Signs Food Safety Legislation
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today signed a new law prohibiting slaughterhouses from buying, selling, processing or butchering any animal that can’t walk by itself….so called “downer cows”. In signing the bill, the Governor said he is, “committed to ensuring California’s food supply is safe and secure.”
The health concern here is that meat from the “downer cows” exposes consumers to increased risk from E. Coli, salmonella and mad cow disease. The penalty for breaking the law is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail or a fine of up to $20,000 or both.
Earlier this year we showed you the undercover video shot by the Humane Society of the United States, documenting how workers at one California plant rammed cows with forklifts and used water pressure to try and force sick animals to stand. HSUS is now supporting Prop 2 on the November ballot, requiring chickens and other animals have enough room to turn around and extend their limbs. In other words, the idea is to ban cages for chickens – an act that would raise egg prices according to the opposition. Stay tuned for some emotional ads on the air this fall.
