Food and Nutrition Programs

USDA Administrative Hold-Westland Meat Company

To:	All Schools, Child and Adult Care Centers and NSIP Programs
From:	Martha Herlihy, Section Head Food Distribution
Date:	February 4, 2008

USDA has notified us that they have received news of serious allegations concerning the treatment of cattle at Westland Meat Company, a slaughter facility. They immediately suspended Westland Meat as a supplier to USDA and placed an administrative hold in or destined for federal food and nutrition programs. According to USDA records, Massachusetts has not received any beef from Westland Meat Company and we are continuing to distributed A608 Beef 40 and A626 Beef Patties from our warehouses. Some Massachusetts schools and child and adult care centers may have received finished products made from beef supplied to the processor by Westland Meat Company. Processors are required to notify all of its customers, including schools and child and adult care centers, to place all affected product on hold. If you have questions concerning processed products you have received and you have not been notified, please contact your processor directly; they have the most current information. We will keep you informed of future developments.

Last Updated: February 5, 2008