- Issue One: The FDA can only tell meat companies to recall meat; it can't mandate it. This is because the Reagan government didn't want to bother the meat industry with federal regulators.
- Issue Two: The recalled meat was used in school lunch programs. This is because the federal government prefers to feed our youth (especially the ones who need to be on a federally-funded lunch program) the cheapest shit, and I do mean shit, it can get.
- Issue Three: Beyond the health issue, which is that sick cows are sick meat, the treatment of these animals in particular is disgusting and disturbing. But this is the company that's been caught, and our outrage is because the cows can't walk and are clearly in pain. If we saw videos of the "healthy" cows and chickens and pigs as they exist in the meat industry, it would be equally revolting.
I apologize for the graphicness of this video but if you eat meat you support the industry that makes these kinds of videos possible. And therefore, I think it is your responsibility not to turn away from it. It's playing on the news here in Europe -- I'm not sure if the Americans are getting the same eyeful.
Further sources:
Large Recall of Ground Beef Is Ordered (NYT Feb. 18)
See Fast Food Nation (2001) by Eric Schlosser for the ethical argument, particularly regarding corporate practices (the humans involved in the meat industry are also treated pretty shoddily), and for the health issues, including the history of our recalls, federally-funded meat, and the Reagan policies that directly contributed to today's recall
See Animal Liberation (1975, 1990) by Peter Singer for the ethical argument and for consideration of what is humane and inhumane treatment of animals
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