http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2011/11/24/the-islamic-butterball-your-thanksgiving-turkey-could-be-halal-certified/
When asked why, if the turkeys are slaughtered in compliance with Halal practice in the first place, is there no designation included on its product labels, Butterball stated that the USDA does not require them to label their turkeys accordingly.
The USDA does have rules regarding humane slaughter methods but exempts methods, those proscribed by religious customs and rituals, both Kosher and others including Halal.
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/USCODE-2014-title7/html/USCODE-2014-title7-chap48-sec1902.htm§1902. Humane methods
No method of slaughtering or handling in connection with slaughtering shall be deemed to comply with the public policy of the United States unless it is humane. Either of the following two methods of slaughtering and handling are hereby found to be humane:
(a) in the case of cattle, calves, horses, mules, sheep, swine, and other livestock, all animals are rendered insensible to pain by a single blow or gunshot or an electrical, chemical or other means that is rapid and effective, before being shackled, hoisted, thrown, cast, or cut; or
(b) by slaughtering in accordance with the ritual requirements of the Jewish faith or any other religious faith that prescribes a method of slaughter whereby the animal suffers loss of consciousness by anemia of the brain caused by the simultaneous and instantaneous severance of the carotid arteries with a sharp instrument and handling in connection with such slaughtering.
Neither the FDA nor the USDA certifies whether a food product or an animal is slaughtered according to what is Kosher or Halal. What the USDA does say is that if it is labeled as such, it must be, for Kosher “prepared under rabbinical supervision” and if Halal “must be handled according to Islamic law and under Islamic authority”.
But the USDA does not regulate those entities providing the religious certifications. If the question is if the animal is slaughtered using method (b) does have to be labeled as such?
It would seem the answer is no. As long as other USDA requirements are met, it would be up to the food processor, slaughter house to obtain a Kosher or Halal certification from a religious org providing such in order to label it as such. If I am not mistaken there are several rabbinical orgs that issue Kosher certifications as there is no one central authority in Judaism and I guess the same goes for Halal.
“The United States government is not involved in religious matters, which is why agencies such as the USDA do not certify halal or kosher foods. That must be done by religious authorities or those they sanction. USDA does inform exporters of other countries’ import standards and directs exporters to U.S. halal certifiers approved by destination countries. ISWA is among those internationally recognized halal certifiers.”
http://iipdigital.usembassy.gov/st/english/pamphlet/2012/07/201207028400.html#ixzz4HQtJjQwqAnd
If a label bears a Halal or Kosher statement, does FSIS have to monitor the production of the product to observe ritual slaughter of animals?
No, the acceptability of the ritual used is the responsibility of the religious organization. How they verify the acceptability is up to the organization. FSIS inspection personnel may verify that the label is not falsified by verifying that the appropriate religious organization was contacted.
http://askfsis.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/375/~/if-a-label-bears-a-halal-or-kosher-statement,-does-fsis-have-to-monitor-theIn other words, all the USDA cares about is that if the food product is labeled as Kosher or Halal is that it was certified by "the appropriate religious organization". Should the food processor or slaughter house choose not to obtain a Kosher or Halal certification by a recognized religious organization, the USDA does not require it to be labeled as such.
As far as turkeys and chickens for that matter, small farmers used and still use a method of slaughter that involves cutting the throat of the bird and letting it bleed out. Remember when Sarah Palin came under fire for this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTi7P_1aoTchttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTi7P_1aoTcFWIW while this shows the supposedly “humane” stunning of turkeys prior to being slaughtered, I’m not so sure it is any less “humane”. Really. OMG! Those poor turkeys were obviously afraid and traumatized as they were hung up upside down on a conveyer belt before being humanely shocked just prior to having their throats slit. / s
Turkey Farm & Processing Plant Tour: Temple Grandin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=852zxDEAR-Qhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=852zxDEAR-Q
