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Open letter to readers: Today and tomorrow

By Lynda Waddington | 11.17.11

Wednesday was a difficult day for The American Independent News Network, which is the larger entity that operates The Iowa Independent. Our chief executive and founder announced two of our sister sites would close and their content would be moved to The American Independent.

ACS lockout continues; plan emerges to repeal sugar protections

crystal_sugar_80
By Virginia Chamlee | 11.15.11

A recently introduced bill could have far-reaching impact on the U.S. sugar industry, including American Crystal Sugar, a farmer-owned cooperative that locked out 1,300 Midwest workers on Aug. 1.

Cain campaign: Farmers know more about regulations than EPA

hermancain_80x80
By Andrew Duffelmeyer | 11.15.11

The chairman for Herman Cain’s Iowa effort says the campaign “relied more on the word of farmers than Washington regulators” in deciding to run an ad containing claims the Environmental Protection Agency says are false.

Mathis wins, Democrats maintain Senate control

Liz Mathis
By Lynda Waddington | 11.08.11

The Iowa Senate will remain under the control of a slim 26-25 Democratic majority when it reconvenes in January 2012.

Press Release

PR: Nation should work to address veterans’ challenges

By Press Release Reprints | 11.11.11

BRUCE BRALEY RELEASE — As US involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan ends, it’s more important than ever that our nation works to address the challenges faced by the men and women who fought there.

PR: Honoring veterans, help in hiring

By Press Release Reprints | 11.11.11

CHUCK GRASSLEY RELEASE — A difficult job market is challenging the soldiers, sailors and airmen who have protected America’s interests by serving in the Armed Forces.

PR: In honor of America’s veterans

By Press Release Reprints | 11.11.11

TOM LATHAM RELEASE — No one has done more to secure the freedom enjoyed by every single American than our veterans and those currently serving in the armed services.

PR: Honoring and supporting our nation’s veterans

By Press Release Reprints | 11.11.11

DAVE LOEBSACK RELEASE — Veterans Day is an opportunity to reflect on the service of generations of veterans and to honor the sacrifices they and their families have made so that we may live in peace and freedom here at home.

California Meatpacker Caught Slaughtering Sick Cattle for Iowa School Lunches?

By Dien Judge | 01.30.08 | 11:10 pm

A California meatpacking company has allegedly been caught slaughtering sick cattle and possibly distributing the meat to school lunch programs.

Hallmark Meat Packing, a partner of Westland Meat Co., of Chino, Calif., supplies food products to federal school-lunch programs — including school-lunch programs in Iowa. Workers at the slaughterhouse were videotaped in an undercover investigation by the Humane Society of the United States as they cruelly kicked, prodded and dragged sick cattle to slaughter.

Cattle that are too sick to stand on their own feet are considered "downed" by federal regulations and are generally not allowed to be slaughtered for the human food supply.

Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, serves as chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee that oversees school lunch programs. Harkin issued a statement Wednesday calling for quick action against Westland. "The allegations against Westland Meat Company are egregious," said Harkin. "Actions like these committed by any meat company are cause for alarm, but the fact that Westland is a supplier to federal school nutrition programs is particularly concerning."Harkin stated that it is troubling that cattle hardly able to stand on their own were being sent to slaughter in violation of U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer, in his second day on the job since his appointment was confirmed Monday, suspended indefinitely Westland's contract with the federal school lunch programs.

Steve Mendell, president and CEO of Westland Meat Co. and Hallmark Meat Packing, issued a statement Wednesday announcing that two employees have been fired and a supervisor has been suspended following the incident. "We are shocked, saddened and sickened by what we have seen today. Operations have been immediately suspended until we can meet with all of our employees and be assured these sorts of activities never again happen at our facility," said Mendell.

Comments

  • RegularJoe

    “…Be assured these sorts of activities never again happen at our facility”… …where by “these activities” we mean undercover investigations and video taping of our corrupt practices, Mendell left out.
    Sadly, this is the typical in corporate America. The issue isn’t the wrong-doing, it’s the public awareness of the wrong-doing that is managed. At the top of the corporate food chain, the ‘policies’ are promulgated with pamphlets and briefings with lofty names such as ‘The Spirit and The Letter’…but as we move down the chain the emphasis is on the numbers, and those integrity policies are give lip service but de-emphasized in practice.
    Maybe Mendell’s got Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease…or better yet, maybe his company gives his kids that disease (better known as Mad Cow) through the school lunch program he supplies for. Ah, Karma.

  • Dawn

    I’m from Portland, OR and my family DID eat that beef Not only am I disgusted that we got the old “this will never happen again, two employees were fired and a supervisor SUSPENDED for this”, but if this company thinks the public is stupid enough to believe that these two people and one supervisor were the only ones TORTURING, DROWNING, MURDERING AND THEN FORCING THE COWS TO WALK TO THEIR OWN SLAUGHTER or the only ones ‘AWARE” of this going on, you are insulting the entire United States of America (those of us who have hearts and brains and a conscience).

    To try to tell us that there were only 3 people involved in this makes me think 1) that you only have 3 people in the building at a time and what kind of sanitation do you have 2)Where is the safety and health compliance team that every company is supposed to have and 3)who knows what else everyone else at the plant has done that you do not have enough people to monitor.

    Additionally, as part of a big family with 23 neices and nephews, 17 who are still in the Portland (OR) school system and were fed this beef, you have not only made them feel HORRIBLE for eating this meat, but as 8-17 year olds, they believe that they actually CONTRIBUTED to this abuse because they ate at school.

    I found phone numbers for this company, the CEO is Steve (909) 590-3340, an additional # to contact them is 909-590-3897 and there is a fax # of 909-591-0163.  I do see that these greedy soul-less people have closed down their email addresses and any way to contact the company so maybe while they are getting bombarded with phone calls and faxes they will have time to think about how they broke alot of kids hearts (our school district is HUGE) for money and there are alot of kids who are dealing with guilt by association, and as kids, they don’t even know what that is.

    When the owners and/or board of directors of this company get together, I do hope they talk to each other about how to “fix” this, and if they come up with a plan as to how to “fix” what these kids saw because it was all over the news due to their negligence and absolute IGNORANCE and lack of compassion to what goes on in their plants, they will include a pamphlet titled “HOW NOT TO MAKE KIDS FEEL LIKE IT’S THEIR FAULT WHEN GREEDY IGNORANT NO-CONSCIENCE HAVING ADULTS PUT THEM IN A SITUATION THEY HAVE NO BUSINESS BEING STUCK IN BECAUSE TO WESTLAKE-HALLMARK COW TORTURING COMPANY DOESN’T KNOW HOW TO MANAGE THEIR STAFF OR HIRE PEOPLE WITH A CONSCIENCE”

  • tonitodd@pacbell.net

    sadden of the abuse
      After watching the footage on the news last night.I was angry that the employees, were so heartless it make me wonder about mankind. Iam glad to see people that do care and get involved and expose what is going on behind close doors. Disgusted with Hallmark meat company!!!!. Be sure the message is out in Fairfield,calif.

  • Tim Dussel

    Happy Calif. cows Wake up we better be looking at the condistion of othere packing houses and mega ag farms !!!!!!
      Remember this the next time you see the commerical about the ( HAPPY COWS ) in Calif.
    Isn’t marketing wonderful. This is so wrong.

      Tim Dussel

  • RegularJoe

    “…Be assured these sorts of activities never again happen at our facility”… …where by “these activities” we mean undercover investigations and video taping of our corrupt practices, Mendell left out.

    Sadly, this is the typical in corporate America. The issue isn't the wrong-doing, it's the public awareness of the wrong-doing that is managed. At the top of the corporate food chain, the 'policies' are promulgated with pamphlets and briefings with lofty names such as 'The Spirit and The Letter'…but as we move down the chain the emphasis is on the numbers, and those integrity policies are give lip service but de-emphasized in practice.

    Maybe Mendell's got Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease…or better yet, maybe his company gives his kids that disease (better known as Mad Cow) through the school lunch program he supplies for. Ah, Karma.

  • Dawn

    I'm from Portland, OR and my family DID eat that beef Not only am I disgusted that we got the old “this will never happen again, two employees were fired and a supervisor SUSPENDED for this”, but if this company thinks the public is stupid enough to believe that these two people and one supervisor were the only ones TORTURING, DROWNING, MURDERING AND THEN FORCING THE COWS TO WALK TO THEIR OWN SLAUGHTER or the only ones 'AWARE” of this going on, you are insulting the entire United States of America (those of us who have hearts and brains and a conscience).

    To try to tell us that there were only 3 people involved in this makes me think 1) that you only have 3 people in the building at a time and what kind of sanitation do you have 2)Where is the safety and health compliance team that every company is supposed to have and 3)who knows what else everyone else at the plant has done that you do not have enough people to monitor.

    Additionally, as part of a big family with 23 neices and nephews, 17 who are still in the Portland (OR) school system and were fed this beef, you have not only made them feel HORRIBLE for eating this meat, but as 8-17 year olds, they believe that they actually CONTRIBUTED to this abuse because they ate at school.

    I found phone numbers for this company, the CEO is Steve (909) 590-3340, an additional # to contact them is 909-590-3897 and there is a fax # of 909-591-0163.  I do see that these greedy soul-less people have closed down their email addresses and any way to contact the company so maybe while they are getting bombarded with phone calls and faxes they will have time to think about how they broke alot of kids hearts (our school district is HUGE) for money and there are alot of kids who are dealing with guilt by association, and as kids, they don't even know what that is.

    When the owners and/or board of directors of this company get together, I do hope they talk to each other about how to “fix” this, and if they come up with a plan as to how to “fix” what these kids saw because it was all over the news due to their negligence and absolute IGNORANCE and lack of compassion to what goes on in their plants, they will include a pamphlet titled “HOW NOT TO MAKE KIDS FEEL LIKE IT'S THEIR FAULT WHEN GREEDY IGNORANT NO-CONSCIENCE HAVING ADULTS PUT THEM IN A SITUATION THEY HAVE NO BUSINESS BEING STUCK IN BECAUSE TO WESTLAKE-HALLMARK COW TORTURING COMPANY DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO MANAGE THEIR STAFF OR HIRE PEOPLE WITH A CONSCIENCE”

  • tonitodd@pacbell.net

    sadden of the abuse
      After watching the footage on the news last night.I was angry that the employees, were so heartless it make me wonder about mankind. Iam glad to see people that do care and get involved and expose what is going on behind close doors. Disgusted with Hallmark meat company!!!!. Be sure the message is out in Fairfield,calif.

  • Tim Dussel

    Happy Calif. cows Wake up we better be looking at the condistion of othere packing houses and mega ag farms !!!!!!
      Remember this the next time you see the commerical about the ( HAPPY COWS ) in Calif.

    Isn't marketing wonderful. This is so wrong.

      Tim Dussel

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