Comment from DIANE M. KASTEL KASTEL

On August 27, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published a proposed rule on the “Disposition of Downer Cattle,” and is now seeking my input. I support the USDA’s proposed rule that all downed cattle, including those who become downed after inspection, be banned from slaughter. This is my prime opportunity to speak up for suffering animals, especially in light of the recent high-profile exposés of the routine, brutal abuse of downed animals by the meat industry. The latest rule, endorsed by USDA Secretary Ed Schafer, is a vast improvement over previous USDA regulations, which attempted to sidestep the issue of downed animal suffering and placate the meat industry by allowing for downed animals to be slaughtered if inspectors deemed their non- ambulatory state to be the result of injury. While the USDA’s proposed rule marks notable progress in the agency’s treatment of downed animals, it falls short in its failure to address downed livestock besides cattle. That is, even with the new rule in place, stockyards, auctions and slaughterhouses will still have free reign to torture and abuse sick and crippled sheep, pigs and goats in order to move them to the killing floor. At the federal level, the Downed Animal Protection and Food Safety Act (H.R. 661, S. 394) has been introduced to ensure that "downers" will be kept out of the human food supply. This bill will remedy the shortcomings of current USDA regulations regarding downed animals by requiring the immediate, humane euthanasia of all animals who become non-ambulatory.