Screenshot 2024-09-06 at 5.46.46 PM

The Flathead City-County Health Department (FCCHD) and the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) continue to work to investigate an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak originating in Flathead County. Copy of Complaint.

Illnesses have been reported in Montana residents as well as people who visited Montana over the 4th of July week including Arizona, Oregon, Wyoming, Florida, Virginia and Canada.

On July 25th, FCCHD and DPHHS received confirmatory testing results of clinical and food samples verifying ground beef as the exposure of concern. Specifically, the source of the outbreak was wagyu beef from one lot number. All cases reported eating undercooked or made-to-order burgers made with wagyu beef at one of multiple restaurants in Flathead County. The last known date of consumption was July 14, 2024.

All potentially affected products have been removed from the marketplace by public health officials, the Department of Livestock and Lower Valley Processing. Some products may have been sold direct to consumers prior to discovery of potential contamination.

The following restaurants are associated with the 22 cases of reported illness in this outbreak: Gunsight Saloon; Hops Downtown Grill; Tamarack Brewing Company; the Lodge at Whitefish Lake; and Harbor Grille. Furthermore, based on information provided through case investigation, 2 individuals have died after exposure to wagyu beef consumed at various restaurants.

Screenshot 2024-09-06 at 1.03.32 PM

(Seattle) A federal lawsuit has been filed against Boar’s Head Provisions of Sarasota, Florida in the Eastern District of Virginia on behalf of Barbara Schmidt of Virginia, who spent six days in ICU and weeks in recovery after consuming Boar’s Head Liverwurst. She tested positive for Listeria, and it is a match to the outbreak strain.  Cause No. Case 3:24-cv-00631. 

In addition to seeking compensation for medical expenses and pain and suffering, Ms. Schmidt is seeking $10,000,000 in punitive damages against Boar’s Head for allowing unsafe conditions to remain in the plant that lead to this Listeria outbreak.

“The years of inspection reports (Here are the Inspection Reports in PDF.) leave little doubt that the Boar’s Head plant’s food safety plan must have been non-existent, “ said food safety attorney, Bill Marler. “It is hard to wrap your head around how food could be produced in these conditions by this company and under the gaze of FSIS inspectors,” added Marler.

According to the CDC, as of August 27, a total of 57 people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria have been reported from 18 states – Including: Arizona 1, Florida 3, Georgia 2, Illinois 1, Indiana 1, Maryland 8, Massachusetts 3, Minnesota 1, Missouri 3, New Jersey 5, New Mexico 1, New York 17, North Carolina 1, Pennsylvania 2, South Carolina 2, Tennessee 1, Virginia 4, and Wisconsin 1. One person got sick during their pregnancy and remained pregnant after recovering. So far, nine deaths have been reported, including one in Illinois, one in New Jersey, one in Virginia, one in Florida, one in Tennessee, one in New Mexico, one in New York, and two in South Carolina.

Boar’s Head has recalled over 7,000,000 pounds of its deli meat. This recall expansion includes 71 products produced between May 10, 2024, and July 29, 2024, under Defendant’s Boar’s Head and Old Country brand names. These items include meat intended for slicing at retail delis as well as some packaged meat and poultry products sold at retail locations. These products have “sell by” dates ranging from 29-JUL-2024 through 17-OCT-24. View full product list. The products subject to recall were distributed to retail locations nationwide and some were exported to the Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Panama. The products shipped to retailers bear establishment number “EST. 12612” or “P-12612” inside the USDA mark of inspection on the product labels.

Bill Marler has also called on the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate committees to use their authority to get to the bottom of the Boar’s Head Listeria Outbreak that has sickened at least 57, killing 9 to date.

Marler Clark is also representing several other victims or the families of deceased victims.  More lawsuits will be filed in the coming week.

William “Bill” Marler has been a food safety lawyer and advocate since the 1993 Jack-in-the-Box E. coli Outbreak which was chronicled in the book, “Poisoned” and in the recent Netflix documentary by the same name. Bill work has been profiled in the New Yorker, “A Bug in the System;” the Seattle Times, “30 years after the deadly E. coli outbreak, A Seattle attorney still fights for food safety;” the Washington Post, “He helped make burgers safer, Now he is fighting food poisoning again;” and several others. Dozens of times a year Bill speaks to industry and government throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Africa, China and Australia on why it is important to prevent foodborne illnesses.  He is also a frequent commentator on food litigation and food safety on Marler Blog. Bill is also the publisher of Food Safety News.

Dear Inspector General Fong,

I write to request an investigation into the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) handling of repeated sanitary violations found at the Boar’s Head plant in Jarratt, Virginia. I am deeply concerned about the ongoing, nationwide listeria outbreak linked to recalled Boar’s Head deli meat produced at the plant. I am further alarmed by recent reports that the facility responsible for the outbreak had repeatedly violated federal regulations.[1] According to documents released by the USDA, “government inspectors logged 69 instances of ‘noncompliance’ with federal rules in the past year, including several in recent weeks.”[2] These violations are abysmal, including heavy discolored meat buildup, meat overspray on walls, large pieces of meat on the floor, black patches of mold on a ceiling, blood puddled on the floor, and a rancid smell in the [facility’s] cooler.[3] Despite these findings, regulators allowed the facility to continue operating, endangering countless lives. The actions taken by the USDA were inadequate and an investigation is necessary to prevent deadly mistakes from reoccurring.

In July 2024, Boar’s Head recalled nearly 7 million pounds of deli products, prompting grocery stores across the U.S., including Big Y and Stop & Shop stores in Connecticut, to close deli counters.[4] However, recently released documents reveal that inspectors found multiple sanitary violations at the facility since August 2023.[5] Despite the repeat offenses, USDA failed to take strong enforcement action against the company. Boar’s Head officials claim to have taken corrective action upon receiving the violations,[6] but even with a clear pattern of non-compliance, all they got was a slap on the wrist. As a result of delayed action, 57 people have been hospitalized and 9 have tragically lost their lives.[7]

While I am pleased to hear that the facility “will remain closed until the establishment is able to demonstrate it can produce safe product,” the situation should have never been allowed to escalate to this level of severity. This serves as another example highlighting the need for urgent action to reform and improve the oversight of our food supply. That is why I urge you to move swiftly to investigate USDA’s actions to prevent this from happening again.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to working with you on this issue.

  Sincerely,

Richard Blumenthal

1 https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/boars-head-plant-linked-deadly-outbreak-broke-food-113253021

2 https://apnews.com/article/boars-head-listeria-recall-fcde06b66dca38d53361c92495a7cfed

3 chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media_file/documents/Non-
Compliance_Reports-812023-To-822024.pdf

4 https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/big-y-closes-delis-boars-head-meat-recall/3345710/

5 chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media_file/documents/Non-
Compliance_Reports-812023-To-822024.pdf

6 https://boarshead.com/products-recall-2024

7 https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/delimeats-7-24.html?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/delimeats-7-
24/index.html

Congress

Fourth District Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan sent a letter today to Larry Helfant, the Chief Operating Officer, and to Jeff Szymanski, the plant manager in Jarratt.

The deli meat contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes is responsible for nine deaths and 57 hospitalizations across the country, and health officials continue to monitor for more deaths and hospitalizations linked to Boar’s Head products.

Boar’s Head recalled more than 7 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products from the Greensville County plant in July after it was discovered as the source of the deadly strain of bacteria.

Recently released inspection records show repeated violations and hazardous health conditions at the facility. Issues documented in the reports include meat build-up on equipment, overspray on walls, pieces of meat on the floor, blood in puddles on the floor, rancid odors, flies, gnats, cobwebs, green mold and black mold on walls.

“I am particularly concerned that this outbreak follows a pattern of unacceptable conditions at the Jarratt facility. Noncompliance records issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service show a history of workplace hazards and food safety issues,” wrote McClellan.

“These violations include meat residue and debris on food contact surfaces, clogged drains and standing water, blood on the floor and black mold,” she continued.

In her letter, McClellan specifically asked Boar’s Head leadership to answer the following questions: 

  • When did management first become aware of the Listeria risk at the Jarratt facility? Why was action not taken earlier to prevent a widespread outbreak?
  • What processes were in place to control the risk of food contamination by Listeria and other pathogens at the Jarratt facility?
  • After the failures that resulted in this devastating outbreak, what additional safeguards will be implemented moving forward?
  • Why did many of the violations cited in FSIS noncompliance records continue to occur repeatedly over several months? Why were permanent corrective measures not taken?
  • In the months leading up to the Listeria outbreak, were FSIS inspectors present at the Jarratt facility at least once per each eight-hour shift, as required by federal food safety regulations?
  • Since Listeria infections can take up to 10 weeks to become apparent, what steps will Boar’s Head take to ensure the public is aware of the ongoing risk?

McClellan has also requested additional information from USDA regarding the progress of the investigation and next steps.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn) has gone a step farther than McClellan – asking for a federal probe into the Listeria outbreak.

“The outbreak of Listeria in Boar’s Head meat products should have been caught, could have been stopped by the United States Department of Agriculture,” Blumenthal told News 12. “I want an investigation as to why those lax inspection procedures caused these deaths and sicknesses.”

The Listeria outbreak is the largest on record since 2011, according to the CDC.

The Jarratt plant has been shut down in the wake of the contamination. Boar’s Head officials are sanitizing the facility and said they plan to retrain employees before resuming operations.

Screenshot 2024-07-28 at 4.46.03 AM

Bill Marler, food safety advocate and foodborne illness attorney since 1993, whose Seattle law firm, Marler Clark’s work was recently profiled in the Netflix documentary “Poisoned,” The Dirty Truth about your Food, is calling on Boar’s Head to pay the medical bills and lost wages of the victims of the deli outbreak in the United States that has so far sickened 57, killing nine.

As of August 27, a total of 57 people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria have been reported from 18 states – Including: Arizona 1, Florida 3, Georgia 2, Illinois 1, Indiana 1, Maryland 8, Massachusetts 3, Minnesota 1, Missouri 3, New Jersey 5, New Mexico 1, New York 17, North Carolina 1, Pennsylvania 2, South Carolina 2, Tennessee 1, Virginia 4, Wisconsin, 1.

Sick people’s samples were collected from May 29, 2024 to August 16, 2024. Of 57 people with information available, all 57 have been hospitalized. One person got sick during their pregnancy and remained pregnant after recovering. Nine deaths have been reported, including one in Illinois, one in New Jersey, one in Virginia, and as of this update one in Florida, one in Tennessee, one in New Mexico, one in New York, and two in South Carolina.

Epidemiologic data show that meats sliced at delis may be contaminated with Listeria and may be making people sick. Testing identified Listeria in an unopened package of Boar’s Head liverwurst collected as part of this investigation, which resulted in a recall. 

“Unfortunately, those numbers will likely rise in the coming week,”  Marler said. “The cost of treating victims of Listeria infections can run in the tens of thousands of dollars, or in a severe case, even in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. These families need Boar’s Head to do more than promise to cooperate in the investigation into this outbreak. They need to know that Boar’s Head intends to fulfill their corporate responsibility by looking out for their customers,” added Marler.

Marler noted that over the last two decades in other outbreak-situations, companies such as Chi-Chi’s, Dole, Jack in the Box, Conagra, Odwalla and Sheetz advanced medical costs for outbreak victims whose illnesses were traced to their food products.

William “Bill” Marler has been a food safety lawyer and advocate since the 1993 Jack-in-the-Box E. coli Outbreak which was chronicled in the book, “Poisoned” and in the recent Netflix documentary by the same name. Bill work has been profiled in the New Yorker, “A Bug in the System;” the Seattle Times, “30 years after the deadly E. colioutbreak, A Seattle attorney still fights for food safety;” the Washington Post, “He helped make burgers safer, Now he is fighting food poisoning again;” and several others.. Dozens of times a year Bill speaks to industry and government throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Africa, China and Australia on why it is important to prevent foodborne illnesses.  He is also a frequent commentator on food litigation and food safety on Marler Blog. Bill is also the publisher of Food Safety News.

As of August 27, a total of 57 people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria have been reported from 18 states – Including: Arizona 1, Florida 3, Georgia 2, Illinois 1, Indiana 1, Maryland 8, Massachusetts 3, Minnesota 1, Missouri 3, New Jersey 5, New Mexico 1, New York 17, North Carolina 1, Pennsylvania 2, South Carolina 2, Tennessee 1, Virginia 4, Wisconsin, 1.

Sick people’s samples were collected from May 29, 2024 to August 16, 2024. Of 57 people with information available, all 57 have been hospitalized. One person got sick during their pregnancy and remained pregnant after recovering. Nine deaths have been reported, including one in Illinois, one in New Jersey, one in Virginia, and as of this update one in Florida, one in Tennessee, one in New Mexico, one in New York, and two in South Carolina.

The below might help your staff get up to speed.

Publisher’s Platform: What you need to know about the Boar’s Head Listeria Outbreak https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2024/08/242347/

Boar’s Head plant had dozens of violations, dubbed ‘listeria factory’ by lawyer https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/boars-head-plant-dozens-violations-dubbed-listeria-factory-lawyer

The number and breadth of the violations prompted food safety attorney Bill Marler to call the plant a “listeria factory.” 

“In the 30 years of doing food safety litigation, I have seen several hundred inspection reports.  This group of ‘non-compliance’ reports are some of the worst that I have ever seen,” Marler told FOX Business in an email. 

Additionally, the lack of resolution to these issues is “likely criminal violations under the Federal Meat Inspection Act,” he said. 

“What is described in the reports – piles of meat, water, mold and insects – is a perfect place for Listeria to grow,” he said.  “This plant was more a Listeria factory than a factory to produced food for human consumption.”

Expect more illnesses in listeria outbreak tied to Boar’s Head deli meat, food safety attorney says https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/food/2024/09/01/boars-head-recall-deli-meat-listeria/75033322007/

A prominent food safety lawyer says more illnesses can be expected and Congress should investigate Boar’s Head after deli meat produced in one of the company’s plants was linked to an ongoing multistate listeria outbreak.

“This is the worst set of inspection reports I have ever seen,” Marler told USA TODAY.

Congress should investigate how the listeria outbreak arose and why inspectors allowed the plant conditions to exist for so long, says Marler, who is representing the family of one person who died and two others who had illnesses in the outbreak.

“It’s crazy. Not only was this plant better at producing listeria than it was at producing meat, but also, what were the inspectors doing?” he told USA TODAY.

“It’s a layup, whether you are a Republican or Democrat, to have congressional hearings on why this happened and why FSIS inspectors let this thing drag on,” Marler said.

Fed health inspectors slammed over ‘listeria factory’ tied to deadly Boar’s Head outbreak https://nypost.com/2024/08/30/business/feds-slammed-over-listeria-factory-linked-to-deadly-boars-head-oubreak/

Food safety experts slammed government health inspectors for letting a “listeria factory” fester despite dozens of disturbing violations before the deadly outbreak was linked to tainted Boar’s Head deli meats.

The company’s plant in Jarratt, Va., was found to have bugs, pools of blood on the floor and growing mold over the past year, according to records released by the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.

“These inspection reports show that this was a listeria factory as much as it was a meat factory,” food safety attorney Bill Marler told The Post.

“The government needs to answer the question of what were you doing? Didn’t this generate enough questions given the size of this plant.”

Boar’s Head plant linked to deadly outbreak broke food safety rules dozens of times, records show https://apnews.com/article/boars-head-listeria-recall-fcde06b66dca38d53361c92495a7cfed?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=share

Bill Marler, a Seattle lawyer who has sued companies over food poisoning outbreaks, said the conditions described in the inspections reports were the worst he’s seen in three decades.

William “Bill” Marler has been a food safety lawyer and advocate since the 1993 Jack-in-the-Box E. coli Outbreak which was chronicled in the book, “Poisoned” and in the recent Netflix documentary by the same name. Bill work has been profiled in the New Yorker, “A Bug in the System;” the Seattle Times, “30 years after the deadly E. coli outbreak, A Seattle attorney still fights for food safety;” the Washington Post, “He helped make burgers safer, Now he is fighting food poisoning again;” and several others. Dozens of times a year Bill speaks to industry and government throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Africa, China and Australia on why it is important to prevent foodborne illnesses.  He is also a frequent commentator on food litigation and food safety on Marler Blog. Bill is also the publisher of Food Safety News.

As of August 27, a total of 57 people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria have been reported from 18 states – Including: Arizona 1, Florida 3, Georgia 2, Illinois 1, Indiana 1, Maryland 8, Massachusetts 3, Minnesota 1, Missouri 3, New Jersey 5, New Mexico 1, New York 17, North Carolina 1, Pennsylvania 2, South Carolina 2, Tennessee 1, Virginia 4, Wisconsin, 1.

Sick people’s samples were collected from May 29, 2024 to August 16, 2024. Of 57 people with information available, all 57 have been hospitalized. One person got sick during their pregnancy and remained pregnant after recovering. Nine deaths have been reported, including one in Illinois, one in New Jersey, one in Virginia, and as of this update one in Florida, one in Tennessee, one in New Mexico, one in New York, and two in South Carolina.

Here are the three U.S. Senate Committees with oversight over the USDA/FSIS and Food Safety. Time to step up and ask hard questions.

Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry: Like its House counterpart, this Senate committee oversees agricultural policies, including food safety and the USDA’s inspection services.

Committee on Appropriations: Specifically, the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies also has oversight of the USDA’s budget and funding related to food safety.

Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP): This committee addresses health issues, including food safety regulations and policies.

The below might help your staff get up to speed.

Publisher’s Platform: What you need to know about the Boar’s Head Listeria Outbreak https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2024/08/242347/

Boar’s Head plant had dozens of violations, dubbed ‘listeria factory’ by lawyer https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/boars-head-plant-dozens-violations-dubbed-listeria-factory-lawyer

The number and breadth of the violations prompted food safety attorney Bill Marler to call the plant a “listeria factory.” 

“In the 30 years of doing food safety litigation, I have seen several hundred inspection reports.  This group of ‘non-compliance’ reports are some of the worst that I have ever seen,” Marler told FOX Business in an email. 

Additionally, the lack of resolution to these issues is “likely criminal violations under the Federal Meat Inspection Act,” he said. 

“What is described in the reports – piles of meat, water, mold and insects – is a perfect place for Listeria to grow,” he said.  “This plant was more a Listeria factory than a factory to produced food for human consumption.”

Expect more illnesses in listeria outbreak tied to Boar’s Head deli meat, food safety attorney says https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/food/2024/09/01/boars-head-recall-deli-meat-listeria/75033322007/

A prominent food safety lawyer says more illnesses can be expected and Congress should investigate Boar’s Head after deli meat produced in one of the company’s plants was linked to an ongoing multistate listeria outbreak.

“This is the worst set of inspection reports I have ever seen,” Marler told USA TODAY.

Congress should investigate how the listeria outbreak arose and why inspectors allowed the plant conditions to exist for so long, says Marler, who is representing the family of one person who died and two others who had illnesses in the outbreak.

“It’s crazy. Not only was this plant better at producing listeria than it was at producing meat, but also, what were the inspectors doing?” he told USA TODAY.

“It’s a layup, whether you are a Republican or Democrat, to have congressional hearings on why this happened and why FSIS inspectors let this thing drag on,” Marler said.

Fed health inspectors slammed over ‘listeria factory’ tied to deadly Boar’s Head outbreak https://nypost.com/2024/08/30/business/feds-slammed-over-listeria-factory-linked-to-deadly-boars-head-oubreak/

Food safety experts slammed government health inspectors for letting a “listeria factory” fester despite dozens of disturbing violations before the deadly outbreak was linked to tainted Boar’s Head deli meats.

The company’s plant in Jarratt, Va., was found to have bugs, pools of blood on the floor and growing mold over the past year, according to records released by the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.

“These inspection reports show that this was a listeria factory as much as it was a meat factory,” food safety attorney Bill Marler told The Post.

“The government needs to answer the question of what were you doing? Didn’t this generate enough questions given the size of this plant.”

Boar’s Head plant linked to deadly outbreak broke food safety rules dozens of times, records show https://apnews.com/article/boars-head-listeria-recall-fcde06b66dca38d53361c92495a7cfed?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=share

Bill Marler, a Seattle lawyer who has sued companies over food poisoning outbreaks, said the conditions described in the inspections reports were the worst he’s seen in three decades.

William “Bill” Marler has been a food safety lawyer and advocate since the 1993 Jack-in-the-Box E. coli Outbreak which was chronicled in the book, “Poisoned” and in the recent Netflix documentary by the same name. Bill work has been profiled in the New Yorker, “A Bug in the System;” the Seattle Times, “30 years after the deadly E. coli outbreak, A Seattle attorney still fights for food safety;” the Washington Post, “He helped make burgers safer, Now he is fighting food poisoning again;” and several others. Dozens of times a year Bill speaks to industry and government throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Africa, China and Australia on why it is important to prevent foodborne illnesses.  He is also a frequent commentator on food litigation and food safety on Marler Blog. Bill is also the publisher of Food Safety News.

Publisher’s Platform: What you need to know about the Boar’s Head Listeria Outbreak https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2024/08/242347/

Boar’s Head plant had dozens of violations, dubbed ‘listeria factory’ by lawyer https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/boars-head-plant-dozens-violations-dubbed-listeria-factory-lawyer

The number and breadth of the violations prompted food safety attorney Bill Marler to call the plant a “listeria factory.” 

“In the 30 years of doing food safety litigation, I have seen several hundred inspection reports.  This group of ‘non-compliance’ reports are some of the worst that I have ever seen,” Marler told FOX Business in an email. 

Additionally, the lack of resolution to these issues is “likely criminal violations under the Federal Meat Inspection Act,” he said. 

“What is described in the reports – piles of meat, water, mold and insects – is a perfect place for Listeria to grow,” he said.  “This plant was more a Listeria factory than a factory to produced food for human consumption.”

Expect more illnesses in listeria outbreak tied to Boar’s Head deli meat, food safety attorney says https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/food/2024/09/01/boars-head-recall-deli-meat-listeria/75033322007/

A prominent food safety lawyer says more illnesses can be expected and Congress should investigate Boar’s Head after deli meat produced in one of the company’s plants was linked to an ongoing multistate listeria outbreak.

“This is the worst set of inspection reports I have ever seen,” Marler told USA TODAY.

Congress should investigate how the listeria outbreak arose and why inspectors allowed the plant conditions to exist for so long, says Marler, who is representing the family of one person who died and two others who had illnesses in the outbreak.

“It’s crazy. Not only was this plant better at producing listeria than it was at producing meat, but also, what were the inspectors doing?” he told USA TODAY.

“It’s a layup, whether you are a Republican or Democrat, to have congressional hearings on why this happened and why FSIS inspectors let this thing drag on,” Marler said.

 Fed health inspectors slammed over ‘listeria factory’ tied to deadly Boar’s Head outbreak https://nypost.com/2024/08/30/business/feds-slammed-over-listeria-factory-linked-to-deadly-boars-head-oubreak/

Food safety experts slammed government health inspectors for letting a “listeria factory” fester despite dozens of disturbing violations before the deadly outbreak was linked to tainted Boar’s Head deli meats.

The company’s plant in Jarratt, Va., was found to have bugs, pools of blood on the floor and growing mold over the past year, according to records released by the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.

“These inspection reports show that this was a listeria factory as much as it was a meat factory,” food safety attorney Bill Marler told The Post.

“The government needs to answer the question of what were you doing? Didn’t this generate enough questions given the size of this plant.”

Boar’s Head plant linked to deadly outbreak broke food safety rules dozens of times, records show https://apnews.com/article/boars-head-listeria-recall-fcde06b66dca38d53361c92495a7cfed?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=share

Bill Marler, a Seattle lawyer who has sued companies over food poisoning outbreaks, said the conditions described in the inspections reports were the worst he’s seen in three decades.

William “Bill” Marler has been a food safety lawyer and advocate since the 1993 Jack-in-the-Box E. coli Outbreak which was chronicled in the book, “Poisoned” and in the recent Netflix documentary by the same name. Bill work has been profiled in the New Yorker, “A Bug in the System;” the Seattle Times, “30 years after the deadly E. coli outbreak, A Seattle attorney still fights for food safety;” the Washington Post, “He helped make burgers safer, Now he is fighting food poisoning again;” and several others. Dozens of times a year Bill speaks to industry and government throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Africa, China and Australia on why it is important to prevent foodborne illnesses.  He is also a frequent commentator on food litigation and food safety on Marler Blog. Bill is also the publisher of Food Safety News.