Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) are calling for a Boar’s Head Listeria investigation in the wake of a deadly outbreak that has killed 10 people and sickened 59. The outbreak is linked to liverwurst deli meat produced by that company at their Jarratt, Virginia plant.
The case count by state currently is: Arizona (1), Florida (3), Georgia (2), Illinois (1), Indiana (1), Louisiana (1), Maryland (8), Massachusetts (3), Minnesota (1), Missouri (3), New Jersey (6), New Mexico (1), New York (17), North Carolina (1), Pennsylvania (2), South Carolina (2), Tennessee (1), Virginia (4), and Wisconsin (1). The people who died lived in Illinois, New Jersey, Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, and New Mexico; two lived in South Carolina, and two lived in New York.
The politicians sent a letter to USDA Secretary Thomas Vilsack and Attorney General Merrick Garland, asking them to work with the Department of Justice to see whether criminal charges should be brought against Boar’s Head officials. They also urged the USDA to strengthen its Listeria prevention protocols and investigate other Boar’s Head plants for any violations.
The letter states, “The time for action is long overdue, and we urge your agencies to work together to seek immediate justice for impacted consumers and to prevent this from happening again. Moving forward, it is critical that the agency take this matter seriously and take the necessary steps to address the concerns raised by this outbreak. That is why we urge USDA to work closely with the DOJ to determine whether to bring criminal charges against Boar’s Head for their responsibility in this crisis.
“We also urge the agency to initiate reforms to prevent similar situations from recurring at other facilities. In particular, the agency should revisit its regulations requiring establishments to test for Listeria in the processing environment and consider ways to strengthen those requirements, including revisiting the agency’s 2000 proposed rule requiring minimum sampling for Listeria on food contact surfaces. We cannot let large corporations get away with endangering public health, it is imperative that we hold food companies to the highest standards so that Americans can feel safe shopping for groceries and feeding their families. Boar’s Head must be held accountable, those impacted by this crisis deserve more than an apology, they deserve justice.”
DeLauro adds, “… in 1989, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) at USDA declared Listeria monocytogenes an adulterant and established a zero-tolerance policy for the bacteria’s presence in any product intended to be ‘ready to eat’ without additional cooking. The USDA also established clear requirements for sanitation to ensure that the bacteria does not contaminate such products and provided for escalating enforcement for violations of such rules, including the ability and discretion to shut down production.
“That is why it is baffling that inspectors at the Jarratt plant documented 84 noncompliances from June 2023 through this August, many of which indicated significant safety risks, and the agency failed to recognize the blatant pattern of violations or escalate to enforcement when Boar’s Head safety officials failed to take adequate corrective actions necessary to prevent further risks.”
DeLauro also stated that the agency should initiate reforms to prevent this from happening again. And if criminal charges lead to a consent decree, the agency should consider including civil penalties for future violations.
If you have been sickened with a food poisoning infection, please contact our experienced attorneys for help with a possible lawsuit at 1-888-377-8900 or text us at 612-261-0856. Our firm represents clients in lawsuits against grocery stores, restaurants, and food processors, and families in wrongful death cases.
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