plants observe the stunning process at least two times each shift to assess worker
competence and proper equipment function. Inspection in the anti-mortem areas
of all plants should increase significantly to ensure that animal handling is being
conducted in a humane manner.
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