Calif. lawmakers to USDA: Reopen beef plant

Three Central California congressmen cited the region's high unemployment Thursday while asking the federal government to reopen a slaughterhouse at the center of a cruelty and food-safety investigation.

Republican lawmakers Devin Nunes, Kevin McCarthy and Jeff Denham signed a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack saying that shutting the plant will do nothing to further the goal of responding to the alleged animal abuse.

The USDA said the company cannot reopen until it resolves its humane handling issues.

"The company must first submit a corrective action plan detailing how they intend to comply with humane handling regulations before USDA considers allowing them to operate," spokesman Justin DeJong said.

On Monday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture suspended operations at Central Valley Meat Co. of Hanford after an undercover video shot by the animal-welfare group Compassion Over Killing 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 and the shutdown prompted the USDA, McDonald's Corp. and In-N-Out Burger to halt contracts with the company.

Last year, the USDA bought 21 million pounds of beef for more than $50 million from the company.

It's against the law to slaughter a non-ambulatory animal for food out of concern it could be infected with mad cow disease.

In May, a cow that died at a nearby dairy was found to be infected with the disease.