The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on Sunday that the Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company was voluntarily recalling more than 140 million pounds of raw and frozen beef products distributed over the past two years because officials believe the cattle did not receive complete and proper inspection.

 According to the Maryland State Department of Education, here is some information about this particular recall:

• Federal officials designated this recall as Class II “due to the remote probability that the beef being recalled would cause adverse health effects if consumed.”
• There are no reports, either nationally or in Maryland, of individuals getting sick from the beef involved in this recall.
• A portion of the Westland meat has been distributed to schools nationwide through the federal school lunch program. 
• Once alerted by federal officials, MSDE immediately notified local school systems of the recall.  USDA also notified systems directly.
• All beef included in the recall had already been put on administrative hold on Jan. 31, when word of potential problems at the Westland facility first emerged.
• All beef distributed through USDA school lunch program in Maryland and included in this recall was pre-cooked.

 School systems that had received the recalled beef in Maryland were:

o Anne Arundel
o Allegany
o Baltimore City
o Baltimore County
o Montgomery County
o Prince George’s County
o St. Mary’s
o Wicomico
o Worcester

 On Jan. 31, Hallmark/Westland was placed under suspicion not for a food safety violation but for animal cruelty, points out St. Mary’s Schools Public Information officer Zina McGowan-Thomas.

 District officials immediately made contact with all school cafeterias in the district and asked each manager to account for the recalled products.  The managers were instructed to place all of these products on hold, label, and remove them from the menu immediately.

 St. Mary’s county was informed this week that Westland/Hallmark Meat Company is under investigation for processing violations in addition to animal cruelty, Thomas reported in a release this morning.

 The majority of the product is centrally located at the district’s warehouse facility.  Minimal cases were at the school locations and they are being picked up and will be maintained in a central location until further instructions are received from USDA.

 Due to the change in the availability of these products, substitutions will be made for affected menu items in St. Mary’s County Schools.

 “I understand the importance of the school lunch program on the well being and health of our students,” said Superintendent Michael J. Martirano. “I have been actively tracking the status of this recall through the Division of Supporting Services to ensure that the safety of our students and the integrity of the food and nutrition program are not compromised.”