Calling it a corporate dodge, U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro has released a response that Boar's Head provided to questions she sent the company in the wake of a deadly listeria outbreak.
The outbreak killed at least 10 people and sickened dozens. It was traced to deli meat from the Boar's Head production facility in Jarret, VA. The company and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are under investigation because of the outbreak after two years of documented food safety violations at the plant.
DeLauro sent a letter to Boar's Head in September demanding answers about the outbreak and the company's practices. She revealed the response on Dec. 18, calling it a fluff piece.
"What I received (in response to my letter) was not a credible response; it was a classic corporate dodge," the Connecticut Democrat said in a statement.
"They skirted almost every substantive question, from how they test for contaminants to their alarmingly vague plans to prevent another deadly outbreak. The American people will not be satisfied with marketing fluff or half-truths -- they deserve straight answers. Honesty and accountability are essential to prevent another outbreak.
"If Boar's Head thinks it can brush this inquiry off and slip back to business as usual, they are wrong. I will not stop pushing until we know exactly what went wrong, how they fix it, and who will finally take responsibility. If they thought this flimsy, PR-driven response to a Congressional inquiry would get them off the hook, they were wrong. I expect a real, substantive response, and soon."
Boar's Head failed to answer several questions raised by DeLauro in her Sept. 30 letter, including:
The complete Boar's Head response to DeLauro's questions can be found here.
DeLauro's September 30 letters to Boar's Head can be found here.
Earlier this week, the FSIS announced key reforms that DeLauro had raised in her Sept. 30 letter to the agency. Notable changes include:
"While I am grateful that FSIS has acknowledged how they fell short, and I await their response, I am not confident that Boar's Head has done the same," DeLauro said. "I look forward to the UDSA Office of Inspector General getting to the bottom of this, and I encourage UDSA and the U.S. Department of Justice to hold Boar's Head accountable if they are liable."