District wants $15,000 refund for tainted beef

Newport-Mesa School District officials want a refund on what they purchased from a company accused of distributing tainted beef.

The district has roughly 10,000 pounds of meat at processing companies that has been recalled. Director of Nutrition Services Richard Greene said the fair market value of the meat is $15,000. Authorities suspect the beef was tainted after an undercover investigation revealed video of slaughterhouse workers using forklifts to move downed cattle.

The money used to purchase the beef is through entitlement dollars — a prepaid account from the state — which is drawn on from the district to purchase food, Greene said. The district receives about $300,000 annually in entitlement money, Greene said.

“I think the folks at Westland [Meat Company] are going to be responsible to the USDA for replacing the product,” Greene said. “Basically, give the money back.”

The district has about 100 pounds of beef it must destroy, and 40 to 50 cases — or 3,000 portions worth — of processed foods that also must be dumped, Greene said. The district will unpack the recalled food, put it into double plastic bags, pour either bleach or ammonia on the product and send it to a landfill, Greene said. The United States Department of Agriculture is making efforts to replace this beef, according to a letter from the California Department of Education.

— Daniel Tedford