Pico Rivera’s Planning Commission has unanimously voted to revoke planning permission for Manning Beef, a decision that permanently blocks the former slaughterhouse from reopening in the LA County city.
The move followed a public protest outside City Hall on 22nd June 2026, where animal advocates and residents called on officials to stop the bankrupt facility from resuming operations under a new name, Palermo Meats. Manning Beef had been the last cow slaughterhouse operating in Los Angeles County before closing in 2025, and campaigners had warned that any restart would prolong animal suffering in the area.
Animal Outlook said the site had a long record of alleged abuses. Its undercover investigation in 2024 led to a US Department of Agriculture citation for excessive stunning of a downed cow, while records reportedly showed 61 violations between 2018 and the closure in 2025. Those included breaches of the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act for starving animals, shocking them excessively, and beating them in the face.
The organisation also said the USDA had suspended inspections at the facility in 2020 after what it called “an egregious act of inhumane handling of animals”, and again in 2022 because of repeated noncompliance with stunning requirements. Separate sanitation records obtained through a Freedom of Information request reportedly documented cockroach infestations, clogged plumbing, structural leaks, and contamination risks involving live insects and dripping water.
Ben Williamson, Executive Director of Animal Outlook, said, “This is a pivotal moment for Pico Rivera and for animal protection in Los Angeles County… We’ve seen what happens when communities stand together, like when Farmer John in Vernon closed and moved out of state. The City has an opportunity to ensure this 100-year-old business never again operates as a place of animal suffering and instead the property becomes an asset that truly benefits the community.”
Ellen Dent, Executive Director of Animal Alliance Network, said, “We have faith that with enough support from the public that the City of Pico Rivera will be able to move on with plans that will not involve continuing to slaughter animals at this location… We hope that instead this location will be transformed into a space for the community to thrive in.”
