Cow Suspected To Have Mad Cow Disease Slaughtered At Rubashkin Plant Despite USDA Efforts

I just got off a conference call press conference with the UFCW Union. I'll have more to say about the latest Rubashkin scandal shortly. In the meantime, here is the Forward's coverage of the new scandal:

…The AgriProcessors slaughterhouse in Postville, Iowa, received 250 non-compliance records from the United States Department of Agriculture during 2006, five of them for inadequate safeguards against Mad Cow disease, and multiple others for fecal matter in the food production area. While the entire beef, poultry and egg industry had 34 recalls in 2006, AgriProcessors had two during the last eight months, both of them Class I, the highest risk level.

In both March and September of 2006 the USDA sent the AgriProcessors plant manager a “Letter of Warning” reviewing a series of problems. At the end of the three-page letter in September, the inspector wrote that the slaughterhouse’s efforts to correct the problems had been “ineffective.” The letter concluded: “these findings lead us to question your ability to maintain sanitary conditions, and to produce a safe and wholesome product.”…

The documents were released in response to a Freedom of Information Act request by the United Food and Commercial Workers, which has been attempting to unionize the workers at the Postville plant. The documents all stem from incidents between January 1, 2006 and January 24, 2007. …

The 250 USDA non-compliance records given to AgriProcessors during 2006 vary from benign matters of protocol to what the inspectors term “very serious” violations.

There were at least 18 records in which AgriProcessors was cited for having fecal matter on the animals being prepared. During the last 10 days of December, after AgriProcessors had received its letter of warning, it received six warnings for fecal matter. On December 26, the inspector wrote that during multiple checks of 10 chickens “fecal contamination varied between 70 and 80%.” Other problems, including bile contamination, were noted at the time. After a number of warnings, the inspector wrote that “further planned actions have either not been implemented or have not been effective.”

The inspector issued another similar citation a day later.

There were also at least five instances in which AgriProcessors was cited for not taking the required measures to fend off Mad Cow disease. In one instance, an inspector says he asked for a suspicious cow to be taken off the line and later discovered that the cow had been slaughtered with the rest of the animals. The inspector says he informed someone at the company of the “very serious noncompliance that had occurred.”

It is not immediately clear how these statistics compare to those at other similarly sized slaughterhouses. The company did have two major recalls within the last eight months, which can be compared with the 35 recalls made in the entire meat, poultry and egg industry during 2006.

In January of this year AgriProcessors recalled 35,000 pounds of beef due to mislabeling that did not mention egg albumen. Most recently, in July, 2,700 pounds of hot dogs were recalled due to “possible underprocessing.” Both of these were Class I recalls, which are made when there is a “reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.”

The JTA reporter at the conference seemed very concerned about the union's motive and not at all concerned about the health and safety violations at Agriprocessors. The JTA reporter asked almost as a statement rather than a question, "Aren't you endangering jobs" by publicizing this information? ""Isn't it out of your purview" to be dealing with violations at a plant that is not unionized?  None of the other Jewish newspaper reporters who asked questions seemed conversant with the issues. This says volumes about was passes for Jewish journalism in America.

(The Forward's story was posted during – or just moments before – the conference and the Forward had already interviewed the union representatives and the USDA. In other words, my criticism does not extend to the Forward.)

The USDA material attached below shows that Rubashkin was caught on at least two occasions slaughtering animals over 30 months of age without properly tagging them. Animals over 30 months of age are more likely to have BSE (Mad Cow Disease). Their carcasses are handled differently than younger cattle, and all spinal and brain matter is removed and disposed of. If animals are improperly tagged or not tagged, the precautionary measures to prevent the spread of BSE are not taken.

Inspectors cannot be in all places at all times. If these BSE violations were caught twice in such a short time, it is probable that many other BSE violations took place but were not caught by USDA FSIS inspectors.

This means you and your family may have eaten meat that was not handled in a manner meant to prevent the spread of BSE.

The same holds true for meat contaminated with fecal and bile matter and foreign objects.

A spokesman for the USDA's FSIS says the plant is now "in compliance."

All I can tell you is the front line inspectors would love to do more to stop this type of dangerous and negligent behavior from plant owners like Rubashkin. Unfortunately, their political-level bosses at the Bush USDA don't seem see it that way. Imagine Alberto Gonzales watching over the safety of your food supply when the purveyors of that supply are his friends and the friends of the President.

Here is the entire UFCW Union report:

Download agriprocessorsreport.pdf

Here are the USDA FSIS documents that make up the basis for the UFCW charges:

Download BSEMadCow.PDF

Download LettersofWarning.PDF

Download Fecalandbilecontamination.PDF

Download ForeignObjectsinFood.PDF

Download Mislabeling.PDF

Download RodentIssues.PDF

Comments

[Yochanan Lavie]

Judaism is suffering from Mad Rabbi Disease.

[Shmarya]

LOL!

[John K. Diamond]

"A spokesman for the USDA's FSIS says the plant is now "in compliance.""

All I can say to this statement is "bullsh-t."

[Shmarya]

John –

It is exactly "bullsh-t" that is being made "kosher" and "safe"!

[John K. Diamond]

The question that keeps repeating itself is: Where in the h-ll was the OU, KAJ, etc. during 2006 when all these violations occured?

We now have a "Mad Cow" disease crises on our hands. It will be unknown how much "Rubashkin Meat" has been infected and is now on grocers' shelves and worse, how much has already been consumed, so that an unknown number of innocent people will have to die in the future.

[steve]

On December 26, the inspector wrote that during multiple checks of 10 chickens “fecal contamination varied between 70 and 80%.”

These are the famous Aaron's "glatt kosher chickens". I can't wait to read Lubinsky's spin on this. I think he deserves a raise from Rubashkin, having to come up with excuses for them every week.

[Shmarya]

Let's be clear here, John. No one knows if any of those cows had BSE.

The USDA caught a suspect cow and tagged it. Rubashkin slaughtered it anyway and put the cow in the regular food chain. The USDA caught that and pulled the carcass and required other carcasses around it to be trimmed.

But it is very possible that a plant so poorly run would have had other cases just like this one, except the USDA did not catch the cow or did not catch the later mishandling of it.

[John K. Diamond]

"But it is very possible that a plant so poorly run would have had other cases just like this one, except the USDA did not catch the cow or did not catch the later mishandling of it."

Yes, this is why it is unknown how much Rubashkin Meat has been infected and what prompted me to post my statement.

I'm sure that "well run" slaughterhouses do take all of the necessary precautions against BSE.

Because Rubashkin doesn't seem to be doing the same, one should be extremely wary to assume his meat is completely safe.

[steve]

Shmarya, you're doing an unbelievable job of exposing these frauds. In the end, it's the kosher consumer that will shut down Rubashkin. If they don't care about the kashrut issues, the workers issues,or about the tzaar baalei chayim issues, they must pay attention to these health issues which affect them directly.

[Anon]

Doesn't sound like the cow was suspected to have mad cow disease, just that not all precautions were taken. doesn't make it right but the title of this post is just sensationalism.

[Shmarya]

Doesn't sound like you read all that well.

The cow WAS suspected to have mad cow and was condemed and tagged by the USDA, which should have prevened its slaughter. Instead, Rubashkin and Co. shechted the animal and out it in the regular food supply line. The USDA caught this, removed the carcass, and made Rubashkin trim all nearby carcasses.

[Chaim Yankel]

John - In all fairness, and I am not an Agri apologist, there really isn't much fear here about BSE actaully hitting the food chain.

The USDA does very frequent checks of beef and certainly of a cow that was tagged and then slaughtered anyway, and nothing has come back postive.

The allegations that Agri doens't follow proper procedure and safety guidelines may be (propably) true, but do not freak everyone out and say there is Mad Cow in every kosher home in America.

[John K. Diamond]

Chaim,

When just one cow infected with BSE appeared in the US some years ago, the Japanese banned all imported beef from the US for years. They took the danger very seriously, as potential purchasers of Rubashkin meat should.

Rubashkin has a reputation of buying the lowest grade cattle possible to maximize his profits. Where he gets these animals is anybody's guess. Some may come from South America, where animal welfare standards are extremely poor. So it's quite possible that BSE infected cattle slip though and are not caught.

I'm not trying to cause any hysteria, but the buyer should avoid Rubashkin meat to be completely safe.

[Anon]

--Doesn't sound like you read all that well.--

Thank you but I can read quite well. There was nothing in your post, including the article you quoted, that indicated that the cow was suspected of having mad cow disease. Just that required precautions against mad cow disease were not taken. Doesn't make it right, but your headline is still sensationalism.

[steve]

In one instance, an inspector says he asked for a suspicious cow to be taken off the line and later discovered that the cow had been slaughtered with the rest of the animals

To anon @4:14, what do you think they were suspicious of, AIDS?

[Anon]

--Some may come from South America, where animal welfare standards are extremely poor. So it's quite possible that BSE infected cattle slip though and are not caught.--

Slipped though? How? You think the cow snuck through the desert with the Mexican immigrants and wandered into the Rubashkin plant? I suppose its possible but wouldn't bet my money on it. I may be wrong, but I don't believe that Rubashkin has a slaughterhouse in South America. FWIW, South American and Central American cows are not necessarily lower grade. However, they are often very different. Many SA & CA herds are grass fed until they are slaughtered. This results in it taking longer for the cow (or steer) to reach an appropriate weight for slaughter. It also results in leaner (healthier but tougher) meat. The difference can also very depending on where the cows graze. The more they need to walk to get their food the leaner they meat will be. In the US after a couple of months the cows are raised in feed lots, they receive commercially produced feed, drugs and possibly hormones. When you walk into that restaurant and down the steak that is soft as butter, you can pretty much be assured that it is US beef - softer, though perhaps less healthy. There is no better or worse - just different - and there are markets for both products.

[Anon]

--To anon @4:14, what do you think they were suspicious of, AIDS?--

Wasn't there so can't say for sure what happened, but based on the article it just seems that certain precautions were not followed. As a general rule, in the US cows over a certain age must be tagged and Rubashkin didn't follow procedures. They must be tagged because there is a greater possibility that a cow that age developed mad cow disease. But there is no indication that there was any suspicion that a cow slaughtered by Rubashkin actually had this disease. again, this doesnt make what they did right.

[Shmarya]

I may be wrong, but I don't believe that Rubashkin has a slaughterhouse in South America.

You are wrong.

John –

The cattle are slaughter in SA, not here. The meat is shipped here.

[Michael Croland]

Chaim, Re: "The USDA does very frequent checks of beef ...."

According to a July 2006 AP article (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/20/AR2006072001709.html), the USDA only inspects about 110 cows a day, down 90% from what it was before that in this country. In comparison, Japan and England test EVERY cow slaughtered for mad cow disease.

I'm not sure at this point that AgriProcessors poses any greater risk for mad cow in its beef than other USDA-inspected slaughterhouses, but the whole system is just inviting for a mad cow outbreak. If you're worried about mad cow disease, steer clear of beef.

[Michael Croland]

The Forward article noted (and Steve quoted): "On December 26, the inspector wrote that during multiple checks of 10 chickens 'fecal contamination varied between 70 and 80%.'"

Lots of chicken carcasses in this country do have fecal/bacterial contamination (and this isn't unique to AgriProcessors:

* A Johns Hopkins study found that 96% of Tyson chicken carcasses were contaminated with campylobacter bacteria (http://www.jhsph.edu/PublicHealthNews/Press_Releases/2005/Price_campylobacter_chicken.html)
* A USDA study found that more than 99 percent of "broiler" chicken carcasses sold in stores had detectable levels of E. coli (an indicator of fecal contamination).
* Men's Health magazine recently ranked chicken from supermarkets at the TOP of its "10 Dirtiest Foods" list because of the high rate of bacterial contimination.
* According to Consumer Reports, "1.1 million or more Americans sickened each year by undercooked, tainted chicken."

If you're eating animals (including chickens), there's a good chance you're ingesting some poop. That isn't unique to AgriProcessors. But it does need to be talked about, so I'm glad this case is in the spotlight.

[Shmarya]

Michael –

You're conflating two separate things.

Bacterial contamination is microscopic in nature.

What was found at Agriprocessors was actual visible fecal matter.

[Michael Croland]

Shmarya, thanks for the clarification. I stand corrected.

If these are separate problems, though, that doesn't make the situation any better!

[Shmarya]

Lol! No, it makes it worse!

[Anon]

--If you're worried about mad cow disease, steer clear of beef.--

A human form of BSE is only known to be transmitted by eating central nervous system tissue, such as brain and spinal cord, from cattle infected with mad cow disease. So long as you don't eat those it is a safe bet that you won't contract mad cow disease. BTW, kosher food is according to some safer in this regard. For non-kosher slaughter they initial stun the cow by shooting a projectile into its head. This causes damage to the brain and some people have raised concerns that this could cause some brain matter to contaminate other parts of the cow.

[Shmarya]

A human form of BSE is only known to be transmitted by eating central nervous system tissue, such as brain and spinal cord, from cattle infected with mad cow disease. So long as you don't eat those it is a safe bet that you won't contract mad cow disease.

that is only if the spinal cord and related material is safely and properly removed before processing.

Agriprocessors got a violation for failure to do this, as well.

[Chaim Yankel]

Michael - Yes, the USDA doesn't check nearly enough heads each day. But in this case, the head was tagged, slaughtered anyway, then caught again and removed from the food chain, and then tested -- I would assume.

So.. my point still is.. there isn't any greater risk of BSE at Agri than anywhere else.

The fecal matter is another story.. Yuck!

(BTW - Agri does slaughter in Iowa and SA)

[ben yomo]

I'm not trying to cause any hysteria,

of course you're not, John

[Stephen Mendelsohn]

BS"D

The OU and others in the kosher meat industry have long claimed that kosher meat is safer regarding Mad Cow disease because of the prohibition against stunning (which according to Rabbi Genack of the OU causes brain matter to be scattered to other parts of the animal's body), and the halachic unacceptability of downer cattle for kosher use. See http://www.oukosher.org/index.php/faqs/single/feedlots

So where is the OU here? Is this another deception?

[John K. Diamond]

Great Post Steve.

The OU doesn't really give a damn.

It couldn't care less about animal cruelty on factory farms, worker abuses at all levels of animal agriculture or even about proper shechitah or health related issues such as BSE.

All it seems to care about is how it can manage to have as profitable a bottom financial line as possible, that is, that "Profits come before Prophets."

[Anon]

>Agriprocessors got a violation for failure to do this, as well.

Before you get on your high horse about Rubashkin, why don't you compare how many violations Rubashkin has vs other shops. Why not try Hebrew National. I believe this is all public records. All meat packers and slaughters get violations periodically the question is whether Rubashkin gets more than most.

[Shmarya]

You truly are challenged. Note that the post itself says:

It is not immediately clear how these statistics compare to those at other similarly sized slaughterhouses. The company did have two major recalls within the last eight months, which can be compared with the 35 recalls made in the entire meat, poultry and egg industry during 2006.

Also note that 250 violation in less than 13 months is almost one per day. That seems high. When I worked in meat plants getting a violation was rare.

[C-G]

This is a link to a consumer awareness group that tracks individual companies as well as conglomerates like ConAgra, which owns Hebrew National.
http://coopamerica.org/programs/rs/profile.cfm?id=206

You can find info about violations in categories like Health & Safety, the Environment, Human Rights & more.

Hebrew National isn't mentioned in any of these categories.

[Anon]

--Also note that 250 violation in less than 13 months is almost one per day. That seems high. When I worked in meat plants getting a violation was rare.--

Which meat plant did you work in and in what capacity. For the very large plants, I understand large number of violations are quite normal - not sure if 250 is above or below average. Few things to bear in mind, any violation is likely to result in multiple citation - so, for example, 10 violations could simply refer to a single screw up. Also, 250 violations is proportionately the same as 1 violation for a shop that is 1/250 in size.

[Shmarya]

Several different slaughterhouses doing 500 to 600 kosher head per day. Also Hebrew National processing in Indianapolis.

[John K. Diamond]

What seems to be quite interesting to me is the following:

1. PETA has a "Whistleblower Program", where employees in the animal agriculture businesses can secretly bring to it's attention animal cruelty or abuse which will be investigated.

2. Why is it that only Rubashkin animal enterprises seem to have been singled out among all other Kosher establishments?

[Anon]

"Several different slaughterhouses doing 500 to 600 kosher head per day. Also Hebrew National processing in Indianapolis"

Again, what capacity? I highly doubt you were in a position at Hebrew National where they would alert you each time they were cited for a violation. Why don't you do your research and you can let us know whether Hebrew National got more or less than 250 citations in a year.

"Why is it that only Rubashkin animal enterprises seem to have been singled out among all other Kosher establishments?"

Because there is currently a drive to unionize Rubashkin. This is a common unionization tactic to dig up dirt on a company and use it to convince people of a need to have a union there. Can't say how much of it is true and how it compares to Rubashkin's competitors but, under the circumstances, I would take everything with a grant of salt.

[Shmarya]

Again, what capacity? I highly doubt you were in a position at Hebrew National where they would alert you each time they were cited for a violation.

I worked on the same lines as the USDA FSIS inspectors, knew them well and knew whenever USDA tags were issued.

Why don't you do your research and you can let us know whether Hebrew National got more or less than 250 citations in a year.

We'll see what turns up when all the FOIA requests are answered. Right now, all I have to go on is my personal experience and what I hear from industry insiders and Rubashkin workers and rabbis.

All these sources agree that Rubashkin has major problems.

Rabbis told me almost 3 years ago when the first scandal at Postville broke that these problems existed. They were concerned primarily with mislabeling and mishandling of certain aspects of kosher production, but the general problems were mentioned by them, as well.

I find it strange that Orthodox Jews are busy defending a company that treats the health and safety of its customers in such a cavalier fashion.

[Lev]

Dear Shmarya,
Sometimes I disagree with you.
But our common sore point is the totalitarian cult called Chabad.
I am a Soviet Jew who left 15 years ago.
Before that I played tennis with "Rabbi" Lazar lap dog and translator "Boruh" Gorin.
You know first hand about Lubavitch corruption in the Free World.
Imagine what is going on in places like Russia where is no Rule of Law.
Russia not only sells weapons but the main supporter of Arabs, Iran, Syria, etc.
Meanwhile Lazar-Gorin made Volodya Putin-leuitenant colonel of KGB- to be 8th Lubavitcher Rebbe.
So:Long Live our Rebbe God King (Tzar)Messiah Leoilom Voed.
P.S. Still, you should pay more attention to Lazar haschoso then to "Godol Hadors".
They are irrelevant in the USA.

[Lev]

BTW, I asked and was told 10 years ago by a little-known posek who is mechutan of the one of the leading "yeshivish" baaleibatim(no names called! Shmarya, I know your rule)-that that Hebrew National is not glatt but KOSHER!
It's not hazir like Someone (no names) sold in Munsey(Dershowitz spelling)

[nonjew]

How could it be possible for a cow eating cow to be kosher?