Late yesterday the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service ordered Murray's Chicken to cease all operations at its South Fallsburg plant. this closure was related to food safety concerns regarding salmonella.
A representative for Murray's argues that as recent as last week, the plant had passed safety inspections. Chief Executive Officer Murray Bresky sent a letter to customers and distributors with the following response:
I guarantee every Murray’s Chicken ever produced at our plant is safe and wholesome. How can we have a passing grade on Friday and Monday morning have food-safety issues?The Times-Herald Record online has more on the story:
Murray's has spent hundreds of thousand of dollars addressing ongoing FSIS complaints about its aging plant, said Gold. Because of that effort, owner Murray Bresky and company officials were shocked when they received the shutdown notice, he said.Further Reading:
"For some reason, it came to a head yesterday," he said.
Murray's 350 employees process about 35,000 chickens a day at the South Fallsburg plant. A group of five men stood outside a Murray's office on Main Street Tuesday afternoon but refused to comment about the closure.
Fallsburg Supervisor Steve Vegliante is confident the plant will reopen shortly. "I fed my children Murray's chicken on Monday night, and will continue to do so," he said.
Meat & Poultry.com on Murray's response.
WCAX.com has breaking news on this story as it develops.
