Slaughter at Agriprocessors saga continues

Washington Post: The USDA has told federal meat inspectors that they should immediately shut down any slaughterhouse where they observe acts of cruelty similar to those surreptitiously videotaped by an animal rights group at a kosher meat plant in Iowa. (kudos Shmarya)

USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service: this is the document (HIKE 03-04) mentioned by the Washington Post. USDA says: "You remind them that dressing procedures are separate from the ritual slaughter cut and any additional cut to facilitate bleeding."

OU Kosher, Clarification of the Second Cut at Agriprocessors: "We, at the OU, have received several phone calls asking to explain the purpose of the second cut done at Agriprocessors." This OU responsa falls short of explaining the routine. For more unanswered questions see the revised Rabbi Yudel Shain letter.