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PENDING USDA INVESTIGATION SPURS SCHOOLS TO YANK MEAT OFF THE MENU

By Mayra Flores De Marcotte

Hamburgers and nachos are among the beef products served in San Jose Unified School District schools that will disappear from the menu until the USDA's investigation of a Southern California meat distributor is completed.

According to San Jose Unified School District spokeswoman Karen Fuqua, the district is placing a hold on all beef products as a precautionary response to the USDA's administrative hold on beef processed at the Hallmark Meat Packing and distributed by Westland Meat Company in Chino.

According to Fuqua, Sodexo, the district's contracted food service management company, is investigating the chain of suppliers, distributors and processors to see if there is any connection between Hallmark Meat Packing and Westland Meat Company and its suppliers.

"At this point, we know that we do have some Westland Meat Company products, just not beef," Fuqua said. "Everything, however, is on hold on a day-by-day basis until we get clearance."

Sodexo, which was Sodexho Alliance prior to January 2008, provides food services to schools K-12, independent schools and colleges and universities around the globe.

Westland Meat Co. is under investigation after a video was released by the Humane Society of the United States on Jan. 30 showing workers at Hallmark dragging non-ambulatory animals to be slaughtered, something not allowed by the USDA for human consumption.

Westland provides beef to the National School Lunch Program and other federal aid programs.