Personal Injury Law

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack Announces Final Rule for Handling of Non-Ambulatory Cattle - The Final "Downer Ban"

By Bill Marler, Esq.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today (Saturday) announced a final rule to amend the federal meat inspection regulations to require a complete ban on the slaughter of cattle that become non-ambulatory disabled after passing initial inspection by Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) inspection program personnel.

The final rule amends the federal meat inspection regulations to require that all cattle that are non-ambulatory disabled ("downer") cattle at any time prior to slaughter at an official establishment, including those that become non-ambulatory disabled after passing ante-mortem inspection, be condemned and properly disposed of according to FSIS regulations. Additionally, the final rule requires that establishments notify inspection program personnel when cattle become non-ambulatory disabled after passing the ante-mortem, or pre-slaughter, inspection. The rule will enhance consumer confidence in the food supply and improve the humane handling of cattle.

Perhaps as no surprise, I have been blogging about downers for a long time.  In December 2003, I wrote:

As I said in a recent op-ed "What to do about the "Mad Cow," our tables, and the entire food industry, can be protected by five available and simple decisions that will help promote food safety - one, track animals from the farm to your fork; two, test for food borne pathogens; three, reconsider the use of "downer cattle;" four, give the USDA absolute authority to recall meat that may pose a risk to the public health; and, five, stop feeding animals (especially those at risk of harboring disease) to other animals.

In 2008, I penned "Abusing Downer Cows and Feeding Them to Our Kids - It is All About Making a Buck," after the Hallmark/Wesland recall of 143,000,000 pounds of meat.  A month later I wrote "Should ALL "Downers" be banned from the food supply?" A few days later "The Raw Economics Driving the Use of Downers." 

Bottom line - the downer ban was long past due.  It is good to see when smart politics, smart economics and smart food safety come together.

Full post as published by Marler Blog on March 14, 2009 (boomark / email).