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Egg farm CEO refuses to testify at food hearing


September 22, 2010

Owner of Iowa Egg Farm Refuses to Testify at Congressional Hearing

Statement of Peter Hurley, Father of Food Safety Victim

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Orland Bethel, the CEO of an Iowa egg farm that has been linked to the recent outbreak of salmonella illnesses, refused to testify at today’s hearing by the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s subcommittee on investigations. Following the hearing, Peter Hurley, whose son was sickened by contaminated peanut butter last year, released the following statement:
“I was outraged when I testified about my three-year-old son Jake’s illness from eating peanut butter crackers, when the President of Peanut Corporation of America took the fifth rather than take responsibility for the problems evident at his facility. Now we have the head of Hillandale doing the same thing.”
“We can’t go on having one hearing after another that document serious problems with dangerous bacteria in food, and where the heads of corporations take the fifth, and not take action to solve the problem. The House has done its job and passed a bill. The Senate needs to pass S 510 now.”
Mr. Hurley and his son Jake are in Washington this week to ask members of the Senate to pass S. 510, the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act.
David Butler: 202-462-6262 or Naomi Starkman: 917-539-3924

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