South Carolina included in Distribution of Recalled Ground Beef Products

The U.S.D.A. Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued the following recall notice for ground beef products which may have been contaminated with E. coli. The ground beef products were distributed to South Carolina and twelve other states. In an abundance of caution, the South Carolina Department of Agriculture is forwarding this recall notice for public notification. For more information about the recall, contact Chandler Keys (202) 907-4253. Consumers with questions about the recall should contact the company's Consumer Hotline at (800) 555-7675.


Colorado Firm Recalls Ground Beef Products Due To Possible E. coli O157:H7 Contamination

Congressional and Public Affairs
(202) 720-9113
Peggy Riek

WASHINGTON, June 24, 2009 - JBS Swift Beef Company, a Greeley, Colo., establishment is recalling approximately 41,280 pounds of beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The products subject to recall include:
• Boxes of "USDA CHOICE OR HIGHER, Bnls Beef Bottom Sirloin, Butt Ball Tip 2/DN S/T." Each box bears the establishment number "EST. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection, identifying package dates of "042109" or "042209" and a case code of "21852."
• Boxes of "USDA CHOICE OR HIGHER, Bnls Beef Bottom Sirloin, Butt Ball Tip 2/UP S/T." Each box bears the establishment number "EST. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection, identifying package dates of "042109" or "042209" and a case code of "21853."
• Boxes of "Swift, Bnls Beef Bottom Sirloin, Butt Ball Tip 2/DN S/T." Each box bears the establishment number "EST. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection, identifying package dates of "042109" or "042209" and a case code of "31852."
• Boxes of "Bnls Beef Bottom Sirloin, Butt Ball Tip 2/UP S/T." Each box bears the establishment number "EST. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection, identifying package dates of "042109" or "042209" and a case code of "31853."
• Boxes of "Swift, USDA SELECT, Bnls Beef Bottom Sirloin, Butt Ball Tip 2/DN S/T." Each box bears the establishment number "EST. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection, identifying package dates of "042109" or "042209" and a case code of "33852."
• Boxes of "USDA SELECT, Bnls Beef Bottom Sirloin, Butt Ball Tip 2/UP S/T." Each box bears the establishment number "EST. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection, identifying package dates of "042109" or "042209" and a case code of "33853."
• Boxes of "BLACK ANGUS, Swift Premium, BEEF, USDA CHOICE OR HIGHER, Bnls Beef Bottom Sirloin, Butt Ball Tip 2/UP S/T." Each box bears the establishment number "EST. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection, identifying package dates of "042109" or "042209" and a case code of "41853."
• Boxes of "BLACK ANGUS, Swift Premium, BEEF, USDA CHOICE OR HIGHER, Bnls Beef Bottom Sirloin, Butt Ball Tip 2/UP S/T." Each box bears the establishment number "EST. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection, identifying package dates of "042109" or "042209" and a case code of "41853."
• Boxes of "Bnls Beef Bottom Sirloin, Butt Ball Tip 2/DN S/T." Each box bears the establishment number "EST. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection, an identifying package date of "042109" and a case code of "79852."
• Boxes of "Bnls Beef Bottom Sirloin, Butt Ball Tip 2/UP S/T." Each box bears the establishment number "EST. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection, an identifying package date of "042109" and a case code of "79853."
• Boxes of "USDA CHOICE OR HIGHER, Bnls Beef Bottom Sirloin, Butt Ball Tip 2/UP S/T." Each box bears the establishment number "EST. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection, identifying package dates of "042109" or "042209" and a case code of "90853."
These beef products were produced on April 21 and 22, 2009, and were shipped to distributors and retail establishments in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah and Wisconsin.

The problem was discovered through FSIS microbiological sampling and an investigation into the distribution of other products.

E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and in the most severe cases, kidney failure. The very young, seniors and persons with weak immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness. Individuals concerned about an illness should contact a physician.

Media with questions about the recall should contact company Spokesperson Chandler Keys at (202) 907-4253. Consumers with questions about the recall should contact the company's Consumer Hotline at (800) 555-7675.

Consumers with food safety questions can "Ask Karen," the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.

USDA's Farm Service Agency County Committee Nominations Begin Monday

USDA Farm Service Agency County Executive Director S Raymond Shelley just announced that farmer and rancher candidate nominations will begin on June 15, 2009, for local Farm Service Agency county committees. The nomination period continues through Aug. 3, 2009, with elections taking place this fall. The 2009 election for Darlington County will be held in Local Administrative Area (LAA) 2.

"County committees are an important link between the farm community and the U.S. Department of Agriculture and give landowners, farmers and ranchers a better chance of having their opinions and ideas heard," Shelley. "In recent years, we have seen a trend of increased nominations of minority and women producers and I hope that will continue."

To be eligible to serve on a Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committee, a person must participate or cooperate in a program administered by FSA, be eligible to vote in a county committee election and reside in the local administrative area in which the person is a candidate.

Producers may nominate themselves or others, and organizations representing minorities and women may also nominate candidates. To become a candidate, an eligible individual must sign the nomination form, FSA-669A. The form and other valuable information about FSA county committee elections are available online at: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/elections. Nomination forms for the 2009 election must be postmarked or received in the local USDA Service Center by close of business on Aug. 3, 2009.

FSA county committee members make decisions on disaster and conservation programs, emergency programs, commodity price support loan programs and other important agricultural issues. Members serve three-year terms. Nationwide, there are about 7,800 farmers and ranchers serving on FSA county committees. Committees consist of three to 11 members who are elected by eligible producers.

FSA will mail ballots to eligible voters beginning Nov. 6. The voted ballots are due back to the local county office either via mail or in person by Dec. 7. Newly elected committee members and alternates take office Jan. 1, 2010.

NOTE: FSA news releases and media advisories are available on the Web at FSA's home page: http://www.fsa.usda.gov.

Firm Recalls Ground Beef Products That May Contain Foreign Materials

Holten Meat, Inc., a Sauget, Ill., establishment, is recalling approximately 241,000 pounds of ground beef product that may contain foreign materials, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today.

The following product is subject to recall:
• 20-pound cases of "100% PURE GROUND BEEF BULK." Each case contains four (4) 5-pound Keeper Casing Chubs per box, which can be identified by the package code "12000" and the label code "1007982112000." Each product is also labeled "PACKED FOR INSTITUTIONAL USE ONLY" — "NOT FOR RESALE."

Each label bears the establishment number "EST-02591" inside the USDA mark of inspection. The product was produced on various dates from January 2009 through May 2009 and was distributed to institutions in Del., Fla., Ill., Ky., N.C., N.M., Ohio, S.C., Tenn., Texas, and Va.

The problem was discovered after the company received complaints from institutional customers about finding metal clips, which were used to seal the casing chubs, in the product. FSIS has not received any consumer complaints at this time. Neither FSIS nor the establishment has received reports of injury at this time. Anyone concerned about an injury from consumption of the products should contact a physician.

Media and consumer questions regarding the recall should be directed to the Company spokesperson, Pat Flanigan at: (618) 337-8400, ext. 261.

Consumers with food safety questions can "Ask Karen," the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.

To confirm this notification, visit FSIA at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_025_2009_Release/index.asp.

FDA Alerts the Public to Uncle Chen and Lian How Brand Expanded Recall

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is alerting the public to the expanded, voluntary recall by Union International Food Company (Union City, Calif.) of sauces, oils, and oil blends sold under the Uncle Chen and Lian How brands.

The expanded recall is based on the investigation into the ongoing foodborne illness outbreak of Salmonella Rissen. It is in addition to the recall announced last month by the company of its dry spice products.

The sauces, oils, and oil blends being recalled were distributed under the Uncle Chen and Lian How brands to retailers, wholesalers, distributors, and restaurants in the states identified to date of Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin. The products were sold in containers ranging from 6 ounces to 1 gallon in plastic or glass bottles and are used, for example, as spices and seasonings for cooking and as table top meal seasonings.
A complete list of all of the products recalled by Union International Food Co. is available at: http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/unioninternational_list3.html.

The company has stopped the production and distribution of these products as the FDA, the California Department of Public Health, and Union International Food Co. continue their investigations.
To date, 57 cases of illness caused by Salmonella Rissen have been reported, mostly in the western region of the country.

Two Georgetown County School District Elementary Schools Recognized by USDA for Outstanding Nutrition Environment

USDA Food and Nutrition Service Southeast Regional Administrator Don Arnette presented Silver Certificates and Banners to two Georgetown County School Principals and other school officials for their schools meeting USDA’s HealthierUS School Challenge at a high level. The ceremony took place today at Brown’s Ferry Elementary School, 7292 Brown’s Ferry Road, Georgetown, S.C. 29440. In addition to Brown’s Ferry, Pleasant Hill Elementary School, 127 Schoolhouse Road, Hemingway, S.C. 29554 was also recognized.

I’m pleased to recognize these Georgetown County Elementary Schools for achieving Silver-level status,” Arnette said. “The HealthierUS School Silver award is one of the highest honors a school nutrition program can achieve and reflects a strong commitment to provide students with additional healthy food options throughout the school campus, and to emphasize nutrition education and physical activity in the school curriculum.

“This elementary school has set a high standard of excellence for others to follow. I’m thankful to all who helped make these achievements possible – they are making a positive difference in the lives of our nation’s children.”

USDA has issued a challenge to schools throughout the nation to make changes to their school nutrition environment, improve the quality of the foods served, and provide students with more nutritious, healthy choices.

These Georgetown County School District Elementary Schools have successfully met that challenge by taking specific steps to improve their programs, address obesity, and encourage other schools to follow their lead. As a result of their efforts, each school received a Silver Award, one of USDA’s highest.

“It is an honor to be recognized by USDA,” said Jan Knox, director of food services for the Georgetown County School District. “We believe in serving school children quality meals. With the support of the administrators, teachers, cafeteria managers and staff, physical education specialists, counselors, parent volunteers and all other team players, these schools exemplify teaching healthy lifestyles.”

These schools’ achievements are very significant because obesity is a growing concern for school children in the United States. USDA believes that schools should be taking a leadership role in helping students learn to make healthy eating and active lifestyle choices and commends these South Carolina schools for leading the way in improving the school nutrition environment.