The E. coli Disaster

The E. coli Disaster By Sandy Powerscomplains the Agriculture Department's Food and
Dead rats shoveled into sausage-grinding machines;Safety and Inspection Service does not deal with
bribed inspectors; diseased cows slaughtered forNebraska Meat harsh enough, especially considering
beef; filth and guts swept off the floor to be sold asthe long list of violations by the meat company.
"potted ham"---exposé of the Chicago'sAccording to Human Rights Watch, Nebraska Beef,
meat-packing industry in Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle,"Ltd. is "a privately-held firm which does not file annual
published in 1906. An outraged public demandedreports with the U.S. Federal Securities and Exchange
reforms in the meat industry. Congress respondedCommission. Nebraska Beef was founded in 1995 by
with the creation of the Pure Food and Drug Act anda group of investors led by company president
the Meat Inspection Act of 1906, which later becameWilliam Hughes in alliance with Day Lee Inc., the U.S.
the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).arm of Nippon Ham of Japan." Hughes had earlier
Crippled and diseased cows electrically prodded andserved as executive vice president of BeefAmerica,
forklifted into the slaughterhouse to be processedwhich had repeated sanitation violations, including
and packaged for sale by Westland/Hallmark Meatcontamination of meat with fecal matter.
Company of California; E. coli contaminated beef usedBeefAmerica has since filed for bankruptcy. Hughes
in school lunch programs; federal judge blockedmoved to Nebraska Beef.
restraining order against Nebraska Beef filed by theEven with all the publicity for the serious violations by
USDA that argued serious food-safety violationsNebraska Beef, Coleman Natural Foods, who
warranted closure of the plant; close to a millionadvertises itself as a pioneer in natural and organic
pounds of beef recalled for E. colianimal raising practices, began sending its beef to
contamination---today.Nebraska Beef for processing. Coleman Natural Foods
Something is not right. We have two agencies sharingis a supplier of beef to the organic grocery store,
responsibility for food safety, The Food and DrugWhole Foods Market. Whole Foods Market said it
Administration and the US Department of Agriculture,was unaware that Coleman Natural Food, under new
yet our food is hazardous to our health.ownership, had begun using the infamous Nebraska
According to an article in the Washington Post,Beef. Whole Foods became the latest retailer
(August 10, 2008), "Nebraska Beef has a contentiousaffected by the E. coli contamination traced to
history with the USDA. Over the past six years,Nebraska Beef. What is the point of raising beef
federal meat inspectors have repeatedly written it uporganically when it is processed by an unscrupulous
for sanitation violations, and the company has foughtslaughterhouse and meat packing company like
back. From September 2002 to February 2003, USDANebraska Beef?
shut down the plant three times for problems suchThe USDA's advice to consumers at risk? Buy a
as feces on carcasses, water dripping off pipes ontomeat thermometer. "This is another example of a
meat, paint peeling onto equipment and plugged-upbroken federal system that hasn't put enough
meat wash sinks."resources into stopping the problem," said Jaydee
Nebraska Beef has used such high-risk beef parts asHanson, policy director at the Center for Food
brains and spinal cords in meat processing. Brains andSafety in Washington.
spinal cords are at risk for mad cow disease. TheWhat really is needed is an outraged public from
environmental group, Food and Water Watch,1906.