Two weeks ago, those customers all suspended business with the company after undercover video provided by the animal welfare group Compassion Over Killing revealed what the USDA described in a statement as "disturbing evidence of inhumane treatment." The footage shows an apparent proliferation of non-ambulatory or "downer" cows -- a reportedly common problem in the dairy slaughter industry. As a prominent trade journalist recently explained, "cows are bred and managed to maximize production, [and] the result is far too many animals that end their 'careers' as milk producers weak, worn out and often struggling to remain ambulatory during transport to the increasingly few, distant cow plants."

Federal law forbids slaughterhouses from receiving downers due to concerns about humane treatment and higher risks of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy ("Mad Cow Disease"). However, workers in the video are seen prodding, kicking, and repeatedly shocking lame animals with electric prods in order to get them to stand up and walk off the truck. In other scenes, botched attempts to euthanize downed cows with a captive bolt gun are shown to cause trauma without actually killing the animal. In at least one instance, after failing to kill a cow with a bolt, a worker is seen suffocating the wounded animal by standing on her nose.

After the USDA conducted its own investigation, it suspended inspection of the facility on August 19th, effectively closing it. But Central Valley was allowed to resume operations on August 27th after filing an "extensive corrective action plan" with the Agency. The company claimed in a statement that its additional safeguards will "establish a new industry standard for the handling of animals" -- standards that include reducing reliance on electric prods, requiring employee training in humane animal treatment, and barring the company from receiving downers for slaughter. Compassion Over Killing director Erica Meier points out that "many of the so-called corrective measures are steps that slaughter plants should already be taking in order to ensure compliance with federal law."

So much for a "new industry standard." More alarming still is the question of who will be enforcing these minimum standards. Presumably, it will be the same USDA inspectors that were already stationed at the plant when COK's undercover operative was there -- the ones who said nothing until the results of their inaction were broadcast across the Internet. Tellingly, the facility had no record of non-compliance prior to the arrival of COK's investigator.

Unfortunately, Central Valley Meat is not an isolated incident. The exposé marks the third time in the last five years that an animal welfare group has gone undercover in a federally inspected cattle slaughterhouse. Each time, their findings have sparked public outrage and compelled immediate regulatory action.