Small Kosher Veal Slaughterhouse Loses Big Contract Over Failed Animal Welfare Audit – Slaughterhouse Used Shackle And Hoist Hanging Shechita

From Kosher Today:

SYSCO Pulls License from Veal Producer Over Kosher Slaughter
(Brooklyn) Atlantic Veal, a 50-year old Brooklyn-based producer of veal with a slaughterhouse in Ohio, has lost its license to do business with SYSCO, the world s largest foodservice company, after an auditor failed the company because of its kosher production at the plant. Kosher Today has learned that Atlantic had acceded to SYSCO'S request for an audit based on animal welfare standards of the American Meat Institute, which includes the recommendation that head restraints [i.e., the ASPCA pen designed by Temple Grandin] be used in the kosher slaughter of veal. The USDA supervised plant, which occasionally produces kosher and halal meat, uses the hanging method of schechita without the restraints, which a company spokesman says follows the religious dictum for slaughter by the religious authorities supervising the plant. Atlantic received a 100% rating from the auditor until he discovered the kosher slaughter. To the company, the! loss of the estimated $7 million in business is devastating, especially since SYSCO was not buying the kosher production and the kosher processed foods were in full compliance with USDA regulations and religious law. Food sources say that Atlantic is determined to win back the business that it had lost from the large foodservice company. SYSCO - an acronym for Systems and Services Company – reported $29.3 billion in sales in fiscal year 2004.

Comments

[Isa]

There are two kinds of veal.
One where the animal lives a normal life the other where it is caged and can't move around so the meat is more white. I wonder what kind of veal this place uses.
A pious schochet from yesteryear said of the second type of veal "its not really kosher"

[reb jeb]

Schochet? Was Rav Moshe Feinstein. He declared veal raised in traditional pen to be treyfe. Look it up.

[Willis C McCook]

I am 71 years of age and have always believed that real veal was the meat of an unborn calf. However, I can find nothing to prove or back up this belief. It appears that the truth (if I am correct) has been covered up due to the wide spread (esp in Europe) scandle about the inhumane treatment and slaughter of calfs.

I would be thankful for any inlightment on this subject.

[Edna Jennings]

I am 70 years old and I, too, have always thought that true veal was the meat of an unborn calf. An elderly friend whose career was as a cattle buyer said they used to sell calves up to 180 lbs. as veal. Anything over 180 could not be classified as veal.

Try as I might, I cannot prove that years ago veal was unborn calf until the practive was outlawed.

Any information on this subject would sure be welcomed.

[Terry Sparks]

I remember in the early 1960`s we raised calves on milk ( nursed their dam) when the calf reached 180 to 210 lbs it was sold at market for VEAL which is milk fed beef not unborn calf.