Beef recall: What you need to know

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Beef recall: What you need to know

By Beth Boehne

As USDA officials announced Sunday the largest recall of beef products in the nation's history, school districts around the country whose lunch and nutrition programs were supplied by Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company began to ask if their schools were affected.

Locally, Grand Rapids Public Schools reported 10 tons of the recalled beef in its inventory, and told local media the schools must throw away the hamburger.

And the Indiana Department of Education reports that three truckloads of the recalled beef from California were delivered to the Hoosier state, but officials expect it is no longer held in inventory.

Click here for a list of the Indiana schools that reported having the recalled beef in their inventory.

For parents of school children who have concerns about the 143 million pounds of beef recalled, the USDA said in a statement that the risk to kids is negligible.

Since 2004, in more than 759,000 animals tested for bovine spongiform encephalopathy, only two have tested positive, the agency said.

However, the USDA said parents who want to check and see if their own children's schools may be involved in the recall of beef products should contact the state-level agencies responsible for overseeing the school programs.

Those agencies, authorities said, have records on where Hallmark/Westland products were delivered.

  • See a list of the products affected by the beef recall.

  • Get answers to frequently asked questions about the beef recall.

  • To sign up for recall alerts, click on the "Recalls" link in the Related Content box.

  • Wednesday, Feb 20 at 9:09 PM Jen wrote ...

    In regards to me and only me...are you serious? Please tell me that you are not so ignorant as to think that just because these cows are going to end up someones dinner that they DESERVE to be treated so inhumanely? Your comment truly makes me worry that you are one of those who will kick a wounded dog or hit a cat on the street on purpose! Your comment truly hurts my heart. Maybe you should see if you can get a job at one of these slaughterhouses..you obviously have no compassion!!!!!!

    Tuesday, Feb 19 at 2:47 PM PP wrote ...

    We aren;t saying they shouldn't butcher the beef what we are speaking out about is the abuse these sick animals had to endure>>>. When you are sick and on your death bed would you want someone to shock you with electric probes or bring in a forklift to roll you over in bed. Like P.M. said "compassion"....

    Tuesday, Feb 19 at 12:34 PM dennis homman wrote ...

    meat is meat. i'll eat anything, it's not right, but i do like my stroganoff!

    Monday, Feb 18 at 8:07 PM marie wrote ...

    sick individuals....

    Monday, Feb 18 at 3:41 PM PP wrote ...

    Wow if those people treat those animals that way and never think twice what kind of person must hey be in real life. I wouldn't be able to sleep doing that type of cruelty..

    Monday, Feb 18 at 2:18 PM buy a brain will ya... wrote ...

    Hey, me and only me. Have you ever heard of the word "compassion?" Having Dominion over animals does not mean that we mistreat them.

    Monday, Feb 18 at 1:37 PM Cheryl wrote ...

    It matters b/c sick animals stand around in their own feces and urine and their immune system is down, so they can get sick easier. I don't know about you, but I want to eat healthy meat and I expect my kids to have healthy food when they eat lunch at school. I think I'll just start making their lunch more often!

    Monday, Feb 18 at 12:35 PM me and only me wrote ...

    Why is this important? If the animals are at a slaughterhouse dont that mean they are going to die soon anyway? Why does it matter that they were crudely treated your just gonna eat them anyway. Maybe they treat all there cows that way and someone zeroed the sick cows out but whats the point if the meat is not tainted? I dont understand the purpose if the animals are sick or well they are still going to be killed anyway to be on our plate.

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