Tag:

U.S. Department of Agriculture

10M Pounds Of Meat, Poultry Recalled Due To Listeria Concerns: Product List 10M Pounds Of Meat, Poultry Recalled Due To Listeria Concerns: Product List
10M Pounds Of Meat, Poultry Recalled Due To Listeria Concerns: Product List The product list has now been released for a nationwide recall of nearly 10 million pounds of meat and poultry products over fears they may be contaminated with Listeria. Click here for a new, updated story: New Update: Products Added To Recall Of 10M Pounds Of Meat, Poultry Due To Listeria Concerns The US Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)  announced that BrucePac is recalling approximately 9,986,245 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) products that may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes. The ready-to-eat meat and poultry items were produced…
Snakes On A Plane: International Traveler Busted Importing Pounds Of Meat At Dulles Airport Snakes On A Plane: International Traveler Busted Importing Pounds Of Meat At Dulles Airport
Snakes On A Plane: International Traveler Busted Importing Pounds Of Meat At Dulles Airport A beagle assigned to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) specialists at Washington Dulles International Airport made a curious discovery when a passenger tried to bring snake meat into the country, officials say. A traveler coming into Virginia from Equatorial Guinea drew the attention of Freddie, a 4-year-old beagle, leading to CBP agriculture specialists to discover two pounds of snake meat, which is a delight in his home country, but prohibited from being brought into the country. Freddie, of CBP's Beagle Brigade, sniffed agriculture products in the traveler's baggage. US…
Mold, Mildew, Insects Found At Boar’s Head Plant Tied To Deadly Listeria Outbreak, Report Says Mold, Mildew, Insects Found At Boar’s Head Plant Tied To Deadly Listeria Outbreak, Report Says
Mold, Mildew, Insects Found At Boar’s Head Plant Tied To Deadly Listeria Outbreak, Report Says Inspectors at the Boar's Head plant tied to a deadly Listeria outbreak discovered mold, mildew and insects among dozens of violations, according to a report by CBS News. Dozens of violations at the plant in Jarratt, Virginia, were outlined in records released by the US Department of Agriculture, the report said. After an initial recall of around 200,000 pounds of deli meat due to possible Listeria contamination, the company expanded it to approximately seven million additional pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products on Tuesday, July 30. Boar's Head's recall includes 71 p…
Lead Found In Lunchables: Consumer Reports Urges USDA To Remove Product From School Programs Lead Found In Lunchables: Consumer Reports Urges USDA To Remove Product From School Programs
Lead Found In Lunchables: Consumer Reports Urges USDA To Remove Product From School Programs Tests performed by the nonprofit Consumer Reports allegedly found high levels of lead and phthalates in the popular snack boxes by Lunchables, leading the organization to call on the government to remove the lunches from the National School Lunch Program. Consumer Reports (CR) issued the call to the US Department of Agriculture to remove Lunchable meals from the national program following a report released on Tuesday, April 9. As part of the report, the organization tested store-bought Lunchable food kits and compared the nutritional profiles of these meals to the two school-only Lunchab…
Deadly Cheeses Prompt Massive Recall Nationwide: CDC, FDA, USDA Deadly Cheeses Prompt Massive Recall Nationwide: CDC, FDA, USDA
Deadly Cheeses Prompt Massive Recall Nationwide: CDC, FDA, USDA Dairy products linked to deaths and serious illness — sold nationwide at many major retailers — are being recalled, the Center for Disease Control, the US Department of Agriculture, and the Food And Drug Administration announced in multiple releases over the first week of February.  Rizo Lopez Foods, Inc. is recalling over 50 products after 26 illnesses, 23 hospitalizations, and 2 deaths, according to the CDC.  The California-based company issued the recall following the report of Listeria monocytogenes contamination causing illnesses in 11 states. Listeria monocytogene…
PETA Claims Monkeys Harmed At UMass Amherst Lab, Demands Feds Investigate PETA Claims Monkeys Harmed At UMass Amherst Lab, Demands Feds Investigate
PETA Claims Monkeys Harmed At UMass Amherst Lab, Demands Feds Investigate PETA is calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture to look into what it describes as animal welfare violations at a lab at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. However, the university said it follows all laws concerning animals used in laboratory testing.  Agnès Lacreuse, a professor at UMass-Amherst who studies menopause using marmosets, is accused by the nonprofit organization of violating the Animal Welfare Act after one monkey in her lab escaped confinement and injured another caged monkey. The monkey's escape on May 14 is the fourth one in recent years, among several other …
Democratic Senator Bob Menendez Indicted On Federal Bribery Charges Democratic Senator Bob Menendez Indicted On Federal Bribery Charges
Democratic Senator Bob Menendez Indicted On Federal Bribery Charges Democratic U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey was indicted Friday on federal corruption charges that include allegations of him secretly supporting the government of Egypt and trying to influence U.S. prosecutors' case against Bergen County real estate magnate Fred Daibes. Mendendez, 69, who's chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, made several moves in exchange for bribes, some of which were passed to his wife, Nadine Arsianian, a sweeping indictment unsealed on Sept. 22 alleges. A staggering array of charges were brought by the grand jurors in the Southern District of N…
Dead Snakes, Seahorses Seized From Travelers At Washington Dulles Airport Dead Snakes, Seahorses Seized From Travelers At Washington Dulles Airport
Dead Snakes, Seahorses Seized From Travelers At Washington Dulles Airport Snakes, snake oil, sea horses, prohibited pork, and snail ointment were seized from travelers at Washington Dulles International Airport this month, officials said. The first traveler, who arrived on Aug. 1 from Vietnam, was destined to Fairfax, and referred to a secondary baggage examination, U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced. CBP agriculture specialists and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) inspectors discovered prohibited pork, but also found 77 dry seahorses, five jars of snail ointment, and five dead snakes. The import of the seahorses, snakes, and snail oint…
Live Birds Seized From Passenger Coming From Dubai Into Dulles In VA Live Birds Seized From Passenger Coming From Dubai Into Dulles In VA
Live Birds Seized From Passenger Coming From Dubai Into Dulles In VA US Customs and Border Protection seized two live birds from a woman arriving on a flight from Dubai to Dulles International Airport earlier this month, officials said. The UAE passenger had been keeping the birds inside an open cardboard box inside a plastic bag on July 16, UCBP said. The woman failed to notify airline gate attendants that she was carrying the birds onto the flight. CBP agriculture specialists met the flight as it arrived, secured the birds in a filtered crate, and took the birds to CBP’s agriculture quarantine inspections lab. Agriculture specialists also referred the wom…
Tornado: Support Pours In For Business In Region Hit Hard With 'Enormous Damage' Tornado: Support Pours In For Business In Region Hit Hard With 'Enormous Damage'
Tornado: Support Pours In For Business In Region Hit Hard With 'Enormous Damage' Support is pouring in for the owners of a farm in the region that was severely damaged during a tornado over the weekend. The twister tore through an area in the Catskills, in northwestern Sullivan County, at around nightfall Saturday, April 22. The tornado, with peak winds of 115 miles per hour, ranked as an EF2 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale or EF Scale, the National Weather Service said. Earlier report: Tornado: Detailed Info Released On Strong Twister With 115 MPH Winds That Hit Sullivan County It touched down at around 6:38 p.m. and had a path length of 9.95 miles and a path width…
3.4K Pounds Of Beef Chuck Product Recalled Due To Possible E. Coli Contamination 3.4K Pounds Of Beef Chuck Product Recalled Due To Possible E. Coli Contamination
3.4K Pounds Of Beef Chuck Product Recalled Due To Possible E. Coli Contamination Thousands of pounds of a beef chuck product are being recalled due to possible E. coli contamination. Approximately 3,436 pounds of various weights of boneless items labeled "Elkhorn Valley Pride Angus Beef 61226 BEEF CHUCK 2PC BNLS" were packed on Thursday, Feb. 16,  the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced on Friday, March 24. View the product label here. The complete list of serial numbers and box count numbers can be found here. The product subject to recall bears the establishment number “EST. M-19549” inside the USDA mark of inspect…
Highly Pathogenic Bird Flu Detected In Birds, Poultry At Maryland Farm Highly Pathogenic Bird Flu Detected In Birds, Poultry At Maryland Farm
Highly Pathogenic Bird Flu Detected In Birds, Poultry At Maryland Farm Federal laboratory testing has confirmed a case of the highly pathogenic H521 avian influenza (HPAI) - more commonly known as bird flu - at a farm in Maryland. The investigation by the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA), and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratory confirmed that poultry from a Washington County farm has tested positive for HAPI. Officials say that all affected premises and birds on the properties have been quarantined and separated to help curtail any further spread of the disease. Any animals from the affected flocks will never…
CT Store Owner, Worker Admit Defrauding Federal Program CT Store Owner, Worker Admit Defrauding Federal Program
CT Store Owner, Worker Admit Defrauding Federal Program The owner of a Connecticut convenience store and his father, who helped him operate the business, have admitted to a food stamps fraud offense.  Hartford County residents Javed Saeed, age 52, and 68-year-old Dastgir Saeed, both of South Windsor, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, May 10, to conspiracy to commit food stamp fraud, according to Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States attorney for the District of Connecticut. Javed is the owner of the Manchester Quick Mart and Mobil gas station, which is located at 262 Oakland St. in Manchester, the US Attorney's Office reported. His fathe…
3.8 Million Pennsylvania Birds Hit With Avian Flu, 19K Linked To Duck Meat Farm 3.8 Million Pennsylvania Birds Hit With Avian Flu, 19K Linked To Duck Meat Farm
3.8 Million Pennsylvania Birds Hit With Avian Flu, 19K Linked To Duck Meat Farm A total of 3.8 million birds have been affected by an outbreak of avian flu in Pennsylvania as of Monday, May 2, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced. More cases were linked to a seventh commercial farm described only as a "duck meat bird facility" in Lancaster County, with the outbreak having been reported late last month, the USDA said. More than 19,300 birds at the facility were depopulated, according to a chart on the USDA website. Most of the cases in Pennsylvania were reported in flocks of commercial table egg layers, totaling about 3,450,100, according to USDA da…
3.4+Mil Birds Have Avian Flu In PA: USDA 3.4+Mil Birds Have Avian Flu In PA: USDA
3.4+Mil Birds Have Avian Flu In PA: USDA Three commercial chicken farms in central Pennsylvania have confirmed avian flu in their birds totaling over 3,450,100 within the state, according to an updated release from the US Department of Agriculture. The infected birds are all egg-laying chickens and all three farms are located in Lancaster County, according to the release. The first confirmed case of avian flu in Lancaster County was at a Kreider Farms facility in East Donegal Township, and the farm destroyed nearly 1.5 million chickens in response to the diagnosis, according to Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. …
Bird Flu Has Boldly Landed In PA Bird Flu Has Boldly Landed In PA
Bird Flu Has Boldly Landed In PA God bless America. There's a bird flu outbreak in the United States, and a bald eagle has caught it in Chester County, Pennsylvania. The current avian flu outbreak, first reported in a commercial turkey flock in Indiana, is considered the worst since 2015. While the outbreak is driving up the price of eggs and chicken nationwide, properly cooked foul is harmless to humans even when it's infected by the flu, agriculture experts say.  According to a map provided by the National Wildlife Health Center, no commercial or backyard flocks in Pennsylvania have been tested positive for avian f…
Cyber-Casanova From NJ Admits Duping Dozens Of Lonely Hearts Out Of $1.14M Cyber-Casanova From NJ Admits Duping Dozens Of Lonely Hearts Out Of $1.14M
Cyber-Casanova From NJ Admits Duping Dozens Of Lonely Hearts Out Of $1.14M A New Jersey man admitted that he orchestrated an online scam that conned dozens of unsuspecting women on dating sites out of more than a million dollars – and led one of them to suicide. Rubbin Sarpong, 37, of Millville pocketed the money and bought property in Ghana, along with luxury cars, expensive jewelry, top-shelf booze, designer clothes and more, federal authorities said. Then he flaunted it on Instagram. Sarpong had catfishing accomplices, several of whom live in Ghana, Acting U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Rachael Honig said. Posing as American military personnel stationed oversea…
USDA Veterinarian Struck Dead Outside Central PA Elementary School USDA Veterinarian Struck Dead Outside Central PA Elementary School
USDA Veterinarian Struck Dead Outside Central PA Elementary School A man was fatally struck outside of a Cumberland County elementary school on Wednesday night, according to police. Lower Allen Township police were called to a report of a struck pedestrian at the intersection of Rossmoyne Road at Colonial Drive, in front of Rossmoyne Elementary School on Wednesday just before 7 p.m. EMS and Fire Department were dispatched as well, offering life saving measures, according to police. The victim was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased. David Blahna, 74, of Mechanicsburg, was later identified as the victim, police say.  Bl…
Nearly Half Of White Tail Deer Tested In PA Showed Antibodies For COVID-19 Nearly Half Of White Tail Deer Tested In PA Showed Antibodies For COVID-19
Nearly Half Of White Tail Deer Tested In PA Showed Antibodies For Covid-19 A recent study of white-tailed deer showed 44 percent of animals tested had antibodies for COVID-19. "Widespread human SARS-CoV-2 infections combined with human-wildlife interactions create the potential for reverse zoonosis from humans to wildlife," the abstract for the pre-print of the study said.  The scientist studied 500 deer in several northeast and Midwest states between Jan. 2020 and March 2021. "We targeted white-tailed deer...based on evidence these deer have ACE2 receptors with high affinity for SARS-CoV-2, are permissive to infection, exhibit sustained viral shedding, can …
Governor Requests Aid For CT Farmers Who Suffered Damage From Tropical Storm Elsa Governor Requests Aid For CT Farmers Who Suffered Damage From Tropical Storm Elsa
Governor Requests Aid For CT Farmers Who Suffered Damage From Tropical Storm Elsa Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont has submitted a request to the federal government to help farmers who lost crops and suffered damage from Tropical Storm Elsa in early July. The governor made submitted an agricultural disaster declaration request to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, according to an announcement on Thursday, Aug. 5. If the disaster declaration is approved, farmers in the state will be eligible for certain federal disaster assistance programs, including emergency loans. “Farm owners are small business owners, and not only are they responsible for employing a significant nu…
Wayne Couple Goes To Fed Pen For Buying $4.5M Worth Of Food Stamps At Their Paterson Grocery Wayne Couple Goes To Fed Pen For Buying $4.5M Worth Of Food Stamps At Their Paterson Grocery
Wayne Couple Goes To Fed Pen For Buying $4.5M Worth Of Food Stamps At Their Paterson Grocery A Wayne couple was sentenced to federal prison Tuesday for buying $4.5 million worth of food stamps from customers at a grocery store they managed in Paterson. Ibrahim Zughbi, 67, got 3½ years in a federal penitentiary while his wife, Miriam Zughbi, 63, also of Wayne, was sentenced to two years, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said. Ibrahim Zughbi previously participated in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) when he was the owner of Neighborhood Supermarket, a medium-sized grocery store, Honig said. Administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, SNAP benefits –…
COVID-19: German Shepherd In NY, One Of First Dogs In Nation To Test Positive, Dies At Age 6 COVID-19: German Shepherd In NY, One Of First Dogs In Nation To Test Positive, Dies At Age 6
Covid-19: German Shepherd In NY, One Of First Dogs In Nation To Test Positive, Dies At Age 6 A dog in New York who was one of the first in the country to be diagnosed with COVID-19 died shortly before his seventh birthday. Buddy, a German Shepherd living with his family in Staten Island, began having trouble breathing in mid-April, around the time the COVID pandemic peaked in New York. When the dog began getting sick, he was tested and it was determined he was positive for COVID-19.  He also had lymphoma, his family said, which was diagnosed on the day of his death on Saturday, July 11, according to a report in National Geographic. The Mahoneys said approximately every two w…
'Murder Hornets': Media-Created Panic Scaring Some Into Killing Essential Insects, Experts Warn 'Murder Hornets': Media-Created Panic Scaring Some Into Killing Essential Insects, Experts Warn
'Murder Hornets': Media-Created Panic Scaring Some Into Killing Essential Insects, Experts Warn Continuing media reports about “murder hornets” have panicked an ignorant public into needlessly killing already-endangered bees and wasps, experts warn. Native bees, for instance, pollinate 75% of fruits, nuts and vegetables grown in the United States, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports. Yet even government beekeepers have announced plans to set traps that will kill some of these extremely essential insects, Doug Yanega, senior museum scientist for the Department of Entomology at UC Riverside, told the Los Angeles Times. SEE: Traps will be set out soon, KY officials say SEE: Ten…
South Jersey Grocery Store Owner Admits $260,000 Food Stamp Scam South Jersey Grocery Store Owner Admits $260,000 Food Stamp Scam
South Jersey Grocery Store Owner Admits $260,000 Food Stamp Scam A Camden grocery store owner admitted trading drugs and cash for government-issued debit cards that he and several accomplices used to steal $260,000 in benefits intended for families in need. Luciano Estevez, 50, pleaded guilty on Wednesday via teleconference after federal agents caught him and three of the others in a sting, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, allows users to buy necessary groceries. Although exchanging SNAP cards for cash is illegal, Estevez and his acco…
COVID-19: Two Cats In Different Areas Of New York Become First US Pets To Test Positive COVID-19: Two Cats In Different Areas Of New York Become First US Pets To Test Positive
Covid-19: Two Cats In Different Areas Of New York Become First US Pets To Test Positive The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has claimed a pair of furry little patients in New York. Two cats in separate areas in the state not identified by the government have become the first companion animals in the United States to test positive for COVID-19, which has ravaged the state, with more than 250,000 positive cases that have claimed 15,302 lives in 53 days. "These are the first pets in the United States to test positive," the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Wednesday, April 22, in a joint statement with the CDC. Officials said that the cats had mild respiratory illnesses and are e…
Newark Grocery Store Father, Son Sentenced In $3.49M Federal SNAP Benefits Fraud Newark Grocery Store Father, Son Sentenced In $3.49M Federal SNAP Benefits Fraud
Newark Grocery Store Father, Son Sentenced In $3.49M Federal SNAP Benefits Fraud A Newark man was sentenced to more than three years in federal prison and his son to 15 months of home detention Thursday for blatantly exchanging federal food benefits for $3.49 million in cash. Juan Perdomo ran M&R Supermarket in Newark, which accepted Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments through government-issued debit cards issued to families in need. The federally funded program, formerly known as food stamps, allows users to purchase food, but the benefit cannot be exchanged for cash. Authorities say Perdomo, along with his son, Jose, and wife, Maria Rodrigue…
Deer With Plastic Pumpkin Stuck To Head Rescued In Upper Saddle River Deer With Plastic Pumpkin Stuck To Head Rescued In Upper Saddle River
Deer With Plastic Pumpkin Stuck To Head Rescued In Upper Saddle River Recent reports of a deer roaming Upper Saddle River with a plastic pumpkin stuck to its head turned out to be true, said authorities who rescued the crippled creature on Tuesday. TYCO Animal Control officers based in Ho-Ho-Kus came to town and coordinated efforts with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the New Jersey Division of Fish & and Wildlife to rescue the young deer, Police Chief Patrick Rotella said. "We'd been receiving calls from residents since the end of November reporting sightings of the deer," Rotella said. "Unfortunately we were unable to locate the animal. "We don…
Wayne Couple Admits Buying $4.5M Worth Of Food Stamps From Their Paterson Grocery Wayne Couple Admits Buying $4.5M Worth Of Food Stamps From Their Paterson Grocery
Wayne Couple Admits Buying $4.5M Worth Of Food Stamps From Their Paterson Grocery A married Wayne couple who managed a grocery store in Paterson under someone else's name admitted Wednesday in federal court that they bought $4.5 million worth of food stamps from customers. Ibrahim Zughbi, 65, and his 61-year-old wife, Miriam, opened Jamaica Meat Market, a medium-size grocery store, in January 2014. They were authorized to accept benefits provided by SNAP -- formerly known as the Food Stamp Program -- which is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said. Noticing a high volume deducted electronically through SNAP debit card…
More Than 50,000 Pounds Of Fish Products Recalled Due To Improper Inspection More Than 50,000 Pounds Of Fish Products Recalled Due To Improper Inspection
More Than 50,000 Pounds Of Fish Products Recalled Due To Improper Inspection The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced a recall of more than 50,000 pounds of frozen fish products that were not properly inspected. The USDA announced that McAllen Cold Storage is recalling approximately 51,942 pounds of frozen Siluriformes fish products - specifically Basa fillets - that were not presented for import re-inspection into the United States. The frozen Basa fillet items were imported from Vietnam to the United States on various dates from Aug. 1 last year through Feb. 15 this year. The recalled products include 22-pound white cardbo…
RECALL: 212 Pounds Of Meat, Veggies Shipped To New Jersey RECALL: 212 Pounds Of Meat, Veggies Shipped To New Jersey
Recall: 212 Pounds Of Meat, Veggies Shipped To New Jersey More than 212 pounds of ready-to-eat meat products with vegetables shipped to New Jersey are being recalled due to possible listeria and salmonella contamination, authorities said. Buddy's Kitchen Inc. of Minnesota produced the pork and chicken meals between October 2017 and 2018, which were shipped to several states including New Jersey, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a release.  The number "P-4226" is located inside of the products' USDA mark of inspection. CLICK HERE FOR MORE.
12 Meat, Poultry Deli Products Recalled For Possible Listeria Contamination 12 Meat, Poultry Deli Products Recalled For Possible Listeria Contamination
12 Meat, Poultry Deli Products Recalled For Possible Listeria Contamination A food manufacturer is recalling approximately 18,296 pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry deli-sliced products that may be adulterated with Listeria, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced on Monday.The 12 ready-to-eat meat and poultry deli-sliced products made by Richmond, Virginia-based Ukrop’s Homestyle Foods were produced and packaged from Sept. 14 through Oct. 3.  Click here for a list of products recalled. Click here for labels of products recalled. The problem was discovered on Oct. 4 when FSIS received notification from the est…