Foster Farms facing more scrutiny
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Foster Farms is facing more scrutiny following the release of hundreds of federal documents showing repeated health and safety violations at its Central Valley processing plants.
Foster Farms says all of its products are safe right now. But the advocacy group that uncovered the massive list of violations questions how the public can trust the food coming out of these plants.
USDA inspection reports lay out hundreds of violations against Foster Farms, specific complaints of "light brown pasty unidentified foreign material," 'fecal material leaking," and other zero tolerance violations.
The documents run from January 2009 through March of this year. Most of the complaints were filed against the Fresno and Livingston location.
Both plants were the centers of several recent recalls and operation shut downs. One included a salmonella outbreak that sickened more than 600 people across the country.
"We see a pattern of fecal matter violations right up to the point of the height of the outbreak in October," said Jonathan Kaplan with the National Resources Defense Council.
The NRDC, a New York environmental advocacy group, obtained the documents through the Freedom of Information Act. The group is pressuring Foster Farms to further change its policy on using antibiotics and to show more transparency.
At the height of the massive salmonella outbreak last fall the documents show 154 violations at the Livingston plant after the public health alert was issued.
"We really have a trust issue with this company," Kaplan said.
Foster Farms refused to speak on camera with Action News or show us anything inside the plants.
But through written statements Foster Farms says it's made drastic improvements to safety policy. And, the company said, even reduced salmonella levels in its raw chicken to less than five percent -- beating the industry standard of 25 percent.
Responding directly to the documents Foster Farms said "the reports referenced do not reflect foster farms' current performance..."
"If they're still using a lot of antibiotics, they could still be breeding antibiotic resistant bacteria," said Kaplan.
Foster Farms says it uses antibiotics judiciously to ensure a healthy product. That recent salmonella outbreak officially ended on July 31st after Foster Farms says it spent $75 million on health and safety improvements.
DOWNLOADS:
Statement Regarding Responsible Use of Antibiotics
Foster Farms Facilities Performance Statement
NRs for all Foster farms for foia 2014-190 from Jan 01, 09 through March 06, 2014
