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Allysa Pham
Professor Greg McClure
Writing 39C
31 July 2015
The Meat of the Problem
Now more than ever, America is a Nation of meat eaters,(USDA 14). Americans
eat over 195 pounds of meat; red meat, poultry, and fish per person (USDA 15). Meat is
commonly eaten everyday where people often overlook how meat can affect you
negatively and wonder what the cause of the problem was. Consequently, society mistake
the cause of illness is due to lack of suitable preparation by the consumer, rather than how
the meat was sourced and packaged by the industry. However, the University of Rhode
Island have investigated the main cause in meat-related food poisoning, and the
researchers credit this main cause to the negligent handling of meat by factories. In all,
unknowing consumers purchase and eat potentially contaminated meat. While, consumers
often contribute their food poisoning to their own cooking, more likely the root cause is
due to the slaughterhouses. For instance, most slaughterhouses often subject their animals
to inhumane treatment by subjecting them to physical abuse, force-feeding, and poor
environmental conditions. Unfortunately, the lack of proper regulation and protocols are
not being put in place by the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA), and as a result meat-related foodborne illnesses are on the rise and the
inhumane treatment of animals by slaughterhouses continues.
Many people view slaughterhouses as a location where animals are transported to be
killed, but in reality, the situation is more complex than that. In Waste: Uncovering the

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Global Food Scandal, by Tristram Stuart, a writer that dedicates his time to impact lives
through dieting, states neglected and abused animals spend their daily meals standing in
their own feces while locked up in cage (59). These animals are being subjected to poor,
environmental conditions by being in small, holding cells that are not being maintained or
cleaned regularly and also awaiting abuse
from workers. The cramped living quarters
and the lack of sanitation these animals are
under increases the risk of contracting
pathogenic bacteria, such as, E. Coli and
Salmonella. The contraction of these
pathogenic bacteria in these animals will
continue to persist following their slaughter,
which can then be transmitted to unaware consumers. A prime example of this is
chickens, which have been reported to be the most common animal that are often
mistreated by slaughterhouses.
According to Peta, an organization whose mission is to end animal abuse, reports
every year, tens of millions suffer broken wings and legs from the rough handling, and
some hemorrhage to death (Peta 1). In addition to the rough handling, these chickens
exhaust their whole lives jam-packed into windowless sheds that hold up to 40,00 birds
each. Not only are these chickens held in a disgusting environment, they cannot wander
around freely, but instead are trapped in a room with toxic substances. These toxic
substances are used to cover up contagious salmonella strains from federal regulators
(Huff1). All of these contributing abuse that chickens experience, only increases the risk

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of transmitting food borne pathogens, which will lead to a negative downstream effect
when it is prepared for consumption.
From the viewpoint of a chicken breeder, a heftier chicken means more profit.
Breeders are constantly force feeding and feeding chickens chemicals to affect their
growth rate. Though, through this method of force feeding, it has health consequences on
the chicken by leading to skeletal disorders which inhibits their ability to move. Even
worse, these animals lack the stimulation from the natural environment as they are
constantly without sunlight and live in prospect of continuous torture and eventual
inhumane death.
Cattles who survive feedlots, dairy sheds, and veal farms face a hellish trip to the
slaughterhouse (Peta 2). Crammed onto trucks where they lack water, food, and rest these
cows collapse because of the exhausting journey resulting in downed cattle. The term
downed refers to wounded, sick animals that are unable to perform basic physical
functions such as walking or standing. Stated in Meat and Poultry, by Dr. Temple
Grandin, an American professor of animal science at Colorado State University, reports
lame animals spend more time lying down, which increases the likelihood they will be
contaminated with fecal matter (34). The thought of these animals stuck in a cage for an
extensive amount of time with limited movement is troubling. Moreover, these downed
cattle are accepted into slaughterhouses, where they are killed and transported for humans
to purchase. However, there has been progress in reducing downed cattle, for instance
the USDA did pass a law that made it illegal for downed cows to enter the
slaughterhouse. As such, this law minimizes the risk of contaminated meats from
downed cows being processed and reduces the potential consumption of spoiled meats

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by the public. Although USDA passed a law concerning the slaughtering of downed
cows, it did not discontinue the action of downed pigs or chickens from being killed for
meat. Even though, meats from downed cows are no longer on the market, other
downed animals still pose a risk for the public.
While contaminated meats are a problem for people who go out and purchase meats, it
is also a prevalent problem for children nationwide. For instance, the infested meats have
been a major issue lately affecting the children all over the nation through access to
school provided lunch. Since, this is not by the parents own volition, but rather by
schools funded by the federal government, more people, in this case children are
susceptible to food borne pathogens. For one, major companies have been providing
these infested meats for the school lunches for the past five years and in return the federal
government has paid these companies over 485 million dollars (Mokhiber 2). The
amount of foodborne illnesses in the schools has increased every year as a result. The
federal government indirectly
contributes to an increase in
foodborne illnesses by not improving
protocols for meat handling for the
companies they contract with to
provide lunch for school. Thus, the federal government needs to put in changes in meat
sourcing to minimize food borne pathogens that can affect school kids, for example.
While, policy changes need to take place in meat handling, there has been progress
in this area as conducted by the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) formed in 1862.
The U.S Department of Agriculture are responsible for policies concerning to the farming

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productiveness and the use of national forests and grasslands (Brittanica 1). In addition to
forming policies to further advance the farming industry, USDA works to stabilize farm
incomes and help protect our environments resources to ensure the quality of our food
(2). One example of the policies they inducted was, The Federal Meat Inspection Act
(FMIA) of 1906, which was enacted following publication of The Jungle, a novel, which
portrayed a detailed account of the malpractices by slaughterhouse. The novel eventually
lead to a change by the creation of FMIA, to improve the cleanliness of the foods
manufactured and thus decreases biological pathogens that can reach humans. To ensure
that this is act is obeyed, the USDA sends inspectors who checks and ensures the lack of
malpractice in before and after the killing of an animal to reduce pathogens. Moreover, to
assure the healthy state of the processed meat before it reaches the consumer, new acts
were created to protect the public from diseases, such as the Humane Slaughter Act
(HSA) created decades later in 1958. The HSA was formed out of ethical considerations
on the killing of cattle and to ensure humane practices for slaughter.
However, inspections have remain largely the same since 1997, stated in USDA Pilot
Program Fails, by Patricia Buck, a member of the USDAs National Advisory Committee
on Meat &Poultry Inspection, where USDA was allowing five large hog plants to use
company employees to check if the meat is contaminated instead of USDA
inspectors(3). This policy change, while it helped the government save millions of
dollars by decreasing the inspections, it led to an unforeseen consequence. Company
employees rather than official inspectors carried out unqualified inspections. Moreover,
USDA failed to inspect the new program developing in thousands of pounds of beef
contaminated with E. coli in September 2012. Hardly any improvements have been

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accommodated to ensure the safety of the public. Procedures are being violated and the
public is at risk due to the lack of quality inspections. Additionally, there is a lack of
incentive for upholding quality inspections as the meat and poultry processing plants
fines are paltry. There needs to be a reform in how meat is regulated, however, the main
problem is the lack of support from the government.
Nevertheless, while the USDA has passed acts to improve meat quality, there have
not been significant modern policies being placed. The USDAs passivity and lack of
investigation has led to high numbers of foodborne illnesses reported cases. More
policies and regulation in the process of handling meat need to be put in place, especially,
in areas such as improvement on environmental conditions, animal abuse, and further
stricter laws on meat testing beyond what the FMIA has done. While ideal regulation may
not be achieved due to the increase in the meat industry, there is always room for
improvement upon existing policies. Though, the policies that need to take place are a
lengthy process that requires much debate and planning. Even so, there are industries,
such as those that are certified organic meats, which provide humane conditions for their
animals and thus reduce the potential of biological pathogens (USDA17). Although
organic meats are more high-priced, its an alternative to consider when ensuring the
product of the meat is unsoiled and eatable. In reality for more industries to follow up to
good manufacturing practices, it is up to the public to decide if they want to push against
inhumane treatment against animals for safer, sourced meat. According to Linda
McCartney, If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone in the world would be a
vegetarian.
Work Cited

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"Chicken Transport and Slaughter." PETA. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Aug. 2015.
This is a popular article written by an organization called Peta. Peta is an
organization known for their stand against animal abuse in many areas ranging from
animal testing o meat manufacture. They develop groundbreaking strategies to broadcast
the public health issues we endure if we continue with the method of meat consumption.
Petas main focus is to endorse a better future for animals. In the article it states that
chickens are abused daily by being crammed into windowless sheds with no freedom.
2, Chapter. Profiling Food Consumption in America14 | Agriculture Fact Book | Chapter
2 (n.d.): n. pag. Web.
In this book, it discusses the consumption of meat and how over the years,
humans have become very dependent on meat as a daily meal.
Ethan A. Huff."Exposed: Factory Chicken Slaughterhouses Using Super-strength
Chemicals to Cover Up Extreme Salmonella Contamination." NationofChange. N.p., n.d.
Web. 01 Aug. 2015.
This is a popular article written by Ethan A. Huff. Huff is the director of Nation of
Change. In this article he talks about how companies are using chemicals to cover up
chickens and increasing the diseases found in our poultry.
"U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) | United States Government." Encyclopedia
Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 05 Aug. 2015.
In this source, USDA discusses what its policies are and what they are
determined to do to better help the community. They created Federal Meat Inspection Act
(FMIA) of 1906 to ensure the cleanliness of the slaughterhouses.
Mokhiber, Russell. Spoiled Lunch. Multinational Monitor. Print.

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This is a popular article written by Russell Mokhiber, editor of Corporate Crime
Reporter. This article reports animal factories that have violated policies in food and
environmental safety law according to Sierra Club in 2001. The Sierra Club also states
recommendations to better improve the animal factories.
"Inside the Life of a Factory Farm Worker." VegNews RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Aug. 2015.
This is a popular article written by Mark Hawthorne discussing the world of the
slaughterhouses from an inside point of view. This article talks about what workers are
told to do when slaughtering chickens. In addition, the article also reports about the
industrialization of meatpacking.
"USDA Pilot Program Fails to Stop Contaminated Meat." Washington Post. The
Washington Post, n.d. Web. 11 Aug. 2015.

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