Officials: Some OR school districts got meat from CA slaughterhouse

A worker walks on top of cattle carcass scraps dropped into a parked truck at the Hallmark Meat Packing slaughterhouse in Chino, Calif. Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2008. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

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Story Published: Jan 31, 2008 at 3:28 PM PDT

By Associated Press, Thanh Tan and Web Staff

PORTLAND, Ore. - Seven school districts in Oregon received meat from a Southern California meatpacking company that was barred this week from supplying school lunches.

The action was taken as federal investigators look into video footage that showed workers at the Hallmark Meat Packing Company mistreating sick cows to force them into a slaughterhouse. The video (shown below) was released by The Humane Society of the United States after a six-week undercover investigation.

WARNING: The video contains graphic material that could be upsetting.

Federal regulations call for keeping downed cows out of the food supply because they may pose a higher risk of E. coli, salmonella contamination, or mad cow disease.

Federal officials say there is no evidence the beef shipped to Oregon schools was unsafe and there have been no reports of sickened children.

However, schools in Oregon were told by the USDA to pull their ground beef until it could be determined whether the food poses any health risks.

Thursday afternoon, the U.S. Department of Education released a list of school districts they determined had received ground beef from the Hallmark Meat Packing Company. The list could grow as officials check out the supply chain.

Centennial SD 28J
Estacada SD
Jackson County SD #9
North Clackamas SD 12
Redmond SD 2J
Sherwood SD 88J
Winston-Dillard SD 116

Again, there is no evidence at this point that the beef poses a health risk and there have been no reports of children getting sick in Oregon. However, the school districts listed above, along with all others in Oregon, have pulled their ground beef while officials investigate.

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