BIG MEAT'S ABOUT-FACE ON DOWNERS

This is pretty big: "In a significant reversal, major meat and dairy industry groups on Tuesday backed a total ban on so-called downer cattle from entering the food supply. Calls for such a ban have come from watchdog groups and some lawmakers in the wake of the massive beef recall from a Southern California slaughterhouse in February, but industry had resisted." Looks like the ban will go forward now, as it was Congressional pressure that supposedly led to the shift in stance.

UPDATE 4/30: Ha! How naive of me - the USDA, it seems, is fine with standing up to Big Meat as long as the agency is completely on the wrong side of the issue: USDA isn't on board with beef industry's downer cow ban