In case you missed it:
On Sunday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture ordered the recall of 143 million pounds of beef produced by a California slaughterhouse that is the subject of an animal-abuse investigation.
Officials estimate that about 37 million pounds of the recalled beef went to school programs, but they believe most of the meat probably has already been eaten.
Of that amount of beef, an estimated 80,000 pounds was purchased by the USDA for school lunch and government-sponsored nutrition programs in Colorado in 2007.
On Monday, school officials in Longmont, Pueblo, Commerce City, Windsor and Loveland said ground beef products produced by Chino, Calif.-based Westland/ Hallmark Meat had been pulled. Earlier in the month, school officials in Denver, Aurora, Douglas and Jefferson counties told 9News they placed an administrative hold on beef in their cafeterias.
“We don’t know how much product is out there right now. We don’t think there is a health hazard, but we do have to take this action,” said Dr. Dick Raymond, USDA undersecretary for Food Safety.
Federal officials suspended operations at Westland/Hallmark Meat after an undercover video from the Humane Society of the United States surfaced showing crippled and sick animals being shoved with forklifts.
Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer said his department has evidence that Westland did not routinely contact its veterinarian when cattle became nonambulatory after passing inspection, violating health regulations.
“Because the cattle did not receive complete and proper inspection, Food Safety and Inspection Service has determined them to be unfit for human food, and the company is conducting a recall,” Schafer said in a statement.
The Associated Press
