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February 26, 2008


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NEWS

Area Schools Affected By Beef Recall

By Linda Bolton
linda@mckenziebanner.com

Thirty-three boxes of ground beef at three Carroll County school systems are labeled “Do Not Use” and are awaiting disposition instructions following a USDA recall last week.

Carroll, Henry and Weakley county school systems are among several throughout the state that received beef now considered part of the largest beef recall in the nation’s history.

The USDA has recalled 143 million pounds of beef from the Westland/Hallmark Meat Company dating back to February 2006. The company provided meat to various federal programs. The recall comes after the Humane Society released an undercover video showing what it says is the company torturing sick and injured animals.

According to the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, 224.5 cases, or 8,980 pounds of meat were determined to be in schools in the state. The department has identified 30 schools systems with the recalled beef.

Fortunately none of the 33 cases of recalled ground beef that was found in three of Carroll County’s five school systems had been served in the cafeterias. In Henry County, Paris Special School District had four cases and Henry County schools had eight cases. Weakley County schools reported finding seven cases in their inventory.

Rita Brandon, food service director for McKenzie schools said 22 cases, or 880 pounds, of the bulk packaged meat was found at McKenzie’s three cafeterias. Nine cases at the high school, six cases at the middle school, and seven cases at the elementary school have been separated from other inventory in the schools’ freezers and labeled “Do Not Use.”

McKenzie School System received notification on January 31 to place the ground beef on hold until a decision could be made by USDA. On February 17, the hold was changed to a recall. On February 19, Brandon received an e-mail that USDA would issue additional guidance concerning the recalled meat in the coming days.

Brandon explained that meat received by the school system is used on a “first in, first out” basis and the local school system had not begun using the recalled beef because of other inventory that arrived sooner.

“Our system has a HACCP Safety Plan which includes standard operating procedures to handle recalls, said Brandon. “This plan allows us to provide safety to our students when dealing with recalls. None of the beef product has ever been served in our cafeterias and never will be served.”

“Our goal is to serve our students a safe, quality and nutritious meal,” she added.

Carlene Kelly, Food Service Supervisor for Huntingdon schools, said five unopened cases of the recalled meat was found in the high school freezer and one case was found at the middle school for a total of 240 pounds of ground beef.

“When I received notification from USDA, I emailed all my supervisors and asked them to check their inventory,” said Kelly, who noted the boxes of Westland ground beef were then labeled “Do Not Use.” All food service employees have also been advised concerning the recalled meat.

Regina McGuire, Food Service Supervisor for Hollow Rock-Bruceton schools said she has five boxes of the recalled meat on hold there.

All three food service directors stated they are currently awaiting word from the USDA advising them the disposition of the meat, whether it will be destroyed or returned. The schools will eventually be reimbursed by Westland/Hallmark Meat Company for the unusable ground beef.

Agriculture officials said the massive recall surpasses 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.

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.

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February 26, 2008