USDA Issues Beef Recall

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has recalled several beef products processed by Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company. The company is under investigation for inhumane practices involving cattle. The Cobb County School District was notified Feb. 1, 2008 that beef products from Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company were being placed on hold. The District immediately pulled these products and they were not served to Cobb County students. Now, these beef products have been recalled and the meat will be destroyed following strict USDA procedures. There have been no reports of illness in our Georgia School Systems related to the school lunch program. The District will continue serving beef products not affected by the recall. The school system's Food and Nutrition Services contracts with food processing plants to process raw ground beef into fully cooked products before it is ever delivered to our schools. Every possible precaution is taken to ensure that the products served to our students are safe.

More information about the beef recall can be found here:

http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/6_2_1UH/.ce/7_2_5JM/.p/5_2_4TQ/.d/1/_th/J_2_9D/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?PC_7_2_5JM_contentid=2008%2F02%2F0048.xml&PC_7_2_5JM_parentnav=LATEST_RELEASES&PC_7_2_5JM_navid=NEWS_RELEASE#7_2_5JM

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Cynthia Downs, Executive Director of Food and Nutrition Services (770-426-3380 or 770-426-3383 or cynthia.downs@cobbk12.org ), or June Wolfenbarger, Food and Nutrition Services Purchasing Agent (770-514-3859 or june.wolfenbarger@cobbk12.org ).