FRESNO, Calif. (AP) — Three Central California congressmen have asked the federal government to reopen a slaughterhouse shut down by an investigation into food safety and animal cruelty.
Central Valley Meat Co. -- in Hanford -- was closed after undercover video showed cows that appeared to be sick or lame being beaten, kicked, shot and shocked in an attempt to get them to walk to slaughter. The video was made by an animal welfare group.
Federal inspectors say they've seen nothing to show that meat from the possibly sick cows made it into the food supply. But employees are being interviewed.
Three Republican lawmakers -- Devin Nunes (noonz), Kevin McCarthy and Jeff Denham -- have told the Agriculture Department that shutting the plant will do nothing to further the goal of responding to the alleged animal abuse.
The video and the shutdown have prompted the USDA, McDonald's and In-N-Out Burger to suspend or cancel contracts with the company.
