030154 U.S. Moves to Shut Down Neb. Beef PlantJanuary 23, 2003Omaha, NE - The federal government moved to temporarily shut down a meatpacking plant for unsanitary conditions after an investigation that began when a subsidiary of the company was linked to an E. coli outbreak. Nebraska Beef Ltd., which slaughters more than 2,000 cattle a day at the plant for shipping to supermarkets, is challenging the move in court. In court papers, William C. Smith, a deputy administrator for the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service, argued that Nebraska Beef has a history of serious unsanitary conditions and inadequate food safety systems that have led to meat contamination. USDA noncompliance records show Nebraska Beef was cited Oct. 15 and Dec. 8 after inspectors reported finding visible fecal material on beef carcasses. Smith wrote that a shutdown was "necessary to protect the public health." The USDA could force a shutdown by removing inspectors, who must be present at slaughtering and processing operations. Nebraska Beef argues it has responded sufficiently to USDA concerns, and it claims in court documents that it has been subjected to scrutiny and penalties not assessed at other packing plants. The company said the dispute started Aug. 30 when the USDA said it would assess Nebraska Beef's facilities because a subsidiary, All American Meats, was identified as the supplier of meat found to be contaminated with the potentially deadly E. coli bacteria (news - web sites). Nebraska Beef disputed the allegations, saying All American Beef was not the sole supplier. However the USDA pulled its inspectors from the Nebraska Beef plant twice after that, temporarily shutting it down Sept. 13 and Dec. 19. The privately owned company said a shutdown could cost it $2.7 million a day and put 1,100 people out of work.
E-mail: sflanagan@sprintmail.com |
