The Vinny Eastwood Show
  • HOME
  • LATEST
  • MP3 DOWNLOADS
  • VENDETTAS MUSIC
  • Bio
  • Merch
  • Donate
  • Contact
  • HOME
  • LATEST
  • MP3 DOWNLOADS
  • VENDETTAS MUSIC
  • Bio
  • Merch
  • Donate
  • Contact

US agencies delayed action on tainted eggs for weeks

28/8/2010

1 Comment

 
Picture
By Kate Randall

United States federal agencies delayed action for weeks after becoming aware of a salmonella outbreak that has thus far infected thousands of people, while the companies involved were allowed to continue operations.
The revelation comes as the US egg recall has expanded to include two new brand names connected to Wright County Egg, the Iowa-based company responsible for 380 million of the 550 million eggs recalled to date. More information continues to come to light as well of Wright County’s long record of violations of food and workplace safety and animal cruelty.

In a press release Wednesday night, Wright County Egg announced that it had confirmed cases of salmonella enteritidis illnesses related to shell eggs bearing the Cardenas Market brand and that Cardenas was beginning a voluntary recall. The Wright County-supplied eggs were distributed in California and Nevada. Another Wright County-supplied company, Trafficanda Egg Ranch, also announced a recall of eggs distributed to grocery stores and food service companies in California.

The mass egg recall, which also includes 170 million shell eggs from Iowa-based Hillandale Farms, expanded Tuesday to eggs sold and distributed in Michigan. The recall now encompasses 23 of 50 US states.

In a conference call on Thursday, officials from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said that feed given to hens at both Wright County and Hillandale is the likely source of the salmonella. Chicken feed and some feed ingredients are believed to have been contaminated, possibly after heat treatment of the feed to kill off the bacteria.
Federal officials investigating the two egg producers said they had found samples of the bacteria in barns and chicken feed at some of the facilities that were a genetic match for the bacteria that has caused people to become sick. The FDA said that testing at Wright County Egg has so far found six samples of salmonella matching the outbreak strain.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says the salmonella outbreak has sickened about 2,430 people in the US between May 1 and August 25 of this year, although the government agency admits that the extent of illness is likely underreported by a factor of as much as 40.

Salmonella can cause fever, severe vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. It can also be fatal if the bacterial infection enters the bloodstream. Those with compromised immune systems as well as the elderly and infants are at higher risk for severe illness and death.

The egg recall demonstrates how the government agencies supposedly ensuring the safety of the food supply are both woefully ineffective and beholden to the profits of the companies they are tasked to regulate.

The state of California was most likely the first to identify salmonella illnesses linked to the two Iowa egg producers. The Santa Clara County Public Health Department states that on May 28 and 29 several people became sick after attending two catered events. A common link among those who fell ill was consumption of a custard filling made with shell eggs.

Throughout June and early July, the Santa Clara county officials reported 42 people testing positive for salmonella, including six who ended up in the hospital. After interviews with food preparers and others, local investigators traced a link back to Wright County Egg.

On July 29, the California Department of Health sent a notice to the CDC and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) warning of their suspicion of a connection between the salmonella and Wright County Egg. CNN reports that Michael Sicilia, a spokesman for the state health department, “said the alert helped confirm the suspicions of officials in other states who were also investigating a surge in salmonella cases.”

However, although the Iowa egg company had been identified as the likely source of the salmonella outbreak, it was not until more than two weeks later—August 13—that Wright County enacted a partial recall of eggs from three of its five farms. The company was compelled to conduct a company-wide recall following exposure by federal epidemiologists of links to its other two farms.

Hillandale Farms, the other Iowa egg producer, announced its 170 million egg recall on August 20.
In late July, in light of the growing evidence against Wright County, the CDC reportedly considered issuing a general reminder to the public about the dangers of eating undercooked eggs. But, according to USA Today, “The CDC decided it would be more effective to wait until the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) completed its investigation of the company.”

According to Wright County Egg spokeswoman Hinda Mitchell, the FDA did not contact the company until August 10, and did not provide detailed information on the outbreak until August 12.

Tellingly, the New York Times reports that the FDA has said it has “no inspectional history” with the two Iowa egg companies linked to the salmonella-tainted eggs—i.e., FDA inspectors have apparently never set foot on their property.

The FDA will likely defend its slow response on the basis that the agency does not have the power to compel companies to launch recalls. Such recalls are entirely voluntary, and with tens of millions of dollars in profits at stake, companies are unwilling to take action in the public interest unless overwhelming evidence is brought to bear.
While new FDA regulations going into effect in 2012 will presumably require regular testing of egg companies for contamination and cleanliness, they will not include mandatory vaccination of hens against salmonella. Such vaccinations have been credited with a 95 percent drop in human salmonella illnesses in Britain over the past 10 years.
Large-scale producers of eggs and other foodstuffs are subject to minimal regulation and are able to continue their profitable operations, often despite overwhelming evidence that their products pose a widespread danger to public health.

Austin “Jack” DeCoster, now owner of Wright County Eggs, was charged in the early 1990s with violating a quarantine at two massive egg-producing facilities in Maryland by selling contaminated eggs.
DeCoster set up shop in Maryland in 1980, and by 1988 his operations in the state had been implicated in several outbreaks of salmonella. Contaminated eggs shipped from his facilities in Maryland to a New York City hospital resulted in 11 deaths.

But because DeCoster’s eggs were being shipped across state lines, officials in Maryland were unable to stop him or hold his company criminally responsible. Ruling in favor of DeCoster, a federal judge in 1992 wrote that despite the evidence of salmonella contamination in DeCoster’s poultry products approaching “epidemic proportions,” Maryland had no power to protect citizens of another state from the tainted eggs.

The FDA, the agency responsible for ensuring the safety of eggs shipped across state lines, took no action against DeCoster’s operations. For its part, the USDA, which is responsible for the health of hens, failed to get involved because the salmonella reportedly did not make the hens sick, despite the risk their infected eggs can pose to the humans that eat them.

DeCoster was eventually found guilty in Maryland District Court of only one charge of selling eggs from one of his quarantined henhouses in-state, to a market in Maryland in 1991. He received a suspended fine of $500.

A 1997 investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration found violations at facilities owned by DeCoster that included workers being forced to handle animal feces and dead chickens bare-handed and to live in rat-infested trailers. And in 2001, a complaint brought by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission charged that undocumented Mexican women workers had been subject to rape and sexual assault by their supervisors. DeCoster settled for $1.5 million.

In response to the current recall, the US House Energy and Commerce subcommittee announced Thursday that it would be holding a hearing September 14 and would be inviting the owners of the two Iowa companies to testify. The House panel has also requested that the FDA and USDA submit records of inspections and past communications with the two farms.

Such hearings—in which executives from BP, or the auto or banking industry are paraded before Congress for questioning and public chastisement—serve the purpose of damage control. If Jack DeCoster chooses to appear at the hearing (his spokesperson has not indicated that he will) it will do nothing to alter the relations between giant food producers like Wright County Eggs and the government agencies that endorse their criminal operations while endangering public health.
1 Comment
long island ad agencies link
7/6/2012 05:24:44 pm

This blog post is excellent probably because of how well the subject was developed. I like some of the comments too though I would prefer we all stay on the subject in order add value to the subject!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    REMEMBER TO LIKE! SHARE! SUBSCRIBE! DONATE! www.thevinnyeastwoodshow.com

    ALL DONORS GET:
    Unlisted Content!
    Exclusive Club Access!
    And So Much More!
    (Special Rewards Below)

    Picture
    Kiwibank: 38-9010-0455296-00
    VMAN COMPANIES LIMITED
    (For NZ Gifts and AP's use your email as reference)
    Recommended AP
    $5 Per Week - $100 Per Month

    Gifts
    Weekly & Monthly Gifts

    ALREADY DONATED?
    CLICK HERE FOR YOUR SPECIAL REWARDS!

    Picture
    Vinny Updates Every Day!
    Picture
    Watch Vinnys Videos

    Author

    Vincent Eastwood (AKA MR. NEWS) was born in the ominous year of 1984, the same year set out in Orwells masterpiece and the year of New Zealands neoliberal economic reforms. 

    Vinny is a media activist, syndicated talk show host. 

    A dynamic personality with a strong commitment to bringing different factions of the truth movement together.

    We are all in this together!

    Archives

    August 2021
    August 2020
    December 2018
    November 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    May 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    January 2014
    June 2013
    January 2012
    December 2011
    September 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010

    Categories

    All
    1080
    2011
    2012
    2015
    2016
    2017
    2018
    420 Banks Demand 1 World Currency
    5 Eyes
    911
    9/11
    911 Conspiracy Theory New Zealand America Freedom Of Speech
    911 Fluoride Climate Change
    99%
    9's
    Aaron Dykes
    Adam Kokesh
    AE911 Truth
    Aerosol
    After America
    Agenda 2030
    Agenda 21
    Alan Gurden
    ALCP
    Alex Jones
    ALLCAPS Podcast
    America
    American Freedom Radio
    American History
    Antarctica
    Anti Corruption Watchdog
    Aotearoa
    Aotearoaawiderperspective
    Aotearoa A Wider Perspective
    Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party
    Aotearoa Legalize Cannabis Party
    Architects And Engineers For 9/11 Truth
    Argument
    Arthur Shopenhauer
    Ashley Farrell
    Asset Sales
    Atacama
    Attack
    Auckland
    Audio
    Australia
    Authority
    Autism
    Banking
    Becker Carter
    Ben Cooney
    Ben Vidgen
    Beyonce
    Bigot
    Bill Hicks
    BLM
    Bluetooth
    Bob Jones
    Bomber Bradbury
    Bomb Threat
    BPA
    Bruce Rogan
    Bundy Ranch
    Business Brown Table
    Cancelled
    Cancer
    Cannabis
    Cannibal
    Captain Aotearoa
    Carbon Credits
    Carbon Tax
    Carol Rosin
    Cattle
    Censorship
    CERN
    Charlotte's Web
    Chem Trails
    Child Abuse
    Child Smile
    China
    Chinese Intelligence
    Chinese Market
    Chris Christie
    Chris Fowlie
    Christmas
    Chris Woodney
    Climate Change
    Climatology
    Clint Meyer
    Cliven Bundy
    CO2
    Codex Alimentarius
    Collapse
    Collapse Of America
    Colorado
    Colorado Calling
    Comedy
    Committee For Auckland
    Community Service
    Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
    Conspiracy
    Conspiracy Theories
    Conspiracy Theory
    Conviction
    Corrupt
    Corruption
    Council On Foreign Relations
    Country Music Concert
    CPTSD
    Criminal
    Crisis
    Cult
    Cult Indoctrination Techniques
    Cure
    CYFS
    Dakta Green
    Dark Ages
    David Cunliffe
    David Icke
    David Lange
    David Richwhite
    Debate
    Deception
    Decriminalize
    Deleted
    Derivatives
    Disease
    Documentary
    Dog
    Donald Trump
    Donation
    Driving
    Driving Impairment
    Dr Paul Connett
    Dr Steven Greer
    Dr TIm Ball
    E4 Records
    Eastwood
    Economic Collapse
    Economic Hitman
    Economy
    Editing
    Ed Opperman
    Election
    Election 2014
    Election 2017
    Electromagnetic Radiation
    EMF
    EMR
    End Of America
    Energy Saver Light Bulb
    Enlightenment
    Eugenics
    Evelyn Gilbert
    Exposed In 6 Minutes
    Exposed In Minutes
    Facebook
    Face Television
    Face TV
    Facts
    Federal Reserve
    Financial Collapse
    Fire Dragon Chillis
    Fluoride
    Fluoride Free New Zealand
    Food
    Food Bill
    Forrest Lucas
    Fracking
    Freedom
    Freedom Of Expression
    Freedom Of Speech
    Freemason
    Free Speech
    Fundraiser
    Gareth Morgan
    Gary Franchi
    Gender Bending
    Geoengineering
    George Carlin
    Gerald Celente
    Get Up Stand Up Tour
    Ghandi
    Global
    Global Financial Crisis
    Globalist
    Global Warming
    Gluckman
    God
    Gold
    Goldman Sachs
    Graham McCready
    Green Cross
    Green Party
    Green Planet FM
    Greens
    Griffen De Cat
    Guerilla Media
    Guitar
    Hate Speech
    Helen Clark
    Hemp
    High
    High Frequency Trading
    Hikoi
    Homeland Security
    Hone Harawira
    Iain Parker
    Ian Wishart
    Illuminati
    Illumination
    IMac
    IMF
    Inside Job
    Inspiring
    International Monetary Fund
    Internet Censorship.
    Internet Mana Party
    Interview
    Iwi
    Jacinda Ardern
    James Dunne
    James Shaw
    Jenny Shipley
    Jerome Corsi
    Jim Bolger
    Joe Carolan
    Joe Trinder
    John Banks
    John Bolton
    John Key
    Jon Eisen
    Journalism
    Judiciary
    Judith Collins
    Judy Wood
    Katherine Smith
    Keith Stewart
    Kellyanne Conway
    Kelvin Davis
    Kim Dotcom
    Labour
    Labour Party
    L A Marzulli
    Large Hadron Collider
    Las Vegas
    Lauren Southern
    Lecture
    Legalise Cannabis
    Legalize
    Liar
    Live Music
    Live Performance
    Logan Campbell Center
    Love And Family
    Lucy Lawless
    Mainstream Media
    Maki Herbert
    Mana Party
    Mangawhai
    Maori Elites
    Maori Land Court
    Marama Davidson
    Marijuana
    Mark Emery
    Martyn Bomber Bradbury
    Masons
    Mayor
    Media
    Medical
    Medical Cannabis
    Medical Marijuana
    Medicinal Cannabis
    Medicine
    Melissa Melton
    Merrill Lynch
    Metiria Turei
    Michael Fay
    Michael Woods
    Midas Resources
    Mihael Flynn
    Mikey Havoc
    Mikhail Pierce
    Militia
    Mining
    Motivational
    MR NEWS
    Music
    Musician
    Narcissism
    National
    National Party
    Natural Medicine
    Nazi
    Negro
    Neoliberal
    Neurolinguistic Programming
    Nevada
    News
    Newt Gingrich
    New World Order
    New Zealand
    New Zealand First
    New Zealand Herald
    New Zealand Journal Of Natural Medicine
    New Zealand Story
    Ngai Tahu
    NORML
    NZ
    NZ Election 2017
    NZfirst
    Nzherald
    NZ Herald
    NZ Journal Of Natural Medicine
    NZ Military
    Obama
    Occupy Auckland
    Occupy Auckland Albert Park United We Strike Vinny Eastwood
    Occupy Corporatism
    Occupy Queen Street Joe Carolan Freedom New Zealand Police Court Eviction Christmas Eve
    Occupy Savvy
    Oil Companies
    Oil Drilling
    Oil For Food Program
    Oilspill
    Oil Spill
    Other Points Of View
    Owen Glenn
    Palantir
    Paradigm
    Parininihi Ki Waitotara
    Parliamentarians For Global Action
    Patsy Reedy
    Paula Bennett
    Paula Gray
    Paul Little
    Paul Ryan
    Paul Waddell
    Pedophile
    Penny Bright
    Peoples Liberation Army
    Peter Dunne
    Pete Santilli
    Pharmaceuticals
    Philip Vela
    Poison
    Police
    Police State
    Police States
    Politics
    Postman Investigates
    Postman Productions
    Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
    Pot
    Prediction
    Prime Minister
    Prime Sinister
    Princess Diana
    Privatisation
    Propaganda
    Protest
    Protestors
    Psychopath
    PTSD
    Public Credit Or Bust
    Public Watchdog
    Pyramid
    Queenstown
    Racist
    Radiation
    Radio
    Radio Live
    Rap Music
    Rates Revolt
    Raw Milk Organic New Zealand Katherine Smith Vapi Kupenga
    Red Star 309's
    Reefer Madness
    Removed
    Reptilians
    Resignation
    Resistance
    Richard Gage
    Rick Simpson
    Ritchard Boswell
    Robert Muldoon
    Robin Malcolm
    Roger Douglas
    Rogernomics
    Ross Meurant
    Roundtable
    Rudolph Giuliani
    Russell Malcolm
    Ruth Richardson
    Safe Food
    Safe Space
    Sarah Eastwood
    Sarah Palin
    Save Our Landlines NZ
    Science
    Scotland
    Secret
    Sentence
    Sentencing
    September Collapse
    Sexual-abuse
    Sheriff-richard-mack
    Shooting
    Sid Miller
    Silver
    Simon Bridges
    Singing
    Sirius Disclosure
    Sir Robert Jones
    SJW
    Skegg
    Skull And Bones
    Smart Grid
    Smart Meter Dangers
    Smart Meter Health Risks.
    Smart Meters
    Smart Surveillance
    Social Justice Warrior
    Society Collapse
    Stanford
    State Of America
    State Secrets
    Stefan Molyneux
    Stepping Down
    Steven Mnuchin
    Steven Town
    Steven Wilkinson
    Stock Market Crash
    Stoned
    Stuff.co.nz
    Subscribe
    Subscription
    Sunday Program
    Super City Auckland
    Surgery
    Susanne Posel
    Suzette Marie Dawson
    Suzie Dawson
    Swine Flu Vaccine
    Synthetic Cannabis
    Synthetic Drugs
    Synthetics
    Tainui
    Tazer
    Ted Anderson
    Telecommunications (New Regulatory Framework) Amendment Bill
    Te Tai Tokerau
    Te Ture Whenua Maori Bill
    The Club De Madrid
    The Daktory
    The Green Party Of Aotearoa New Zealand
    The Internet Party
    The Maori Party
    The Opportunities Party
    The Outer Dark
    The Pakehachis
    The Power Station
    The Queen
    The Twist
    The US Independent
    The Vinny Eastwood Show
    The Vinny Eastwood Show!
    Time Cube
    Tim Lynch
    Todays Blog
    Todays Show Blog
    Todays Show Blog
    Todays Show Blow
    Tooth Decay
    TOP
    Totalitaria
    Toxic
    Treason
    Treasury
    Treaty Of Waitangi
    Trilateral Commission
    Truth
    TV
    UN
    Uncensored Magazine
    UN Development Project
    UNICEF
    United Future
    United Nations
    Urgent Alert
    US Dollar
    Us Election
    US Military
    Vaccine
    Vaccine Court
    Vaccine Injury
    Video
    Vinnie
    Vinny
    Vinny Eastwood
    Vinny Eastwood Mr News Guerilla Media Don Brash Act Party Cannabis Decriminalize Marijuana Pot Freedom Amsterdam Youth Culture National Radio Panel
    Vinny & The Vendettas
    Violence
    Vote
    V&V
    War
    Watchdog
    Water
    Wealth
    Weight Loss
    White
    Wilbur Ross
    Wildlands
    Wine Box Inquiry
    Winston Peters
    Wireless
    Wireless Modem
    Word Play
    World Bank
    World Bank New Zealand John Key Asset Sales Financial Collapse Privatisation
    World Government
    World Trade Center 7
    World Wide Wake Up
    WTC7
    Youtube
    Youtube Channel

    RSS Feed

The Vinny Eastwood Show, where the only thing worse than living in a high tech global police state run by child trafficking satanists, is Vinny's jokes...