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Watch Out Agriprocessors…

by Aliza Wasserman · November 24th, 2007
Agriprocessors, Eco-Kashrut, Food Safety, Grocery, Meat

YehuditBrachah reports on Jewschool about a new Nathan Cummings Foundation grant for Hechsher Tzedek. The budding Conservative movement initiative started by Rabbi Morris Allen. According to Allen’s blog, a group of Rabbis and lay leaders who have been working on the project will be presenting at the upcoming Conservative movement biennial convention in Orlando. Both the grant and the increasing momentum within the Conservative movement around the important issue of food justice in Kashrut should be exciting for both observers of kashrut and those concerned about food justice alike! (even better for those of us who fall into both categories!)

The beginnings of the Hechsher Tzedek originated with Allen’s first trip to the Agriprocessors’ kosher meat plant in Postville, IA–which produces meat under the label Rubashkin’s. Now a variety of potential ethical issues around the Agriprocessors’ plant have been coming to light– including the newest, which is a potential violation of precautions to prevent the spread of BSE, or Mad Cow Disease.

The Daily Forward continues its coverage of the UFCW campaign to bring Agriprocessors’ violations into the public eye. In conjunction with the Jewish Labor Committee, UFCW orchestrated a leafletting action outside Trader Joe’s that source Agriprocessors’ kosher meat last Wednesday. The UFCW leaflet included claims about violations of mad cow safety rules, a claim that was subsequently disputed by Sholom Rubashkin on the Agriprocessors’ website and in Yeshiva World News.

Also from Yeshiva World News: Osem has reportedly “recalled tens of thousands of bags of Bamba, Bissli, and Dubonim snacks” because of a small toy prize inside the package with 3.5 times the allowable level of lead. Maybe babies shouldn’t be fed Bamba anymore…

Stay tuned for updates on the UFCW campaign.

11.26.07 Update: The Jewish Advocate reports on last week’s leafletting action outside Trader Joe’s in Brookline, MA, organized by the Jewish Labor Committee.

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4 Responses to “Watch Out Agriprocessors…”

  1. Rabbi Shmuel Says:
    November 27th, 2007 at 7:44 pm

    “We are terribly concerned about the health and safety issues, which have been ongoing problems for the past few years at Agriprocessors,” said David Dolov, New England regional director of the JLC. “USDA inspections have revealed serious doubts about Agriprocessors’ ability to maintain sanitary conditions and to produce a safe and wholesome product.”

    Wow – how can such an empty statement get so much press?

  2. aliza Says:
    November 27th, 2007 at 9:53 pm

    The coverage is of the issue, and the leafletting action.

  3. gershon Says:
    August 30th, 2008 at 6:34 pm

    Why are so many Jews condemning Agriprocessors before the a trial? Why not let it work it’s way through the court system and the take action.

    It sure sounds like a smear campain by Heckshire Tzedek, the UFCW and PETA.

    I’m glad I found this as I will give none of these organizations any support in the future.

    It makes me wonder how much these two organizations have given to Conservative Jews.

    Now, the OU has said they will wait for it to work through the courts and take action if it is needed. That’s the way it’s SUPPOSED to work. Anything less is Lashon Hara. Those speaking these words, even if true, must pay back all losses to Agriprocessors that occurred before a trial.

  4. Georgia Says:
    February 24th, 2009 at 3:10 pm

    Gershon, – you should be nervous. This is not the first time Agriprocessors has been in trouble. A smear campaign? This slaughter house was caught red handed with 400 illegal workers! Do you think illegal workers really understand Kosher slaughtering or care? None of the high priced cow flesh processed there was even Kosher. Greed led to hiring illegals, which don’t have to be paid regular wages, or given medical care. I wonder how many illegals lost their fingers or hands because they could not understand the safety rules written in English? And Kosher slaughter on large scale undermines the holiness or intent of how these cows are treated. Hanging a fully conscious cow upside down and chainsawing the liven being while it is stil fully conscious after it’s throat has been slit is not ‘Kosher’.

    “As often as Herman had witnessed the slaughter of animals and fish, he always had the same thought: in their behavior toward other creatures, all men were Nazis. The smugness with which man could do with other species as he pleased exemplified the most extreme rascist theories, the principle that might is right.” = Isaac Bashevis Singer

    http://www.goveg.com/kosher.asp

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