Beef pulled from school menus

The Denver Post - Education Writer ^ | Wednesday, January 07, 2004 | Monte Whaley

[jonefab]

Mad-cow fears spur changes at cafeterias in Aspen, Jeffco districts

Fears that mad cow disease could spread to children have prompted some school officials to take beef off school lunch menus.

The Jefferson County School District, the largest in Colorado, is taking a handful of beef and beef byproducts out of its school cafeterias until it can confirm they are safe to eat. A food contractor in Aspen has also stopped serving beef indefinitely to elementary and middle school students over fears of a mad-cow outbreak.

"I know the government says beef is safe, but I don't believe the government has much credibility right now," said Anne Owsley, owner of The Lunchroom Co. in Aspen.

Her company provides lunch for about 750 students a day. "It's my hunch, but it's also my prerogative," said Owsley, who said her contract gives her sole control of the menu. "I serve by my own conscience."

Agricultural interests reacted quickly and angrily to school skepticism over beef safety.

"When the secretary of agriculture says beef is safe, when the president continues to eat beef, and when American consumers continue to eat beef, I think this is a strong overreaction," said Fred Lombardi, executive director of the Colorado Beef Council.

The Jefferson County district has asked private vendors to confirm that their products meet U.S. Department of Agriculture meat safety requirements before putting them back in schools, said district spokesman Rick Kaufman.

"We want to receive assurances that these items didn't come from any processing plant where the mad cow originated," he said.

Colorado Agriculture Commissioner Don Ament said he's surprised that a school district would agree to even a limited beef ban despite overwhelming scientific evidence that the meat is disease-free.

"I would hope they would impart on these kids not to react to things emotionally," Ament said. "For a school to say that they don't think the beef is safe is flying in the face of science."

One supplier to Jefferson County - Sara Lee - has told the district that its sliced roast beef did not come from the same plant where the mad cow disease was discovered in Washington, Kaufman said. The company said it also doesn't use parts of an animal most likely to be contaminated with the disease, he said.

The district is waiting to hear from suppliers of beef combo burritos, taco chalupas, foot- long hot dogs and pepperoni, all part of regular lunch menus served in every district school, said Kaufman.

Kaufman admits the district is partly relying on faith that its food suppliers and distributors are telling the truth when they provide assurances that the meat is safe.

"We've had great working relationships with our distributors," Kaufman said. "This is an issue of huge ramifications and implications, and it's in the best interest of distributors to work with the school district to allay any fears we may have."

Other beef items on Jefferson County menus have met USDA guidelines and will be offered, Kaufman said.

Nearly all of Colorado's 178 school districts get most of their beef through the USDA's school lunch and breakfast program, said Dan McMillan, director of the nutrition unit of the Colorado Department of Education.

The USDA says it has not purchased any of the beef products linked to the afflicted cow in Washington or had any contracts with the plants involved in the animal's rendering.

The USDA also does not use meat from "downer" animals - those too sick or injured to walk - like the one in Washington, the agency said.

Beef will stay on the menu at Aspen High School, which has a different lunch provider from the elementary and middle schools, said principal Kendall Evans.

Students and teachers at the school on Tuesday ate meat, chicken and bologna like they do every other day, Evans said. "I don't think anyone made any conscious decision not to," he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

[scab4faa]

Good Lord

[Support Free Republic]

Are we there yet?

[facedown]

These people have flat out lost their minds.

[Prime Choice]

Fine. More beef for me!

I'll take an order of Tri-Tip. Medium-rare, please. I want to feel my arteries harden as I bite into it. : D

[EggsAckley]

Ah, so now they'll switch to filthy Tyson Chicken "for the chilllldrun."

[Porterville]

"I know the government says beef is safe, but I don't believe the government has much credibility right now," said Anne Owsley, owner of The Lunchroom Co. in Aspen.

Poor stupid female dog.

[_Jim]

#1 - it's a her
#2 - it's Aspen Colorado ...

[ZGuy]

"One supplier to Jefferson County - Sara Lee . . ."

OK Kids, Remember this -- Beef is bad, but pies, cakes, cheesecakes and other sweets are AOK!

[jonefab]

As a beef producer I have to tell you this joke:

Do you know what gives chicken it taste?


And I will also tell you I try to keep the meat eating thing fair. For every beef I eat, I eat one chicken and one hog!!

Oh the anwser --- Salmonella

[mewzilla]

Oh, for pete's sake. The chicken and veggies are riskier. Or would be if anyone ate them.

[cynicom]

The precious little darlings will spend the evening at McDonalds etc chowing down on burgers.

[EggsAckley]

Heheheh. Cute joke!

This whole thing is ridiculous. *I'M* not giving up beef. Bought some on sale yesterday. Yummmmmmm

[Indie]

These people have flat out lost their minds

Not if it's the mystery meat by-product stuff schools serve. Forget madcows...just think how much healthier the kids will be! You didn't think schools were serving Filet Mignon did you :))

[Maryland Man]

As a Supervisor of Food Services for a county school system in Maryland I will say that we have not considered any changes on our menu due to the incident in Washington. We have been in contact with our vendors and they have assured us they are following USDA guidelines. I have not even recieved any phone calls of concern from parents (expected some, was ready, recieved none). This lady in Colorado sounds as if she was looking for a reason to pull beef, she is obviously overreacting to this incident to advance her own agenda.
Please, let's leave the old 'mystery meat' jokes to the idiotic comedians on TV. There are many people working very hard to make sure the children are fed nutritious meals. Doing that, with the eating habits of teenagers is not easy. Especially when the parents hold you to a much higher standard than they follow in their own homes.

[Indie]

I will indeed spare the jokes, though my tongue was firmly in my cheek :) I'm a "chef" myself, by avocation. The soy/meat products sometimes served in institutions are much healthier than plain meat anyway. And yep, school food is zillions times healthier than ...I can't say it or I'll throwup...so I'll just say "arches." :)
I ought to know...I ate it for years in the PS school system and admittedly went back for seconds. I do miss the 3 cent giant yeast rolls from scratch.

[radiohead]

I'll take an order of Tri-Tip. Medium-rare, please. I want to feel my arteries harden as I bite into it.

LOL! I'm waiting for my order from Omaha Steaks; to heck with these nervous nellies.

Outstanding tag line.

[pointsal]

Heck, my brother-in-law from Nebraska says that "Mad Cow" is a great marketing opportunity. It should be marketed to senior citizens (the elderly for Rio Vista readers) because they won't live long enough to develop the symptoms and are not likely to be part of the "breeding" population.

Now, that I think of it: Meat that is potentially tainted by
"Mad Cow" disease could be the solution to Medicare's cash flow problems. Here's the marketing slogan: "Eat Beef. Do the world a favor!"

[facedown]

Whoa!!!

Very close to the meaning of life.

[small voice in the wilderness]

Ahhhhh, the yeast rolls. The familiar smell that began at 10:00 every day. The rolls were baking and life was good!