Current Release: September 11th, 2007 | Vol. XXIV Iss. 10

Photo by ben giles

In wake of meat recall, Wesleyan’s supply is OK

By Heather templeton

hntempleton@vwc.edu

The Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Co., out of Chino, Calif., is voluntarily recalling over143 million pounds of raw and frozen beef products that were distributed to customers between Feb. 1, 2006 and Feb. 2, 2008.

The nation’s largest meat recalled stemmed from a video that was released showing the mistreatment of cattle at Hallmark/Westland.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported, in a news release, that the meat was “unfit for human food because the cattle did not receive complete and proper inspection.”

Tim Lockett, general manager of dining services, assures the campus that Hallmark/Westland does not provide meat for VWC.

Hallmark/Westland, Lockett said, is a “low-end vendor” that “we would never consider.”

VWC receives all its products from Sodexo, which put out a statement about the recall.

“Westland/Hallmark is not an approved supplier for Sodexo,” the statement said. “Our approved supplier for ground meant exceeds all regulatory standards per Sodexo’s Product Quality Assurance requirements.”

Lockett explained that the National School Lunch Program did use Westland/Hallmark as a meat distributor. Therefore, recalled meats may be found in public school systems around the country. Norfolk, Suffolk, Chesapeake and Virginia Beach school divisions have reported having received the recalled meat.

There have been no reported illnesses or health effects due to the meat in question at this time.