DES MOINES, IOWA (AP) -- The Iowa Department of Education has told school districts to stop using ground beef from a company accused of mistreating cattle.
State officials say ground beef provided by Hallmark Meat Packing likely was given to schools throughout Iowa as part of a federal program.
The Iowa action was in response to a USDA order, which barred any use of meat from the California slaughterhouse in federal food and nutrition programs. Federal officials say there was no immediate health risk, but the company could be in violation of rules designed to keep unhealthy animals out of the food supply.
Of food served in Iowa school lunch programs, about 15 percent could have come from Hallmark.
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