Beef Recall Puts Schools On Alert

Officials Believe Nearly 40 Million Pounds Went To School Programs

(CBS/AP)  School districts around the country are trying to find out if any of the meat involved in the biggest beef recall in U.S. history is still headed for school lunches.

The school district in Grand Rapids, Michigan, will have to throw out 10 tons of hamburger meat.

It was an undercover video that triggered the recall.

More than 140 million pounds of beef was recalled from a Southern California slaughterhouse after the video showed crippled and sick animals being shoved with forklifts.

No illnesses have been linked to the newly recalled meat, and officials say the health threat is likely small.

Officials said it was the largest beef recall in the United States, surpassing a 1999 ban of 35 million pounds of ready-to-eat meats. No illnesses have been linked to the newly recalled meat, and officials said the health threat was likely small.

The recall will affect beef products dating to Feb. 1, 2006, that came from Chino-based Westland/Hallmark Meat Co., the federal agency said.

About 30 school systems across Tennessee already had been asked to hold off on serving the meat.

CBS News consumer safety correspondent Nancy Cordes first reported on Westland/Hallmark's use of sick, or "downer" cows, on a January broadcast of the CBS Evening News.

Cordes reported that meat-industry officials said at the time that there was no way to know if the cows actually entered the meat supply and that ailing livestock would have had to pass a gauntlet of USDA veterinarians and inspectors before being slaughtered and sent to market.

But Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer now says his department has evidence that Westland did not routinely contact its veterinarian when cattle became non-ambulatory 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.

Federal officials suspended operations at Westland/Hallmark after an undercover video from the Humane Society of the United States surfaced showing crippled and sick animals being shoved with forklifts.

Two former employees were charged Friday. Five felony counts of animal cruelty and three misdemeanors were filed against a pen manager. Three misdemeanor counts - illegal movement of a non-ambulatory animal - were filed against an employee who worked under that manager. Both were fired.

Authorities said the video showed workers kicking, shocking and otherwise abusing "downer" animals that were apparently too sick or injured to walk into the slaughterhouse. Some animals had water forced down their throats, San Bernardino County prosecutor Michael Ramos said.

No charges have been filed against Westland, but an investigation by federal authorities continues.

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.

"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.

Most of the beef was sent to distribution centers in bulk packages. The USDA said it will work with distributors to determine how much meat remains.

Tennessee Agriculture Department spokesman Tom Womack said Friday that state school systems have identified 224 cases of raw ground beef that haven't been used. Each case contains about 40 pounds of meat, he said.

The school systems that still had the meat were mostly in West and East Tennessee, including Shelby County schools, he said.

Womack said that over the past two school years, about 120,000 pounds of raw ground beef from the company has been distributed in Tennessee.

"We don't know how much was consumed or thrown out," Womack said.

Officials are not yet sure how much of the company's processed meat products, which includes items like hamburger patties, are in the schools.

"We're still trying to figure that out," Womack said.

Womack estimated that 294,000 pounds of the processed meat product could have been distributed over the last two school years.

But Womack said that the commodity program makes up only a fraction of food served in the school lunch program.

"USDA surplus commodities only make up about 20 percent of the lunch plate," Womack said. "A relatively small amount of the school lunch plate could be affected by this."

Federal regulations call for keeping downed cattle out of the food supply because they may pose a higher risk of contamination from E. coli, salmonella or mad cow disease because they typically wallow in feces and their immune systems are often weak.

About 150 school districts around the nation have stopped using ground beef from Hallmark Meat Packing Co., which is associated with Westland. Two fast-food chains, Jack-In-the-Box and In-N-Out, said they would not use beef from Westland/Hallmark.

Jack in the Box, a San Diego-based company with restaurants in 18 states, told its meat suppliers not to use Hallmark until further notice, but it was unclear whether it had used any Hallmark meat. In-N-Out, an Irvine-based chain, also halted use of the Westland/Hallmark beef. Other chains such as McDonald's and Burger King said they do not buy beef from Westland.

Raymond countered a claim leveled by Humane Society President and CEO Wayne Pacelle, who said a USDA inspector was at the Westland plant for about two hours each day. USDA inspectors are there at slaughterhouses "continuously," Raymond said.

Federal lawmakers on Thursday had called for the Government Accountability Office to investigate the safety of meat in the National School Lunch Program.

Upon learning about the recall, some legislators criticized the USDA, saying the federal agency should conduct more thorough inspections to ensure tainted beef doesn't get to the public.

"Today marks the largest beef recall in U.S. history, and it involves the national school lunch program and other federal food and nutrition programs," said U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, chairman of the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry. "This begs the question: how much longer will we continue to test our luck with weak enforcement of federal food safety regulations?"

Advocacy groups also weighed in, noting the problems at Westland wouldn't have been revealed had it not been for animal right activists.

"On the one hand, I'm glad that the recall is taking place. On the other, it's somewhat disturbing, given that obviously much of this food has already been eaten," said Jean Halloran, director of food policy initiatives at Consumers Union. "It's really closing the barn door after the cows left."

[coventina-2009]

And I will place a $1000.00 bet that every single one of those involved are "god fearin'''', upright christian'''' individuals that attend church every sunday and believe in that spoonfed *** about humans having "control" over all life on this planet. I wonder what would happen if an alien species thought of us like cattle and what we would do in a similar situation? Lets live in the world of Stinky B from texass and be under educated!!!!!!

Posted by knyghtwolf


Thank you knyghtwolf, you are saying what any intelligent American is thinking! Because it is SO true. ;)

[coventina-2009]

nutsee11 where you from? WV??

I stopped eating meat...and when I went back on to meat there was a difference in me...more energy! Way more energy!!

However...anyone who thinks this is ok...the abuse of cattle or ANY animal, is plain sick, there is no way around it, sorry.

BUY ORGANIC FREE RANGE MEAT!!!!

[bhappy2-2]

not only do i not understand people like you - i have no desire to. the word twisted comes to mind.

Posted by jetlizhan

And yet you have no problem with ripping a living, growing plant up by its roots and eating it. Or tearing parts off while the plant is still alive for your own twisted consumption! Well, To each his own!

[jetlizhan]

behappy2-2

not only do i not understand people like you - i have no desire to. the word twisted comes to mind.

[bhappy2-2]

have you ever stopped on a country road and walked over to a field of cattle and looked one in its huge beautiful eyes?? if you have, you''''ll never eat another steak or hamburger again.

Posted by jetlizhan

I have helped raise them (and chickens, quail, rabbits, etc), fed them, watered them, patted their pretty little heads, then butchered them and had them for dinner. I love animals, too. They taste good!

[tcoleman12]

Looks like it is back to eating lead-based toys for these kids...

[greeneyes222]

Would it be too much to ask that just one Federal agency do the job it''s mandated to do, instead of manufacturing a million reasons why they can''t?

We''re paying an awful lot of money as taxpayers for excuses. There''s no excuse for that, and there''s no excuse for cruelty like this, period. Punish the companies involved, and fire the idiots who run these agencies. It all comes down to responsibility.

[jetlizhan]

just think america - if we all go vegy, these beautiful animals will live, be spayed, neutered like our cats and dogs and there will be ''peace in the valley''. so let''s quit eating MEAT!!! such a simple solution. have you ever stopped on a country road and walked over to a field of cattle and looked one in its huge beautiful eyes?? if you have, you''ll never eat another steak or hamburger again.

[skeezix06]

The meat has been eaten so the company has the money in their pocket and there''s probably nothing left to investigate.

The media is trumpeting over and over as fact that no one got sick (mad cow disease) but a look at mad cow disease shows the incubation period to be 4 years. That means what you guys have been disseminating nonstop over the airwaves a false statement. You, the media, need to stop reporting opinion as facts.

[grammawhamma]

I am an animal lover...the video was horrible!! I''m sure this is happening in more than just this one slaughter house. I guess they need to install serveliance cams at all slaughter houses now. Those involved need to be punished for their cruelty!

But it is crazy to recall tons and tons of meat from two years ago up till today. There were no reports of illness from the meat consumed...and I would think the majority of it was already consumed. Take the recalled meat...test it...and if no problem with it donate it to the poor. But please stop this from happening again!!

[annia1233]

if the recall is for meet from february 2006, isn''t that meat already in the sewers (for lack of better description and not to offend any one)

I would just love to ask one of the top dogs (!) at shrubs USDA just exactly how it was that an employee managed to take all this video - and the local inspector never caught it....
Might be an interesting answer.
On second thought - naw. I really don''t give a rip about his slimy-A** answer...

[ubrew12]

Of course the USDA didn''t uncover these abuses. The USDA, like the EPA, HUD, the State Dept, FEMA, and every other government agency (except the IRS) has, for eight years, been prevented from doing their job by the Bush administration. That''s because these agencies only help ordinary Americans, like school children, and Bush is only about helping the elite Americans he hobnobbs with.

Epitath for the Bush admin: He told us that big government doesnt work. So, we elected him... and he proved it to us!

Think of it: think of getting hired to prove that your job can''t be done!! That is ONE SWEET JOB!

[happyveg]

This is disgusting! I was actually watching a CBS local station about this story. I''m furious right now. People have actually called in to complain that the video of these poor animals being abused is to cruel to watch. What?!? Has American really got to this? Americans are so ignorant now that they can''t even sit down and watch a video of what is going on. No let''s just sit our fat butts on the couch for countless hours and be completely oblivious of what is really going on here. Has anyone ever taken the time to watch undercover videos from Peta or other animal welfare websites showing what is really on your plate? The abuse and torture these animals go thru so you can have a juicy cheeseburger that in the end is going to clog your heart and kill you. This doesn''t just happen to one slaughterhouse, this happens to practically all of them. Learn the facts, watch the videos, be informed. Watch the horrible conditions these animals live in. The torture animals go through. Thank God my family is vegan.

[cantshutup]

Thank you Westland/Hallmark...I will NEVER eat beef again...And I''ll be packing my kids lunches (NO BEEF!) from now on!!!

[lovesamerica]

The crueltys dealt to other species, and even to our own,are appalling. Every living thing deserves to be treated with kindness and respect and shown compassion. This world is getting pretty friggin'' scary,people have always been cruel,it is in our very nature,but the atrocities that are taking place show a very deep and frightening sickness,the more we ''progress'' the more we digress...Be kind

[missut2]

Guess it would explain why people from Tennessee are so messed up.


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Posted by shanev137 at 04:24 PM : Feb 18, 2008
+ report abuse

Just exactly what do you mean by this statement??? Other than showing your ignorance, that is.....

[randynason]

I hope that this recall is enough to not only cripple Western Meat Company, but to permanently ruin and close it, for good. This, as a sign to all the others. There are so many- The cruelty and the abuse-

[bjg524]

Let''s keep showing the videos over and over and over again. It''s one thing to report a story.....it''s another to keep repeating the same video every morning and every evening for days. It is a disgusting and sickening situation and even more so in that we have to watch it in every broadcast.

[ioweign]

No one got any diseases by this meat. This is big news because of what again?

Posted by easeup at 04:39 PM : Feb 18, 2008

It is against the law to forklift, slaughter and butcher sick cattle. Did they run this past Mukasey, Scalia and Cheney first before recalling the beef ??