Two Democrats are urging the Division of Justice to become involved with the fallout of a nationwide listeria outbreak linked to a Boar’s Head plant.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) requested the Division of Agriculture to work intently with the DOJ to find out whether or not to carry prison prices towards Boar’s Head for its accountability within the outbreak, which has brought on 10 deaths and dozens of hospitalizations throughout the nation.
“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,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter despatched Thursday to DOJ and USDA officers.
The outbreak has resulted in 59 hospitalizations throughout 19 states, and Boar’s Head has linked it to liverwurst deli meat produced at its plant in Jarratt, Va. The corporate stated it might indefinitely shut the plant and discontinue liverwurst completely.
USDA inspectors warned situations on the Boar’s Head plant posed an “imminent threat to public health” as early as 2022, in accordance with The New York Occasions, however there was no motion taken by Boar’s Head or federal regulators.
Blumenthal and DeLauro stated the inaction by USDA was “baffling” and “allowed Boar’s Head to put profits over people.”
“It is painfully clear that by choosing not to aggressively ensure that safety standards were being followed, the USDA failed to uphold its congressional mandate,” the lawmakers wrote. “Years of inadequate response have led to safety conditions within the plant that are impossible to remedy easily, and as a result, Boar’s Head recently decided to indefinitely shut down the plant, potentially leaving hundreds of workers in a small town unemployed.”
The Democrats additionally known as on the USDA to provoke reforms and improve its oversight to stop related conditions from occurring at different services. Amongst different practices, they stated the company ought to revisit its rules requiring institutions to check for listeria within the processing setting and take into account methods to strengthen these necessities,
“We cannot let large corporations get away with endangering public health,” the lawmakers wrote. “Boar’s Head must be held accountable, those impacted by this crisis deserve more than an apology, they deserve justice.”
