December 14,
2004
OU
Expresses Satisfaction with Published Report
that Iowa Secretary of
Agriculture Found Slaughter to
be Humane at
Criticized Plant
Officials at the Orthodox Union today expressed
satisfaction with Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Patty Judge’s statement
that kosher slaughter is conducted humanely at the AgriProcessors plant
in Postville, Iowa.
According to a report carried today by the Associated Press, Secretary
Judge, after visiting the plant yesterday (Sunday), declared, “What I
saw today…was humane. It was quick and there was absolutely no problem
with the way they (the cattle) were handled.”
The story noted that the Secretary was joined by reporters and state and
local officials on her tour of the plant.
“We are gratified that a personal inspection tour of AgriProcessors by
Iowa’s Secretary of Agriculture, Patty Judge, made it clear that kosher
slaughter there is done humanely,” declared Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb,
Executive Vice President of the Orthodox Union, and Rabbi Menachem
Genack, Rabbinic Administrator of the OU Kosher division, in a statement
today.
The Secretary’s plant visit follows release of a video by PETA (People
for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) that showed animals in distress
following slaughter.
In a statement issued on December 9, Rabbis Weinreb and Genack declared:
“After carefully studying the video, Rabbi Menachem Genack and Rabbi
Yisroel Belsky, on of the OU’s distinguished poskim (rabbinic decisors),
traveled to Postville, Iowa to review the procedures at the
AgriProcessors plant. They found that these procedures meet all OU
standards to the highest degree, and that the shochtim (rabbinic
slaughters) are all highly proficient, skilled and knowledgeable.
Nevertheless, the OU and AgriProcessors, Inc. have worked together to
make certain changes, namely that the trachea will no longer be removed
following shechita (kosher slaughter), and that any animals that appear
to have survived the procedure will be promptly stunned or shot.”
In today’s statement, Rabbi Weinreb and Genack added, “Clearly, humane
slaughter goes on at the AgriProcessors plant. This is in conformity
with the laws of Torah which make it clear that humanity to animals is a
religious requirement in Judaism.”
Rabbis Weinreb and Genack also expressed satisfaction with other
comments of Secretary Judge, which were reported locally.
“This was the first time I had an opportunity to see kosher slaughter. I
was glad to see how it works,” she said. “I saw three cattle slaughtered
while Shlomo (Rubaskin) and I stood there. It was humane.” Secretary
Judge said the cattle were rendered insensible and unconscious within
“two or three seconds” after the rabbi’s cut.
“Slaughter is never pleasant, but it was humane, quick, and I have no
problem with the way those animals were being treated,” Secretary Judge
said. She added that she was originally “disturbed” by the video, but
then declared, “Now, I have reviewed the process with my own eyes.” This
review, she said, left her, “impressed.”
Secretary Judge noted that she took “the full tour” of the plant,
including the poultry processing facilities. “The rabbis slaughtering
the chickens were much more gentle than my grandmother was on our farm
when I was a child,” she said.
Secretary Judge also complimented the plant for its cleanliness,
declaring, “This plant was extremely clean, one of the cleanest plants I
have ever visited,” and praised the owners for their commitment and
investment.
The Orthodox Union, now in its second century of
service to the Jewish community of North America and beyond, is a world
leader in community and synagogue services, adult education, youth work
through NCSY, political action through the IPA, and advocacy for persons
with disabilities through Yachad and Our Way. Its kosher supervision
label, the
 , is the world’s
most recognized kosher symbol and can be found on over 275,000 products
manufactured in 68 countries around the globe.
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Department of Communications and
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Phone:
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