| Massive Beef Recall Impacts West Kentucky Schools |
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A massive beef recall has direct impact to 17 Kentucky school districts, including six in Western Kentucky. Each affective school district will be forced to dispose of hundreds of pounds of hamburger patties, sloppy joes and taco meat, as part of the largest nationwide beef recall in history.
On Sunday, February 17, 2008 the U.S. Department of Agriculture ordered a recall of 143 million pounds of beef from a Southern California slaughterhouse. The recall stemmed from an investigation for animal abuse at the slaughterhouse.
The company under investigation provided meat to various federal programs, including school lunches. USDA officials estimate that about 37 million pounds of the recalled beef went to school programs. However, these officials thought most of the meat probably has already been consumed. The recall affects beef products dating to Feb. 1, 2006.
To date, 17 Kentucky school districts have reported to the state agriculture department that they received beef products affected by the recall, 6 school districts are in west Kentucky. Schools were notified through the food processors that distributed the beef products to put the meat on hold, said Bill Clary, spokesman for the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.
Federal officials have said no illnesses have been linked to the recalled meat, and that the health threat was probably small.
Clary said the recall is precautionary. "There is no indication that there is anything necessarily wrong with the product itself," he added.
Some school districts said they served the meat before being notified of a recall, but Beth Fisher, public information officer with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, said the state health department has not received a report of illness related to the recall.
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 were filed against an employee who worked under that manager. Both were fired.
No charges have been filed against Westland, but an investigation by federal authorities continues.
School districts with recalled beef
(** West Kentucky)
Anderson County
Breckinridge County**
Clark County
Daviess County**
Erlanger Independent
Fayette County
Fulton County**
Hardin County
Henry County
Jefferson County
Marion County
Marshall County**
Mayfield Independent**
Meade County**
Montgomery County
Perry County
Shelby County
These school districts have reported to the state Department of Agriculture that they received beef involved in the recall:
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