In yet another blow to the left’s favorite luxury grocery chain, U.S. agriculture officials have issued a public health alert over potentially contaminated organic ground beef sold at Whole Foods Market locations across the country. That’s right — the same chain that prides itself on being “health conscious” and “sustainable” may have put American families at risk.
The alert involves 1-pound, vacuum-sealed packages of Organic Rancher ground beef, produced on May 22 and 23 by NPC Processing Inc. out of Shelburne, Vermont. These packages were slapped with use-by dates of June 19 and 20 and shipped to Whole Foods shelves nationwide — despite the fact that the meat was imported from Australia and Uruguay.
Yes, you read that correctly. While American ranchers struggle under Biden-era red tape and environmental regulations, Whole Foods — a darling of the progressive elite — is stocking shelves with foreign beef, processed and sold under the banner of “organic.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) stopped short of issuing a formal recall, claiming the meat is no longer for sale. But let’s be clear: consumers may still have this meat sitting in their fridge or freezer, unaware of the danger lurking in their supposedly safe, green-labeled groceries.
The alarm was raised only after the company itself — not regulators — notified the government that it had shipped beef that tested positive for E. coli O157:H7, a dangerous strain of bacteria known to cause severe illness. While there have been no confirmed cases of illness yet, health officials are urging anyone in possession of this product to throw it away immediately or return it to the store.
For the uninitiated, E. coli O157\:H7 is no joke. Infections can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea, and stomach cramps. In some cases — particularly among children and the elderly — the bacteria can lead to a life-threatening kidney condition called hemolytic uremic syndrome.
This fiasco highlights two major issues conservatives have warned about for years: the reckless glorification of “organic” branding with little oversight, and the outsourcing of food production to foreign countries while American farmers are regulated to death.
Why is beef being imported from halfway across the world while ranchers in Texas, Nebraska, and Montana fight to stay afloat? Why are we relying on foreign processors for meat that could — and should — be safely produced here at home?
The progressive obsession with feel-good food labels like “organic” doesn’t always translate to higher safety standards — and it certainly doesn’t replace good ol’ fashioned American quality control. Perhaps it’s time to stop outsourcing our food supply and start investing in the hardworking American ranchers who built this country’s food system.
Bottom line: If you shop at Whole Foods and bought Organic Rancher ground beef with a use-by date of June 19 or 20, check your freezer — and ask yourself: when did “health food” become so hazardous?
Stay alert. Stay smart. And buy American.
