SD Beef Producers Respond to Cattle Video

PIERRE (February 1, 2008)—The South Dakota Beef Industry Council (SDBIC) says the state’s beef producers place the highest priority on the care and treatment of their livestock and are distressed with a recently released video which shows inhumane treatment of downer cattle at a California packing plant.
          “The treatment of cattle in this video is simply not consistent with how beef producers in South Dakota and nationally treat their livestock,” says SDBIC Executive Director Barry Jennings.
          Jennings says SDBIC strongly supports strict compliance with and enforcement of the Humane Slaughter Act. A beef producer himself, Jennings adds that today’s beef producers work hard every day to give their animals the proper care and handling they deserve. “We expect proper treatment to continue after they leave our farms and ranches,” he adds.
          “Beef producers understand that raising cattle goes hand-in-hand with animal care,” says Jennings. “We know that giving our animals the proper care, handling and nutrition they deserve is the right thing to do.” To assist producers in meeting those goals, SDBIC supports educational programs, including the Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) certification program. Beef producers from across South Dakota have participated in this national program, which outlines the essential elements for cattle care.
          He also stresses that USDA prohibits the use of meat from non-ambulatory disabled cattle and cattle tissue identified as specified risk materials for use in human food, and is investigating both the treatment of the animals and whether they were processed into beef. At this time there is no proof that these cattle entered the food chain.
          “While this particular food supplier is based in California, the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) works with suppliers across the nation to provide nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to school children each school day. We support NSLP efforts to ensure beef is a part of our children’s diet, as the nutrients in beef help grow, develop and maintain a healthy body.”