Boar’s Head factories in violation for ‘mold, insects, blood’: USDA
Newly released inspection reports from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (USDA) show unsanitary conditions at several Boar’s Head factories across the U.S. Multiple news outlets, including the Associated Press, pushed the USDA to release inspection records from Boar’s Head plants in Indiana, Arkansas, Virginia and Michigan.
According to the reports, inspectors found mold, insects, puddles of blood and trash in areas where workers prepared food. Some issues date back six years, with the most recent violation occurring in 2024.
Three of the factories revealed similar sanitation issues. They include a plant in Jarratt, Virginia, linked to a listeria outbreak that killed 10 people and sickened dozens more in September 2024.
The outbreak has been tied to liverwurst produced at the Jarratt facility. A U.S. Department of Agriculture report released on Friday, Jan. 10, said meat residue, mold and drippings from the ceilings contributed to the spread of listeria.
A recall has been issued for more than 7 million pounds of meat nationwide, but officials say less than half of it has been recovered so far.
Boar’s Head acknowledged the violations, saying the findings contradict the company’s high standards. The company also said it is hiring a food safety manager and continues to work closely with the USDA.
Republican lawmakers have blamed the USDA for failing to hold Boar’s Head accountable despite repeated safety violations. In a statement, they said, “These reports make clear that there is a culture of noncompliance of critical safety and sanitary protocols.”
In the report, USDA officials said they are tightening oversight with updated training and increased inspections to ensure factories comply with safety standards.
Multiple people impacted by the listeria outbreak have filed lawsuits. The Department of Justice is now investigating whether criminal charges will arise.
USDA announces new federal order for raw milk testing amid bird flu concerns
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a new federal order Friday, Dec. 6. The new order requires the collection and sharing of raw, unpasteurized milk samples nationwide for testing of H5N1, also known as bird flu.
The order mandates entities responsible for dairy farms, bulk milk transporters, bulk milk transfer stations or dairy processing facilities that send or hold milk intended for pasteurization to provide raw milk samples upon request.
Additionally, herd owners with cattle testing positive for H5N1 must supply epidemiological information to assist with contact tracing and disease surveillance.
The USDA stated that the goal is to monitor H5N1, which has been affecting hundreds of dairy herds nationwide.
“Among many outcomes, this will give farmers and farmworkers better confidence in the safety of their animals and ability to protect themselves, and it will put us on a path to quickly controlling and stopping the virus’ spread nationwide,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a news release.
Vilsack told Reuters the testing plan will involve monthly or weekly sample collection from bulk milk tanks and dairy processors, beginning Dec. 16 in California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Pennsylvania and Oregon.
The USDA first announced in April the required testing for lactating cows moving across state lines. In October, the agency expanded the national milk testing program to include bulk milk sampling at the regional level, with additional farm-level testing if necessary, until herds in a given area are determined to be free of the virus.
As of Thursday, Dec. 5, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported more than 700 dairy herds in 15 states have been infected with H5N1.
Nearly 60 people in the U.S. have contracted the virus. However, officials noted the majority of these cases involved farmworkers who had direct contact with livestock.
Health officials emphasize there’s currently no evidence of human-to-human transmission of the virus.
However, as Straight Arrow News reported Friday, Dec. 6, a newly published study suggests that bird flu may have the potential to spread more easily to humans than previously thought.
Calif issues statewide recall of raw milk after H5N1 found in retail samples
The latest hotspot for the bird flu in the United States, California, announced on Tuesday, Dec. 3, that it is expanding a recall of raw milk products to cover the entire state. The voluntary recall comes after recent tests reportedly detected H5N1 in two more samples from the nation’s largest raw milk dairy, Raw Farm, based out of Fresno, California.
The California Health Department says the products include all milk and cream from Raw Farm. The company’s owner estimates the company produces 70,000 gallons of milk weekly from more than 1,700 cows.
California health officials say they put the company’s operation under quarantine. They’ve also halted any distribution of all of its products, including cheeses and butter, made on or after Nov. 27.
Last month, the state issued two voluntary batch-specific recalls for raw milk produced by Raw Farm. The recall came after bird flu was discovered at the company’s bottling and retail sites.
The California Health Department urges anyone working with raw milk or potentially infected cows to wear protective gear.
The Golden State is the epicenter of the avian flu. California has reportedly 31 of the nation’s 57 confirmed cases of bird flu. The state is also home to 500 of the United States’ more than 700 infected dairy herds.
So far, no human cases have been linked to raw milk consumption in California. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that people avoid drinking raw milk due to the risk of bird flu and other illnesses associated with its consumption.
Health officials also warn pet owners not to feed their animals Raw Farm products, citing cases of cats on farms with infected cows developing brain damage and some dying after drinking contaminated raw milk.
The FDA maintains that pasteurized milk is still safe to drink as it says the pasteurization process kills the virus.
California health officials warn bird flu detected in batch of raw milk
Health officials raised concerns about the presence of bird flu in raw milk. California officials warned on Sunday, Nov. 24, that a batch of raw milks sold in the state tested positive for the virus.
State officials said that they found H5N1 in whole raw milk from “Raw Farm” with a “best by” date of Nov. 27, 2024.
There have been no reported illnesses linked to the specific product. Nationwide, there are not yet any known cases of humans contracting bird flu through drinking raw milk.
Still, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned against drinking raw milk because it does not undergo a pasteurization process that kills bacteria and viruses.
California’s health department maintains that pasteurized milk remains safe to drink.
Most U.S. bird flu cases in people have been discovered in farmworkers who worked directly with infected animals.
Trump rounds out his cabinet with picks to lead USDA, CDC, FDA
President-elect Donald Trump continued to stock his cabinet in quick fashion over the weekend. And as travel cranks up before Thanksgiving, stormy weather might hamper some people’s plans. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Monday, Nov. 25, 2024.
Trump rounds out his cabinet with picks to lead USDA, CDC, FDA
Over the weekend, President-elect Donald Trump rounded out his cabinet selections. He picked several names to fill key roles in his second administration.
Trump selected Brooke Rollins as the secretary of agriculture. Rollins served under Trump in his first term, first as the Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental and Technology Initiatives and then later as the acting director of the Domestic Policy Council.
Rollins, a Texas lawyer, is currently the president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a conservative think tank consisting of former Trump staff members. As agriculture secretary, Rollins would oversee the 10,000 employees of the USDA and be only the second woman to lead this department.
Trump also chose hedge fund manager Scott Bessent for treasury secretary. Bessent is the founder of investment firm Key Square Capital Management and has recently become one of Trump’s top economic advisers.
He is a former protégé of Democratic donor George Soros and was once the chief investment officer of Soros Fund Management. As treasury secretary, Bessent would oversee Trump’s tax policies and the nation’s sanctions programs.
During Trump’s first term, Turner served as the first executive director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council. Turner is currently the chair for the Center for Education Opportunity at America First Policy Institute.
President-elect Trump also announced his choices for three top health positions.
Marty Makary, a Johns Hopkins surgeon and a member of the National Academy of Medicine, has been tapped to lead the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In this role, Makary would oversee the FDA’s $7 billion budget and report to Trump’s pick for health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Former Florida Congressman Dr. Dave Weldon is Trump’s pick to be director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Weldon is a physician and Army veteran who served in the House from 1995 to 2009.
Finally, Trump picked Dr. Janette Nesheiwat to be the next U.S. Surgeon General. The doctor is a Fox News contributor and the medical director of CityMD, a network of urgent centers in New York and New Jersey.
All of these positions will need Senate confirmation.
Israel and Hezbollah trade attacks as cease-fire deal is in the works
Monday morning, Nov. 25, reports said Hezbollah attacked Galilee from Lebanon, while Israel continued to focus on the Lebanese capital of Beirut.
⭕️ 12 Hezbollah command centers were struck by the IAF in Dahieh, Beirut, including sites used by Hezbollah's Intelligence Unit, coast-to-sea missile unit, and Unit 4400—responsible for smuggling weapons from Iran through Syria into Lebanon.
The latest round of attacks started with an Israeli strike on Beirut Saturday night, Nov. 23, that left more than two dozen people dead, according to the Lebanese health ministry. Hezbollah responded to that strike by launching more than 200 rockets and drones at Israel, marking one of the heaviest bombardments of Israel since fighting intensified in September.
Israel said its goal is to return tens of thousands of people home, who evacuated from the northern part of the country due to rocket attacks by Hezbollah. Meanwhile, Israeli attacks on Beirut have led the Lebanese education ministry to postpone school there until January.
On Sunday, Nov. 24, the European Union’s foreign policy chief said a U.S. cease-fire proposal was awaiting final approval from Israel.
At least 1 killed after cargo plane crashes, skids into home in Lithuania
The flight had taken off from Germany and crashed around 5:30 a.m. local time while approaching its final destination in Vilnius, Lithuania.
Officials said the person who was killed was a member of the flight crew but was not a pilot. Three other people on board were injured. Nobody on the ground got hurt.
Officials said at least 12 people had to be evacuated from the home.
Investigators are looking into the cause of the crash and have not yet ruled out it being an act of terrorism.
Winter storms expected across the U.S. this Thanksgiving week
In California, where two bodies were recovered from floodwaters on Saturday, authorities are bracing for more downpours while still dealing with flooding and landslides from last week’s “bomb cyclone.” On top of that, the National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for the Sierra Nevada through Tuesday, Nov. 26, with heavy snow expected at higher elevations and wind gusts potentially reaching 55 MPH. That area is expected to get up to four feet of snow by Wednesday. Nov. 27.
Periods of rain showers are expected for the Valley through Wednesday. 1 to 2 feet of additional snow up to 4 feet at the highest peaks is forecast to fall on the mountains. Make sure to travel safe and visit https://t.co/WjKBsJmSfA for updates! #CAwxpic.twitter.com/QyrmHZJFzR
Forecasters said the Midwest and Great Lakes regions will see rain and snow Monday, while the east coast will feel the effects on Thanksgiving and Black Friday.
So far, this upcoming weekend is shaping up to have pretty clear conditions for travelers heading home.
Biden set to issue his final Thanksgiving turkey pardon
President Joe Biden will take part in a Thanksgiving tradition at the White House Monday: his final turkey pardon.
The two lucky birds getting spared this year are Peach and Blossom from Minnesota. They got to live in the lap of luxury at the famed Willard Intercontinental Washington hotel near the White House while waiting for their permanent clemency from becoming a Thanksgiving feast.
The annual pardon of the turkeys will take place at 11 a.m. ET. The birds will then return to Minnesota to live out their days on a farm.
‘Wicked’ has best opening weekend for Broadway to film adaption
It was a magical weekend at the box office as the movie “Wicked” proved to be quite popular with audiences.
The film, based on the Broadway hit about the land of Oz before, during and after Dorothy’s famous visit, was number one in North America. It raked in $114 million, making it the third-biggest domestic opening of the year.
The film, which stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, is now the number one Broadway-to-film adaptation and ranks fourth for the biggest debuts for a musical in history.
Hospitalized Canadian teen with H5N1 had no known prior exposure to virus
A Canadian teen’s bird flu infection is raising questions about the transmission of the virus. As the teen slipped into critical condition on Tuesday, Nov. 12, with a life-threatening lung condition, doctors are still working to figure out how the infection occurred with no known exposure to infected people or animals.
The individual, who has not been identified by name or gender, reportedly never went on a farm and all pets in their home have tested negative for H5N1. Meanwhile, contact tracing is ongoing among 35 to 40 people including medical workers with known contact with the teen.
This is reportedly the first case of bird flu in Canada since 2014. It is similar to a case of a Missouri teen with no known prior exposure to H5N1 earlier this year.
U.S. officials are reportedly in contact with Canadian health authorities, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offered assistance to Canada if needed.
The CDC reported that 45 of the 46 confirmed bird flu cases in the United States have come from farm workers exposed to the infection.
The Canadian teen’s case comes as a U.S. Congressional report urged the United States to ready for a “pandemic influenza response” before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20. The report pushing for more protective equipment, testing and antiviral treatments as virologists warn that the virus’ transmission may be evolving.
Despite the concerns, the World Health Organization (WHO) still rates the risk of human-to-human transmission of bird flu as “unlikely.”
However, the CDC has expanded bird flu testing to all farmworkers even those without symptoms of the virus, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture has expanded the testing of milk.
US expands bird flu testing to all farm workers exposed to infected animals
Concerns over the spread of bird flu are prompting the United States government to make changes. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Thursday, Nov. 7, that all farm workers exposed to animals with bird flu should be tested for the virus even if they have not experienced symptoms.
The CDC’s new recommendation comes as the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is also expanding testing of milk for bird flu.
The department announced last week that it would begin testing bulk milk for bird flu. This comes after mounting pressure from industry and veterinary groups.
Meanwhile, workers are reportedly avoiding testing over economic concerns or because their symptoms are mild. Infectious disease experts note that as the virus spreads, the risk of it moving to human-to-human increases, which could spark a pandemic.
The CDC has reported 46 human cases of bird flu since April. However, scientists believe the numbers are higher due to underreporting.
Recent tests among 115 dairy workers in Michigan and Colorado who were exposed to infected cows found evidence of a prior infection in eight workers. Of those eight workers who showed antibodies to H5N1, only half said they recalled experiencing symptoms from the virus.
These findings show the federal response to the outbreak has been lackluster, according to researchers. They added the studies should’ve been done months ago and should’ve been prioritized.
The CDC’s expanded testing comes after two pigs on an Oregon farm tested positive for the virus a week apart. Virologists say the findings are concerning because pig infections have been a source of prior human pandemics.
H5N1 has now reportedly been confirmed in at least 46 cattle herds in 15 states across the U.S.
Pig tests positive for H5N1 bird flu for first time in US
For the first time in the U.S., a pig has tested positive for the H5N1 bird flu, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The USDA said it’s awaiting results for two other pigs from the same farm in Oregon, while another two tested negative.
Officials said the pig that tested positive did not show any signs of illness. They added the five pigs were tested for H5N1 out of an abundance of caution after other animals from the same farm had tested positive for the virus.
Officials said while there are no concerns about the safety of the U.S. pork supply, the positive test is concerning because pigs can get bird flu and human viruses at the same time, which might create strains of the virus that infect humans more easily.
New wrongful death lawsuit against Boar’s Head is first linked to ham
Boar’s Head is facing more fallout from a deadly listeria outbreak at its Virginia plant. For the first time, a wrongful death lawsuit, filed on Wednesday, Oct. 23, claims a man died after eating something other than the company’s “ready-to-eat” liverwurst products, which were the initial sources of the listeria incidents.
Other wrongful death lawsuits have been brought against Boar’s Head but have not been linked to Boar’s Head ham.
Prosecutors say that 79-year-old Otis Adams Jr. of Florida died in early May after eating Boar’s Head ham and contracting listeria. The family’s attorney released a statement saying, “We don’t want anyone else to go through this” and promised a swift legal resolution.
Boar’s Head has not yet responded to the newest wrongful death lawsuit as of the publishing of this report. The company previously apologized for the listeria outbreak and recalled around 7 million pounds of deli meat and poultry products.
In September, Boar’s Head released a statement, saying, “We understand the gravity of this situation and the profound impact it has had on affected families. Comprehensive measures are being implemented to prevent such an incident from ever happening again.”
At least one grocery store chain appears to be cutting ties with Boar’s Head over the outbreak. Missouri supermarket chain Schnucks announced, on the same day as the wrongful death lawsuit filing, that it was switching to Boar’s Head competitor Dietz & Watson in November.
Straight Arrow News previously reported on dozens of alleged health violations at Boar’s Head’s Virginia plant over the last year, including inspectors noting mold, bugs and puddles of blood on the floor of the facility during visits to the plant.
Health officials report that at least 10 deaths and 59 hospitalizations have been linked to the Boar’s Head listeria outbreak, though they believe the number of those sickened by the outbreak may be much higher due to underreporting by those who have recovered.
FSIS issues alert over illegally imported foods from Myanmar
The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service issued a public health alert Thursday, Oct. 24, centered on several meat and poultry products from the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. Officials said these food items were illegally imported.
The Southeast Asian nation is not eligible to export meat and poultry products to the United States. The products include cans and packages of beef, chicken and fish. The FSIS says the items do not bear an establishment number or a USDA mark of inspection.
In a statement to Straight Arrow News Friday, Oct. 25, an FSIS spokesperson said the agency is investigating how the products entered the country. The spokesperson says Barlarlar.com is the importer of the record. Straight Arrow News has reached out to the company for comment.
The FSIS directed Straight Arrow News to its “import certification checklist,” an overview of the steps needed to be taken when importing meat, poultry or egg products to the United States.
The first step being –– “products must originate from certified countries and establishments eligible to export to the united states.”
The FSIS says officials discovered the products from Myanmar while performing surveillance activities at a retailer.
The products were shipped to retail locations in nine states: Arizona, California, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas.
So far, the FSIS says no adverse reactions have been reported from anyone eating these products.
This is not the first time this year the FSIS has issued a public health alert regarding meat and poultry items imported from Myanmar.
Back in August, the agency warned consumers about products not bearing any import marks that were shipped to retailers nationwide. That investigation is still active, according to the FSIS website.
A separate open investigation from July involves meat and poultry products illegally imported from the Philippines, another country ineligible to export these products to the United States. The items were shipped to restaurants and retailers to multiple states across the East Coast.
In a statement regarding this latest incident the agency says, “FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ pantries and on retailers’ shelves. Retailers who have purchased the products are urged not to sell them. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.”
Consumers with food safety questions can call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-674-6854.