Recently, meat manufacturer Boar’s Head has been in the spotlight after it was found that a listeria outbreak had affected their products.
According to USA Today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) first reported the deadly outbreak on July 19, which led to Boar’s Head recalling approximately 7.2 million pounds of its goods from stores. At least 57 people have been hospitalized across 18 states as a result of the outbreak, with nine fatalities recorded as of Aug. 28, per the CDC’s investigation.
The source of the issue was traced to the company’s plant in Jarratt, Virginia. CBS News and other sources were able to obtain inspection reports of the plant thanks to the Freedom of Information Act. These reports found that, in the months leading up to the recall, there were “reports of insects live and dead, black and green mold, as well as mildew, dripping and standing water and other unsanitary conditions,” states writer Mary Walrath-Holdridge.
Other reports found rust, bad smells, “slimy” materials, and more.
As a result of these issues, Boar’s Head recently decided to close the plant, in the process leaving around 500 workers unemployed.
While some may think that outbreaks like these are inevitable when working with food products, others aren’t so sure—and they’re pointing to a weakened regulation as part of the reason why Boar’s Head is now facing numerous lawsuits and losses in sales.
Why this woman says you should “follow the money” with Boar’s Head
In a video with over 466,000 views, TikTok user Hannah (@hannahthawriter) explains why this outcome isn’t very surprising if one “play[s] a game called ‘follow the money.’”
“So you might know that when he was President, Donald Trump passed legislation to roll back food safety protocols delineated by the FDA, CDC, and USDA,” she starts.
This is true. As noted by The Counter, “Citing unprecedented disruptions, federal agencies have rolled restrictions back on various segments of food production—from labor protections for meatpacking workers to food labeling requirements for manufacturers.”
That said, it’s unclear how much these specific rollbacks impacted Boar’s Head and led to the current outbreak. The USDA had warned Boar’s Head of the “imminent threat” posed by its Jarratt plant around 2 years ago; however, the finding “was not followed with any enforcement action after the USDA reviewed the results of testing, records and observations,” per a Boar’s Head spokesperson referenced by The Hill.
“But did you know there’s a group called Big Meat…who lobbied and paid a lot of money to make that happen, you know, so they could cut costs and fill your meat with s*** — like, literal s***?” Hannah asks.
To be clear, “Big Meat” is a term used to describe a group of various lobbyists who attempt to influence the government on behalf of the meat industry. It is not a group to which a company can be a member, though these groups may work together to achieve shared goals.
There was also no legal change under Trump that allowed one to put “literal s***” in meat products, as the presence of feces in meat was already noted before Trump rolled back various regulatory programs.
While the USDA told CNN that they have a “zero tolerance policy for fecal material on meat and poultry,” a 2015 Consumer Reports investigation found that, of the over 450 pounds of beef examined in their study, all of it “contained bacteria that signified fecal contamination (enterococcus and/or non-toxin-producing E. coli), which can cause blood or urinary tract infections.”
“And did you know that there’s a company called the Meat Institute that is a major player in Big Meat?” Hannah continues.
While it can be argued whether the Meat Institute is a “big player” in the meat lobby, in 2016, the year Trump was elected, the group spent almost $275k on lobbying efforts, per OpenSecrets. In the final year of Trump’s Presidency, 2020, the group spent over $325k on lobbying.
“And did you know that Michael Martella, the president of Boar’s Head, is on their board of directors—meaning that they literally only have themselves to blame that this happened, and that they’ve now lost millions and millions and millions of dollars?” Hannah states. “Not to mention all the dollars lost in brand loyalty, because nobody is gonna buy their product.”
Michael Martella is, in fact, on the Meat Institute’s Board of Directors, listed on the Institute’s website under the name “Mike Martella.”
“Now they’ve closed an entire plant because it was so disgusting,” Hannah concludes. “Talk about voting against your own self-interest.”
@hannahthawriter nothing like a sandwich with a side of listeria am i right @Boar’s Head ? #boarshead #listeria #usa #safety #recall #fyp ♬ original sound – hannahthawriter
Commenters share their thoughts
In the comments section, users shared their thoughts on the recent Boar’s Head scandal.
“I am furious as to why this wasn’t brought up in the debate!!” exclaimed a user. “The amount of recalls is insane!!!!!!”
“I was spending $80 a week on boarshead for my lunches and I haven’t bought lunch meat since,” added another.
“No more lunch meat. We stopped eating sandwiches in general,” echoed a third. “It’s sad because I loved a turkey sandwhich more than anything.”
We’ve reached out to Hannah via TikTok DM and comment, and Boar’s Head via email.
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