WASHINGTON D.C., DC — After the Boar’s Head Listeria outbreak claimed the lives of at least 10 people in the United States and sickened dozens more, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s inspector general will begin an internal investigation to explore how the agency handled the development.
The outbreak reportedly occurred after USDA personnel discovered many violations at the Boar’s Head plant in Jarratt, Va. These violations included, but were not limited to, mold, mildew and insects found on the premises.
On Sept. 5, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) wrote USDA IG Phyllis Fong, urging her to investigate the agency’s handling of previous safety violations at the Virginia plant. He noted reports that the plant was allowed to operate after government inspectors found dozens of instances of “noncompliance” with federal food safety rules.
According to Blumenthal, he and U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) wrote to USDA Sec. Thomas Vilsack and U.S. Department of Justice Attorney General Merrick Garland, requesting that the USDA work alongside the DOJ to discuss bringing criminal charges against Boar’s Head for being complicit in the outbreak.
Blumenthal and DeLauro also strongly encouraged the USDA to strengthen its Listeria prevention protocols and investigate other Boar’s Head locations for safety violations.
On Tuesday, Fong announced that an investigation will determine if the correct enforcement actions were taken following the safety violations at the Boar’s Head plant in Virginia after the plant was reportedly allowed to continue operations despite the dozens of instances of “noncompliance” found by government inspectors.
RELATED: Blumenthal, health advocates sound alarm about foodborne illness after Boar's Head deli meat recall
Following the announcement, Blumenthal said he welcomes Fong heeding his call for investigation of the USDA’s “abject failure” to protect consumers against fatally contaminated Boar’s Head products.
“USDA took virtually no action – allowing Boar’s Head to continue business as usual at its chronically unsanitary Virginia plant – despite finding repeated serious violations,” Blumenthal said on Tuesday. “The Virginia plant should have been shut down years ago before people got sick or died from Listeria. The IG investigation is a vital first step to assure accountability and prevent such deadly mistakes from happening again.”
Blumenthal’s full letter to Fong can be found here. One can also view Blumenthal and DeLauro’s letter to Vilsack and Garland here.
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Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer and writer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@FOX61.com.
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