According to Rabbi Genack, none of these is reason for the OU to withdraw its kashruth supervision, especially since he has found, over the years, that Agri is willing to make changes as necessary.
He explained that, during past 20 years, virtually all small and medium-sized slaughter houses in the US, which used to produce kosher products in addition to non-kosher meat, have closed down.
"They just couldn't survive,"- said Rabbi Genack.
As opposed to most meatpackers, Agri was designed to produce only kosher meat and poultry. Because the company also sells its products in Israel (it is the only American slaughterhouse permitted by the Chief Rabbinate to do so), it has had to conform to Israeli rabbinic standards, some of which tend to make American consumers queasy.
KAJ
This may explain why KAJ decided to separate itself from Agri. In a talk at the Jewish Center of Teaneck last month, entitled "From Coca-Cola to Postville: Issues in Kashruth,"- Rabbi Genack explained that KAJ wanted Agri to use a "rotating pen"- for shechita. However, Israeli Chief Rabbinate insists that slaughterhouses use the "inverted pen,"- because, with this device, there is no danger of the animal "falling on the knife,"- which would render the meat treif.
Rabbi Genack said he has spent a great deal of time discussing this issue with the Israeli rabbinate and other kashrus experts.
He has also called in Dr. Temple Grandin, the recognized foremost expert in animal welfare in the US, who has promoted a shechita-friendly procedure designed to lessen the stress of the animal before slaughter (it involves using a ramp so that the animal does not loose its footing and a pen with a hydraulic lift that holds the head in place). Thus far, however, Israeli authorities will permit only shechita that has the animal lying on its back.
But bringing Dr. Grandin to Agri has made a difference, said Rabbi Genack. She has suggested compromises, adopted by Agri, which have prompted her to praise the plant for its willingness to make changes.
Making Corrections
Similarly, said Rabbi Genack, the OU was not likely to withdraw its supervision of Agri if the plant can correct any violations that are discovered.
"Many plants have OSHA violations. Like Agri, they correct them and continue doing business. It does not mean they become non-kosher,"- said Rabbi Genack, adding that the OU's policy is to leave matters of immigration and labor standards to the government.
However, he said, the cumulative effect of Agri's problems prompted him to convince the owners that "they could not correct all these issues on their own."-
"They haven't been cruel or evil, but they've been sloppy, and now is the time to correct it,"- said Rabbi Genack.
At Rabbi Genack's urging, the Rubashkin family announced last month that it was beginning an aggressive search for a new chief executive officer. In a prepared statement, the company said that, in an effort to achieve normalcy and future growth, Sholom Rubashkin, Aaron Rubashkin's son and Agri's current CEO, will be replaced with a new management team, including professional compliance personnel.
Continued Supervision
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