The Humane Society was criticized by federal officials at a Congressional hearing for delaying the release of an undercover video that touched off the biggest beef recall in history, reports The New York Times.

The group was responsible for the release of a video of what appears to be sick or lame cattle being forced to their feet with forklifts, hoses, and electric prods at the Westland/Hallmark Meat Company in Chino, Calif., in October and November, a method that poses a slight risk of introducing disease into the food supply.

The video was not released publicly by the Humane Society until late January, however. “Why wait until February to release the video?” Rep. Michael C. Burgess, Republican of Texas, pressed a Humane Society representative.

Ed Schafer, the secretary of agriculture, voiced similar disappointment last week when he stated that “for four months, theoretically, animals were not being properly treated, and the Humane Society stood by and allowed it to happen.”

Humane Society representatives defended their position on Tuesday, explaining that they had immediately taken the tape to local prosecutors in California and released it publicly after becoming frustrated with the slow pace of the prosecutor’s investigation.

Paul Shapiro, who oversees issues involving farm-animal abuse for the Humane Society, said the criticism of the Humane Society was misdirected. “First and foremost, the USDA should not be relying on a private animal-welfare charity to do its job for them,” he said.

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