FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, February 18, 2008

For more information contact:
Bill Clary

(502) 564-4696

SCHOOLS NOTIFIED OF BEEF RECALL

FRANKFORT, Ky. — The Kentucky Department of Agriculture has notified Kentucky school districts that 143 million pounds of fresh and frozen beef products from the Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company of Chino, Calif., have been recalled.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the recall on Sunday. USDA officials said about 37 million pounds of the recalled beef went to the National School Lunch Program and other domestic nutrition programs nationwide. A small portion of that beef was distributed to at least 17 school districts in Kentucky.

USDA has ordered that all beef products from Hallmark/Westland since Feb. 1, 2006, and all foods produced with Hallmark/Westland beef processed since that date be destroyed. Beef from Hallmark/Westland can be identified by the company’s federal establishment number, EST 336. Products that include beef that is subject to the recall can be identified by the processing firm.

The recalled beef went directly from Hallmark/Westland to other processors to be processed into other products before going to Kentucky schools, according to the KDA’s Division of Food Distribution, which administers USDA food programs in Kentucky.

USDA awarded the contract to Hallmark/Westland to supply beef products for the School Lunch Program and other nutrition programs.

The KDA has been in constant contact with Kentucky schools since the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service placed beef products from Hallmark/Westland on administrative hold and suspended Westland Meat as a supplier to USDA in January.

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