Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) has issued a statement on the deadly Boar’s Head Listeria monocytogenes outbreak. The Congresswoman sent a letter to Boar’s head in September 2024 regarding the horrific accounts of a USDA inspection at the company’s Jarratt, Virginia plant. That outbreak sickened at least 61 people in 19 states and killed 10 people.
The case count by state was: 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 (19), North Carolina (1), Pennsylvania (2), South Carolina (2), Tennessee (1), Virginia (4), and Wisconsin (1). Illness onset dates ranged from May 29, 2024 to September 13, 2024. Sixty people were hospitalized.
The plant kept operating despite more than 60 citations for noncompliance and U.S. inspectors warning that the conditions at the plant posed an imminent threat to public health two years before the outbreak.
DeLauro said in a statement, “This September, I demanded answers from Boar’s Head about their Virginia plant—the one at the center of the recent Listeria outbreak. What I received in return was not a credible response; it was a classic corporate dodge. They skirted almost every substantive question, from how they test for contaminants, to their alarmingly vague plans to prevent another deadly outbreak. The American people will not be satisfied with marketing fluff or half-truths—they deserve straight answers. Honesty and accountability are essential to prevent another outbreak. If Boar’s Head thinks it can brush this inquiry off and slip back to business as usual, they are wrong. I will not stop pushing until we know exactly what went wrong, precisely how they are fixing it, and who is finally going to take responsibility. If they thought this flimsy, PR-driven response to a Congressional inquiry would get them off the hook, they were wrong. I expect a real, substantive response, and soon.”
She also stated that Boar’s Head did not answer questions in the letter, including:
No confirmation if they plan to reopen the Virginia plant at the center of the Listeria outbreak
No clear commitment to improving plant’s infrastructure or explanation how Boar’s Head plans to prevent noncompliances in the future
No response on explaining their past food safety policies
No response on why staff did not act sooner to address food safety concerns or how management will be held accountable
No response on the frequency Boar’s Head conducted microbial testing
No response on testing data as requested.
No word if Boar’s Head tested non-contact food surfaces
No response on whether third party inspections were conducted before the recall
No response on how HQ handled food safety concerns and
Limited information on the documented steps of the recall.
In conclusion, the Congresswoman said, “While I am grateful that FSIS has acknowledged how they fell short and I await their response, I am not confident that Boar’s Head has done the same, I look forward the UDSA Office of Inspector General getting to the bottom of this, and I encourage UDSA and the U.S. Department of Justice to hold Boar’s Head accountable if they are liable.”
By submitting a comment, you are contacting Pritzker Hageman, P.A. An attorney may contact you to ask if you would like a free consultation regarding your foodborne illness.