Dear Friends:
I sat through testimony of slaughterhouse workers yesterday as their comments were translated from Spanish to English. I thought I had heard the worst during past cruelty investigations, but then I heard what happens at a slaughterhouse in Wallula, WA. You MUST write the following people and demand action. I had to sit through hearing how cows are hung up, fully conscious, as their legs are cut off and they're skinned - alive! The workers talked about how the cow's eyes are wide open and looking at them, they scream, and begin flailing, causing the entire line of hanging bodies to hit each other and knock the workers down to the ground. I'll tell you, I was never more sickened. These workers were testifying as part of an investigation by Humane Farming Association in California and they put their jobs on the line to come forward. A USDA representative was at the press conference and confirmed that IBP, the slaughterhouse, cut a "deal" with the USDA a while back to do its own inspections!. How can this be allowed to happen!?
The following Seattle Times story will give you more detail and you MUST look at KING-TV's web site for further information about the investigation.

PLEASE WRITE TO THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE and ***STATE that federal and state laws are already in place. What they need to do is ENFORCE them and file charges of animal cruelty against IBP and ***Demand that slaughterhouse DO NOT conduct their own inspections and ***Ask for more funds be dedicated to hiring more inspectors.

1: Please immediately contact Washington State Attorney General Gregoire :
Phone: (360) 753-6200
Fax: (360) 664-0228
E-mail: [email protected]
Address:
Attorney General Gregoire
1125 Washington Street SE
PO Box 40100
Olympia, WA 98504

Also contact : Assistant Attorney General at :
Ms. Suzanne Shaw,
Email: [email protected]

2: Please contact WSDA(Washington State Dept. of Agriculture)
Office of the Directors : (website: http://access.wa.gov )

Director's Office:
PO Box 42560, Olympia, WA 98504
Phone: (360) 902-1801
Fax: (360) 902-2092

Jim Jesernig, Director
(360) 902-1801, [email protected]

Bill Brookreson, Deputy Director
(360) 902-1810, [email protected]

Henri Gonzales, Executive Assistant to the Director
(360) 902-1887, [email protected]

Mary Beth Lang, Assistant to the Director for Legislative Affairs
(360) 902-1812, [email protected]

Lee Faulconer, Assistant to the Director for Natural Resource Policy
(360) 902-1804, [email protected]

Linda Crerar, Assistant to the Director for Natural Resource Policy
(360) 902-1818, [email protected]

Lynn Willis, Secretary Administrative
(360) 902-1932, [email protected]

Laurie Crose, Secretary
(360) 902-1801, [email protected]

Henri Gonzales, Executive Assistant to the Director : [email protected]