Sen. Blumenthal: USDA did ‘virtually nothing’ ahead of Boar’s Head listeria outbreak

WASHINGTON (WTNH) — Sen. Richard Blumenthal continues to have harsh words during his ongoing criticism of how a plant was handled before a deadly listeria outbreak.

“Year after year, the United States Department of Agriculture found serious violations at that plant, and did virtually nothing,” the senator said on Tuesday.

At least 10 people have died, and dozens have been hospitalized, due to the outbreak in Boar’s Head meat. The outbreak also caused delis inside Connecticut Stop & Shop and Big Y locations to temporarily close for cleaning.

The USDA’s inspector general opened a probe into the agency’s handling of repeated sanitary violations at the plant Virginia plant connected to the outbreak.

Blumenthal said the USDA has had other food inspection failures involving ready-to-eat poultry meat sold at Walmart, Trader Joe’s and other stores.

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