In a damning yet frustrating response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has revealed a 78-page document that, while providing some details, falls short of addressing the core questions surrounding the Boar's Head liverwurst outbreak that resulted in ten deaths and fifty-nine hospitalizations. The document, released under FOIA No. 2026-FSIS-00209-F, includes previously seen information from the Associated Press, such as the grim details of the outbreak, lab reports, and emails from the plant under suspension. However, it fails to provide the answers the author, Bill Marler, was seeking.
Marler's FOIA request aimed to uncover the current status of any law-enforcement hold or referral related to Boar's Head and any records of referrals or transmissions between FSIS and the Department of Justice. He also sought records of the Associated Press's appeal and the final enforcement actions on the Jarratt plant. The response, however, only partially addressed the request, removing the law-enforcement exemption without explanation and not mentioning the Department of Justice once.
The author expresses frustration, noting that the document is a 'shrug dressed up as a determination' and that it does not provide the answers he was seeking. He emphasizes that the public and the families of the victims are still waiting for accountability and transparency. Marler, an accomplished personal injury lawyer and food safety expert, has dedicated his career to making food safe enough that families no longer need lawyers like him. He continues to advocate for fair and narrow questions, demanding answers to ensure that justice is served and that the public is informed about the outcomes of such tragic incidents.
