Blogging About Critters Since 2007

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Update on National Meat Association vs. Brown

Did anyone know this was going on?
The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit recently heard arguments in National Meat Association v. Brown, a case in which the meat industry is attempting to invalidate a California law designed to reduce animal suffering and protect public safety.

At issue is Section 599f of the California Penal Code, which, among other things, prohibits slaughterhouses from purchasing, receiving, selling, dragging, or pushing non-ambulatory animals, also known as “downers,” and requires immediate euthanasia of such animals. The industry sued California, arguing that Section 599f is preempted by the Federal Meat Inspection Act. A coalition of animal protection groups consisting of the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF), the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), Farm Sanctuary, and the Humane Farming Association (HFA), intervened in the case to ensure that the interests of animals and the public were represented.

1 comment:

Bea Elliott said...

Yep. From my understanding the meat industry just wants cows considered "downers" not pigs too. And that gets back to the original issue of why the downer law actually went through - as a matter of food safety. Crippled pigs just don't carry the same threat when they are shoved in to the knock box. :(

I'm sorry to be so blunt... and so sorry that the world is the way it is... for very kind people which I know you are. It stinks for sure.

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