This Halloween, musician and horror filmmaker Rob Zombie is taking the US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) to task over its high-speed slaughter program posing real-life dangers to billions of animals, workers, and consumers. On the heels of his new movie "3 From Hell", Rob Zombie appears in a new ad for Compassion Over Killing (COK), saying, "USDA: Stop the line speeds from hell!" His image is now appearing in geo-targeted mobile ads reaching thousands of people around USDA headquarters in Washington, D.C. Last year, the USDA began granting waivers allowing chicken plants to increase already dangerously fast slaughter line speeds to 175 birds per minute (or nearly three birds every second) and has recently hinted at rulemaking that would cement these reckless speeds nationwide. COK's recent investigation of high-speed chicken slaughterhouse Amick Farms allegedly showed birds being punched, shoved, and thrown on the slaughter line, as well as slowly drowning in electrified stunning baths during equipment break-downs. COK claims it also obtained evidence that birds were scalded alive in vats of hot water. Just last month, the agency finalized a rule that will allow pig slaughter plants nationwide to run kill lines as fast as they want, despite receiving opposition from more than a quarter million people who signed COK's petition, authored by former investigator Scott David. David's investigation of a high-speed Hormel plant killing approximately 1,300 pigs each hour — or one pig every five seconds — allegedly revealed workers beating, shocking, and dragging animals as they struggle to keep up with line speeds, and pigs covered in feces and pus-filled abscess processed for human consumption with a USDA inspection seal of approval. High-speed lines also endanger slaughter plant workers, already working in what research shows is among the nation’s most dangerous industries — with frequent severe injuries and even amputations. "While the USDA frames high-speed slaughter as 'modernization' of the meat industry, you'd have to be a zombie to miss that it's a horrifying step backwards endangering animals, workers, and consumers," said Laura Cascada, senior director of campaigns & outreach, Compassion Over Killing. For more information, visit NotSoFastUSDA.com. Compassion Over Killing (COK) is a nonprofit animal protection organization working to end the abuse of farmed animals through undercover investigations, litigation, corporate outreach, public education, and other advocacy programs.
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