The Largest Beef Recall In US History Impacted A Massive Amount Of Meat

In February 2008, an investigation into Hallmark/Westland meatpacking company in California led to the United States’ largest beef-related recall in its history.

The recall occurred after an investigation revealed concerning slaughter practices by Hallmark/Westland.

The result was 143 million pounds of beef destined for school lunches being recalled.

In the investigation, the Humane Society of the United States uncovered that the meat packing company was slaughtering cows that were too ill to be slaughtered, which was a practice that was banned to ensure illnesses like Mad Cow disease did not enter the food supply.

The Largest Beef Recall In US History Affected A Dizzying Amount Of Meat pic.twitter.com/pbnOhMBPBl

— Anthony Scott (@AnthonyScottTGP) January 13, 2025

Here’s what Yahoo News reported:

The 2000s were mired in controversies for beef producers in the U.S. with about 50 countries, including Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, banning beef imports from the country. This followed the first case of mad cow disease, reported in Washington state in 2003, in a cow imported from Canada. By 2006, the impact of this incident had started to wane. However, an incident in 2008 reignited concerns after a California meat company recalled roughly 143 million pounds of meat in what became one of the biggest food recalls in the history of America. It was four times bigger than the previous record when 35 million pounds of ground beef were recalled by Thorn Apple Valley in 1999 in Arkansas, after testing positive for listeria.

In February 2008, an animal rights group released videotapes showing downer cows (cows that cannot walk) at animal auctions being pushed with forklifts and sprayed with water to force them to stand long enough to be cleared for slaughter. While animal cruelty was one of the primary concerns, another was food safety, as downer cows pose a risk of diseases. The U.S. Department of Agriculture had banned downer cows after the 2003 incident. The videos led to Westland/Hallmark Meat Company recalling the meat in 2008.

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The beef in question was produced over a period of two years. By the time the recall occurred, about half of the beef had been distributed — most of it (around one-third) to school lunch programs. Westland/Hallmark Meat Company produced one-fifth of all the meat used in federal school lunch programs at the time, according to CBS News. About 50 million pounds of the meat had already been sent to schools in 36 states. Reports said that more than 20 million pounds of it had already been consumed by school children, while 15 million pounds were destroyed after being pulled out of school freezers and efforts were made to trace the other 15 million.

Fortunately, the recall was classified as Class II, meaning the health risk from the beef was low, unlike a Class I recall — which means it could cause serious health consequences or death. No illnesses were reported in the weeks that followed. However, the incident sparked significant public outrage, especially as it raised concerns about the health and safety of children.

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— Anthony Scott (@AnthonyScottTGP) January 13, 2025