11.09.10

The Return of Eat Shit Farms, LLC

Posted in Bioterrorism at 5:43 pm by George Smith

Predatory behavior in US agribusiness now seems so commonplace one can but laugh when the latest notice of recall comes through the pipe.

The US government, for all the president’s talk of reform, cannot and will not get the most Dickensian characters off the street. Or shutter their businesses.

Past coverage of Eat Shit Incorporated, Austin “Jack” DeCoster’s salmonella-contaminated wholesale nationwide egg business is here and here.

The Dickensian character, the menace to society, knows that when he’s called before congress the worst that will happen is that he’ll have to face the scripted displeasure of the equivalent of an animated plush toy. In this case, retiring fake Republican, Bart Stupak (D) of Michigan. Who will send out a staffer prior to hearings to cadge up the recent history of food poisonings as listed on this blog over the past two years, as part of his tough “investigation.”

Then everyone will forget the nasty pictures and it will be back to business as usual.

And now, sane people can only throw up their hands at the disgrace of what constitutes “oversight” and “consumer protection.” There is simply nothing that can or will be done.

The only thing left is to quote from the current news. And reflect on how easy it is to get Predator missions launched against human targets in Yemen or Pakistan. And toss billions of dollars into defense against theoretical bioterrorism threats.

But that it is beyond the realm of the possible to do anything about people who sell food poisoned with pathogens, on a monthly basis, in this country.

Here it is:

Evidence of salmonella has been found at an Ohio egg farm that’s received financing from the owner of an Iowa egg farm that was behind a massive recall earlier this year.

Cal-Maine Foods Inc., the nation’s biggest egg seller and distributor, said it is recalling 288,000 eggs the company had purchased from supplier Ohio Fresh Eggs after a test showed salmonella at the Ohio farm.

Austin “Jack” DeCoster owns Wright County Egg and has lent money to Ohio Fresh Eggs.

Ohio officials said DeCoster hid behind other farmers to get permits for the company in 2004. The permits listed two men who had put up just $10,000 apiece while DeCoster had pumped $126 million into the four farms, according to testimony in an administrative proceeding there. At the time, DeCoster had already been labeled a “habitual violator” of environmental laws in Iowa.

Ohio officials yanked the permits after learning about that, but an environmental appeals panel overturned that decision.

DeCoster has often tangled with the government. He has paid millions of dollars in state and federal fines over at least two decades for health, safety, immigration and environmental violations at his farms.

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