010605 Contaminated Meat in Louisiana Destroyed

The U.S. Department of Agriculture burned about 1,800 pounds of meat near the Levy in St. Rose, La.

The meat was from Uruguay, and the department feared that it might be contaminated with foot and mouth disease.

"There were different things that they could have done. They could have shipped it back, but there was no ship to take it back at this point. Or they could destroy it. The department of agriculture indicated that their preferred way to destroy it was to burn it," Sheriff Greg Champagne said.

Police said that the owner of the meat was Dependable International Service and Transportation. The company contracted with Lower River Marine to burn the meat.

A USDA official was at the scene to supervise. But police said that the burn should not have happened.

"At the local parish level we have a misdemeanor burning ordinance that does not allow you to burn meat. My preliminary investigation determines that they have violated that ordinance," Champagne said.

At the state level, deputies said that Lower River Marine appeared to be in violation of their Department of Environmental Quality permit.

"A reading of the document indicates that the permit was for wood materials," Champagne said.

Though the meat possibly contained foot and mouth disease, the USDA said that there was never any health environmental risk involved with burning the meat.

Foot and mouth disease only affects animals. Once an animal is infected, it must be destroyed to prevent the spread of the disease.

There are about 600 pounds of meat remaining. The USDA will now seal it up and take it elsewhere to be destroyed.

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