Durbin: USDA Must Act to Ensure Safety of Food in the National School Lunch Program

Press Release

Durbin: USDA Must Act to Ensure Safety of Food in the National School Lunch Program

United States Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) sent two letters today; one to the new Secretary of Agriculture and one to the head of the Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS), asking for an immediate investigation into the safety of ground beef being used in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Durbin's letters are in response to an investigative video report released by the Humane Society, depicting dozens of incidents of inhumane treatment of sick and weak animals at processing facility that is a leading supplier of ground beef to our nation's schools.

"The treatment of animals in this video is appalling, but more than that, it raises significant concerns about the safety of the food being served to our nation's children," Durbin said. "The apparent slaughter of sick and weak animals not only appears to violate USDA regulations, but could be a danger to our nation's food supply. These "downed" animals are more easily contaminated and may carry diseases dangerous to consumers. USDA should investigate the claims and FSIS should immediately take steps to review the safety of the food being used in school lunch program."

The report and accompanying video which were released by the Humane Society today, shows workers at the Hallmark Meat Packing Company, in Chino, California, repeatedly using electric prods on animals unable to stand or walk unassisted and the dragging of weak or sick animals. In addition, some cattle were seen being pushed around the plant with the blades of a fork lift. The use of these practices on sick animals known as "downers" raises questions about the health and welfare of the animals and the safety of meat products processed at this facility.

Hallmark Meat Packing Company is the second largest supplier of ground beef to the nation's school lunch program, operated by the US Department of Agriculture. The lunch program serves more than 30 million meals a day to schoolchildren across the country. Over a million children in Illinois receive school lunches through this program.

"To see the extreme cruelties shown in the video challenges comprehension," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States. "This must serve as a five-alarm call to action for Congress and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Our government simply must act quickly both to guarantee the most basic level of humane treatment for farm animals and to protect America's food supply."

Durbin has been a leader on the issue of food and school lunch safety for more than a decade. In addition to working towards the creation of a single food safety agency, Durbin introduced the "Safe Schools Food Act," in 2003, which was later included in the school lunch program's reauthorization. Durbin's legislation increased the frequency of inspections; helped schools purchase safe food; and gave parents access to inspection reports.

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