An internal inquiry has been initiated by officials at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to assess how the agency dealt with reports concerning severe issues at a Boar’s Head deli meat processing facility linked to a fatal listeria outbreak, as stated by a senator on Tuesday.
Senator Richard Blumenthal announced that USDA Inspector General Phyllis Fong will investigate whether federal and Virginia state inspectors acted adequately in response to numerous alarming reports from the facility. These reports described unsanitary conditions, such as the presence of mold, insects, dripping water, and residual meat and fat on various surfaces and equipment. Inspection documents stretching back at least two years indicated that such conditions could pose an “imminent threat” to food safety.
This investigation was prompted by a letter from Blumenthal dated September 5, in which he requested a thorough examination of the situation.
Blumenthal criticized the USDA for its lack of action, stating, “USDA took virtually no action — allowing Boar’s Head to continue business as usual at its chronically unsanitary Virginia plant — despite finding repeated serious violations.”
The listeria outbreak, attributed to Boar’s Head products like liverwurst, resulted in at least 10 fatalities and nearly 50 hospitalizations across 19 states since May, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Following the recall of more than 7 million pounds of contaminated deli meats distributed nationwide, Boar’s Head closed its Jarratt, Virginia facility and permanently ceased liverwurst production.
Fong’s office has not yet verified the commencement of the investigation, and Blumenthal has opted not to disclose the agency’s response to his inquiries. He mentioned that the internal probe will focus on how the agency addressed ongoing issues and whether state inspections sufficiently mitigated the danger of tainted products entering the food supply.
The Boar’s Head facility was part of an inspection program that allows state inspectors to act on behalf of the federal agency.
Moreover, alongside Blumenthal, Connecticut Representative Rosa DeLauro has urged the Justice Department to look into the possibility of criminal charges regarding the matter.
USDA officials responsible for food safety and inspection have declined to release documents related to the agency’s inspection and enforcement actions at the plant, as well as reports from eight other facilities operated by the company across the nation. The agency denied Freedom of Information Act requests made by media outlets, claiming that disclosing these records could potentially “interfere with” ongoing law enforcement investigations. The media group is currently appealing this denial.
This evolving story highlights ongoing concerns about food safety and regulatory enforcement in the face of serious health risks.