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 instead of where the meat was
produced. From many years of continuous research, the University of Rhode Island have
revealed that diseases ascents not because of how meat is prepared before it is served at
your dinner table, but the way it was handled before it reaches the buyer. In all,
individuals that are eating and purchasing meat have no knowledge of the bacteria and
destructive components it contain. Slaughterhouses are renowned for their violence
towards their animals, their awful existing circumstances, and force-feeding. Although
this has become an arising problem in the United States, both U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) and the government are reluctant in mending the situation.
Many people view slaughterhouses as a location where animals are transported to be
killed, but in reality its more than that. In Waste: Uncovering the Global Food Scandal,
by Tristram Stuart, he states neglected and abused animals spend their daily meals
standing in their own feces while locked up in cage (59). Animals are force to be place
in small horrific holding cells where they wait to be harmed and neglected. Humans are

unaware that particular illnesses such as E.Coli and Salmonella are transmitted in animals
when delivered to markets. Throughout the years of cruelty from slaughterhouses,
chickens are the most mistreated animals in the procedure. According to Peta, an
organization that targets to discontinue animal torment, 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 jampacked into windowless sheds that hold up to 40,00 birds each. Not only are these
chickens held in a disgusting environment, they cant wander around freely, but instead
are trapped in a room with toxic substances. These toxic substances are used to cover up
the of more virulent salmonella strains from federal regulators (Huff1).
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 cows. When
often referring to downed animals, it is one that is wounded, sick, or diseased to walk
or stand on their own ability. As a result of the USDA passing a law that made it illegal
for downed cows to enter the slaughterhouse and being processed for their meat, it
decreases the chance of people eating spoiled meats.
Stated in Meat and Poultry, by Dr. Temple Grandin, lame cattle usually have higher
levels of bacteria on their carcasses. 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 hours or even days with limited movement are troubling.
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. The

thought of these animals stuck in a cage for hours or even days with limited movement
are troubling. The infested meats have been a major issue lately affecting the children all
over the nation. Twelve 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.
The U.S Department of Agriculture was formed in 1862 responsible for policies
concerning to the farming 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). The Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) of 1906 was
enforced after The Jungle, a book, which portrayed the insanitary surroundings of the
slaughterhouse in Chicago. From doing so this act, was to guarantee the cleanliness of
the foods manufactured and decrease the possibility of any illnesses or bacteria that is
exposed to the public. To ensure that this is act is obeyed, inspectors are assigned to
conduct examinations periodically prior and later an animal is slaughtered to help detect
any contaminations that are found in the meat. To assure the healthy state of our food
before it reaches the consumer, new acts were created to protect the public from diseases.
In 1958 the Humane Slaughter Act (HSA) was created to focus on the humane treatment
of livestock, ensuring the slaughtering process is completed in the most humanitarian
method.
However, the USDA is being passive about this matter and in reality arent doing

much to help further investigate these problems. Instead they focus more on making sure
bacteria and viruses dont extend to the marketplace. The manufacturing of meat and
slaughterhouses are continuing to grow and therefore the perfect market will be
impossible to attain. Despite of that, society is acquiring meat in a more sufficient method
to prevent illness. 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, it is up
to the public to decide if they want to inhibit animal cruelty for their meat. According to
Linda McCartney, If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone in the world would be a
vegetarian.

Work Cited
"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.