Reciprocation Session Animal Handling Issues for Beef Sponsored by Voogd Consulting, Inc.
Mike Siemens Cargill, Inc. Wichita, Kansas
2006 Reciprocal Meat Conference Current Culture of Animal Welfare in the Beef Industry June 20, 2006
Topics we will cover History AMI guidelines and audit slaughter USDA FSIS oversight of animal handling Slaughter industry programs Beef production animal welfare
HISTORY
How did formal auditing start? In 1997, McDonald s was found culpably responsible for cruelty to animals in the British High Court in London On December 11, 1998 McDonald s and Temple Grandin meet with PETA to discuss animal welfare in the United States
PETA Campaigns McDonald s = Oct. 99 Sept. 00 (11 months) Burger King = Jan. 01 June 01 (5 months) Wendy = July 01 Sept. 01 (2 months) KFC = Jan. 02 ongoing today
PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) Purchased Common Stock in companies Tyson Smithfield Hormel Pilgrim s Wal Mart Denny s Outback Chili s Applebee s
National Programs
AMI materials (American Meat Institute) 1991 Recommended Animal Handling Guidelines for Meat Packers 1997 Management Practices for Handling and Stunning (audits) 2005 combined these two documents into Recommended Animal Handling Guidelines and Audit Guide 2005 AMI rollout of www.animalhandling.org
AMI Animal Handling and Audit Guide (updated in 2004) Written by Dr. Temple Grandin, Ph.D. Illustrated detailed guidelines Measurable, objective criteria for self audits Intended to sustain continuous improvement Used by customers to evaluate animal handling
Table of Contents 1. Animal handling guidelines 2. Auditing practices 3. Auditing forms 4. Troubleshooting guide 5. Worker safety tips
Animal handling guidelines Trucking practices Pen space and facility layout Livestock handling principles Prods and persuaders vocalization Stunning
AMI conference February 99 Animal Handling and Stunning 130 attended Animal Care and Handling 2006 350 attended 1999 Training videos 2002 Animal welfare non competitive issue AMI offers round the clock assistance
USDA
9 CFR PART 313 Humane Slaughter of Livestock Livestock pens, driveways and ramps Handling of livestock Chemical; Carbon dioxide Mechanical; captive bolt Mechanical; gunshot Electrical; stunning or slaughtering Tagging of equipment, alleyways, or pens
Directive 6900.1 Humane handling of disabled livestock Antemortem inspection procedures Inside transport vehicle Movement of ambulatory disabled stock Movement of non ambulatory stock Equipment and restraints Notification Documentation
Directive 6900.2 Humane handling and Slaughter of Livestock Livestock pens, driveways and ramps Humane handling of livestock Stunning methods Ritual slaughter of livestock Enforcement and documentation District Veterinary Medical Specialists (DVMS)
USDA Animal welfare USDA has 17 District Veterinary Medical Specialists DVMS (one for each district in the U.S.) Established in January of 2002 Primary contact for animal welfare issues On site coordination and verification Data collection Training of local veterinary employees
Slaughter Industry
Customer request What programs are in place to evaluate and assure proper animal handling procedures are in place and followed in the beef slaughter facilities?
Customers program Animal welfare expectations and requirements Audit criteria and minimum acceptable limits Frequency of audits Consequences for non compliance
Customers want assurances Formalize animal handling Formal training programs Formal self assessments Documentation on file Training Self assessment results Corrective actions Third party outside audits
Management Commitment Management Commitment Animal welfare mission statement Ongoing monitoring/measurement Internal and external training Recognition and rewards
Develop an animal welfare program Must satisfy the mission statement Outlines procedures and goals Follow AMI Training requirements Auditing requirements Assurance to customer of compliance
Training Written materials and manuals Videos illustrating proper procedures Certification Compliance statement Re certification frequency
Conducting Audits Simple to conduct Criteria measure a multitude of potential issues Targets are reasonably achievable Snapshot in time (variables may influence) Scores below acceptable level require interventions to correct
Internal Self Audits Truck Unloading (Prods) Overloaded Trucks Facility repair (Yards) 1. Electric Prod Usage 2. Slips and Falls 3. Vocalization 4. Stunning 5. Sensibility
Third Party audit Performed by independent auditor Customer themselves Professional auditing company hired by the customer or the packer
Beef Production
Customer concerns Why are customers (foodservice and retail) concerned about beef production? Are the consumers driving them?
Food service/retail comments Need to be ready when a welfare issue comes up Consumers expect product to be welfare friendly they don t need to see a poster on the wall or label on the package. Want to make sure that welfare does not become a factor for the consumer s decision making
The Consumer Dynamic American s spend such a small percentage of their income on food that they can demand food Where they want it When they want it In the portion they want it Prepared in the manner of preference Produced in a socially responsible manner
Agriculture Alienation Vast majority of Americans are at least three generations removed from the farm Research indicates consumers don t want details on how their meat is produced unless there is an incident Those opposed to modern production practices will work to manufacture incidents to drive policy (hidden camera or allegations)
HSUS Dynamic PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) More well known than HSUS (Humane Society of the United States) PETA is in press and visibly active HSUS works with legislation and law Look for an animal welfare title in the 2007 Farm Bill
Ballot Initiatives Florida voters in 2002 approved a measure that amended the state constitution prohibiting the use of gestation stalls. Arizona state legislature will consider legislation on sow and veal stalls this year.
Super Empowered Bob Barker $1 million dollar endowments to train future animal law attorneys Six of the nation s premier law schools Columbia Stanford Yale Duke UCLA Northwestern
Customer request to packer What programs are in place to evaluate and assure proper animal handling procedures are in place and followed in the beef production facilities that supply your plants?
What is BQA? (Why is it important) A tool that enables producers and packers the ability to assure their mutual customers that the industry is dedicated to producing a quality product through the use of science, research and educational initiatives.
Will Packers require a formal BQA program? BQA TM addresses quality issues Proper drug use and residue avoidance Feedstuff quality and composition Animal handling and movement Herd health management plan Advanced BQA TM which specifically addresses only animal welfare. Similar to NPB SWAP. May be required by customers May require a 3 rd party audit
The Future Packer Producer relationship with regard to animal welfare? We are in this together! Pressure packers are getting from their customers and how will this be related back to the producer.
THANK YOU Mike Siemens, Ph.D. Beef Program Development Director Cargill
Dan Hale Texas A&M University Cooperative Extension College Station, Texas
Announcements Box lunch pick up from 11:30 12:30 (Atrium) Reciprocation Fair schedule on pgs. 6 & 7 of your RMC pocket program.