Governor Hogan kicks off 2022 Maryland’s Best Ice Cream Trail, Glen Arm creamery featured

ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Larry Hogan was joined by Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) Secretary Joe Bartenfelder this week to kick off Maryland’s Best Ice Cream Trail at South Mountain Creamery in Frederick. The Maryland’s Best Ice Cream Trail’s 2022 season will run through September 30. Now in its tenth year, the trail is designed to promote the state’s dairy industry, and […]

Smithfield recalls ready-to-eat bacon topping products due to possible presence of metal pieces

WASHINGTON—Smithfield Packaged Meats is recalling approximately 185,610 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) bacon topping products that may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically metal, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced. FSIS expects there to be additional products containing the bacon and urges consumers to check back frequently to view updated lists and labels. The RTE […]

Health alert issued for organic ground beef packages sold at Whole Foods that may contain pieces of plastic

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service is issuing a public health alert for raw ground beef products due to concerns that the ground beef may contain hard plastic. A recall was not requested because the products are no longer available for purchase. The ground beef products were produced on April 20, 2022. The following products are […]

Olszewski announces historic funding for summer SNAP program

TOWSON, MD—Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski on Tuesday announced record funding for Summer SNAP for Children, a program helping low-income families put food on the table for school-age children during the summer months when they don’t have access to school breakfast and lunch. As a result of nearly $2.8 million in contributions from the State and County, the program will […]

Lakeside Refrigerated Services recalls ground beef products due to possible E. coli contamination

WASHINGTON—Lakeside Refrigerated Services, a Swedesboro, N.J. establishment, is recalling approximately 120,872 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O103, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced this week. The ground beef products were produced from February 1, 2022, through April 8, 2022. The complete list of products and product codes for […]

Highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza confirmed in Maryland

ANNAPOLIS, MD—Federal laboratory testing has confirmed a case of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza (HPAI) on a Maryland poultry farm. Following an investigation by the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratory confirmed a Cecil County sample tested positive for HPAI. The Maryland case comes one week after a HPAI positive […]

Health alert issued for meat products containing recalled FDA-regulated seasoning mix

WASHINGTON, DC—The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service is issuing a public health alert for various ready-to-eat (RTE) meat products containing a Food and Drug Administration regulated seasoning mix that has been recalled by the producer, PS Seasoning of Iron Ridge, Wis., due to concerns that the seasoning mix may contain undeclared wheat. FSIS is issuing this […]

Smithfield Packaged Meats recalls pepperoni products due to possible Bacillus cereus contamination

WASHINGTON—Smithfield Packaged Meats Corp., DBA Margherita Meats, Inc., is recalling approximately 10,990 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) pepperoni products that may be adulterated with Bacillus cereus (B. cereus), the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has announced. The RTE un-sliced pepperoni product was produced and packaged on June 17, 2021. The following products are subject to recall: […]