USDA issues largest ever beef recall at Chino plant
The recall includes 143 million pounds of raw and frozen beef. The chance of illness is called 'remote.'
February 18, 2008
The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced the recall of 143 million pounds of raw and frozen beef from a troubled Chino meat-packing company, deeming it unfit for human consumption because of lapses in required inspections.
Agriculture Department officials called this the largest beef recall in the United States, surpassing the ban in 1999 of 35 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat.
The USDA said there was "a remote probability of adverse health consequences from the use of the product." But officials said it is likely that most of the recalled meat, some of which was distributed through federal programs to schools, has already been consumed.
The cattle "did not receive complete and proper inspection," according to a news release issued by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service in Washington, D.C. Information received by the agency shows that Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Co. "did not consistently contact the FSIS public health veterinarian" as required when cattle became nonambulatory after being inspected, the release said.
Department spokesman Keith Williams noted that today's beef recall, while the largest in history, was not based on the same levels of concern for public health as in some prior recalls.
"There is a remote probability of any serious health concern . . . but we are taking this action because of our regulations" and in abundance of caution, Williams said of the recall.
Problems at the plant first went public following the release of a video showing treatment of animals at the plant between Oct. 11 and Nov. 9.
The video, taken surreptitiously by the Humane Society of the United States, led schools nationwide to pull beef supplied by the company from cafeterias.
In the video, a manager is shown using a paddle to hit a nonambulatory cow in the face and eye in an attempt, authorities said, to get the animal to its feet to be taken to slaughter.
By law, cattle that cannot walk are not allowed to be slaughtered for human consumption because they are more likely to carry bovine spongiform encephalopathy, otherwise known as mad cow disease.
Also last week, the U.S Department of Agriculture suspended inspections at Hallmark, which effectively closed the plant. Earlier this month, several California lawmakers, including Rep. George Miller (D-Martinez), called for an independent investigation into the National School Lunch Program, for which Hallmark was a top supplier.
San Bernardino County prosecutors last week filed felony charges of animal cruelty and illegal movement of nonambulatory animals against the manager, Daniel Ugarte Navarro, 49, of Pomona.
It was not immediately clear where the recalled meat products are, but the USDA said some Westland meat products were purchased for federal food and nutrition programs. The agency placed a Jan. 30 hold on all Westland products in federal outlets, including the National School Lunch Program, the Emergency Food Assistance Program and the Food Assistance Program on Indian Reservations, USDA officials said Sunday.
The USDA recall list issued today includes beef products with the Westland, King Meat Co., Regal and Hallmark Meat Packing labels.
"Because the cattle did not receive complete and proper inspection FSIS has determined them to be unfit for human food and the company is conducting a recall," Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer said in a statement.
The recall includes 143 million pounds of raw and frozen beef. The chance of illness is called 'remote.'
February 18, 2008
The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced the recall of 143 million pounds of raw and frozen beef from a troubled Chino meat-packing company, deeming it unfit for human consumption because of lapses in required inspections.
Agriculture Department officials called this the largest beef recall in the United States, surpassing the ban in 1999 of 35 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat.
The USDA said there was "a remote probability of adverse health consequences from the use of the product." But officials said it is likely that most of the recalled meat, some of which was distributed through federal programs to schools, has already been consumed.
The cattle "did not receive complete and proper inspection," according to a news release issued by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service in Washington, D.C. Information received by the agency shows that Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Co. "did not consistently contact the FSIS public health veterinarian" as required when cattle became nonambulatory after being inspected, the release said.
Department spokesman Keith Williams noted that today's beef recall, while the largest in history, was not based on the same levels of concern for public health as in some prior recalls.
"There is a remote probability of any serious health concern . . . but we are taking this action because of our regulations" and in abundance of caution, Williams said of the recall.
Problems at the plant first went public following the release of a video showing treatment of animals at the plant between Oct. 11 and Nov. 9.
The video, taken surreptitiously by the Humane Society of the United States, led schools nationwide to pull beef supplied by the company from cafeterias.
In the video, a manager is shown using a paddle to hit a nonambulatory cow in the face and eye in an attempt, authorities said, to get the animal to its feet to be taken to slaughter.
By law, cattle that cannot walk are not allowed to be slaughtered for human consumption because they are more likely to carry bovine spongiform encephalopathy, otherwise known as mad cow disease.
Also last week, the U.S Department of Agriculture suspended inspections at Hallmark, which effectively closed the plant. Earlier this month, several California lawmakers, including Rep. George Miller (D-Martinez), called for an independent investigation into the National School Lunch Program, for which Hallmark was a top supplier.
San Bernardino County prosecutors last week filed felony charges of animal cruelty and illegal movement of nonambulatory animals against the manager, Daniel Ugarte Navarro, 49, of Pomona.
It was not immediately clear where the recalled meat products are, but the USDA said some Westland meat products were purchased for federal food and nutrition programs. The agency placed a Jan. 30 hold on all Westland products in federal outlets, including the National School Lunch Program, the Emergency Food Assistance Program and the Food Assistance Program on Indian Reservations, USDA officials said Sunday.
The USDA recall list issued today includes beef products with the Westland, King Meat Co., Regal and Hallmark Meat Packing labels.
"Because the cattle did not receive complete and proper inspection FSIS has determined them to be unfit for human food and the company is conducting a recall," Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer said in a statement.
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