Chairman Henry A. Waxman and Subcommittee Chairman Bart Stupak today sent a letter to Austin DeCoster, the owner of Wright County Egg, regarding records obtained by the Committee indicating that the company tested positive for Salmonella contamination in its Iowa facilities prior to the recent widespread outbreak of Salmonella-related illnesses.

In the letter, the Chairmen state, “Environmental sample reports between 2008 and 2010 indicate that Wright County Egg received 426 positive results for Salmonella, including 73 samples that were potentially positive for Salmonella Enteritidis, the same strain that has sickened 1,519 people.”

The Chairmen are requesting that when Mr. DeCoster testifies before the Committee on September 21st, he comes prepared to explain why the company’s facilities tested positive for Salmonella Enteritidis, the actions the company took to address Salmonella contamination after receiving the positive test results, and whether the testing results were shared with FDA or other federal or state food safety officials.