North Dakota schools are waiting for word on whether they can use hundreds of cases of ground beef from a California slaughterhouse under federal investigation.If the meat cannot be used, it might mean added expense for some school districts.Districts in North Dakota and several other states stopped using meat from Hallmark Meat Packing Co. and its associated Westland Meat Co. late last month under direction from the Agriculture Department, after a video showed workers brutalizing sick and crippled cows.The Hallmark plant is being investigated for possible violation of laws designed to ensure food safety and prevent animal cruelty.Westland sold more than 27 million pounds of beef last year for use in school lunch and other federal nutrition programs. USDA has extended a ban on use of meat from the Chino, Calif., slaughterhouse until Tuesday.

AINA makes a school subject out of gardening

He could not make a connection between the carrot in his hand and the orange cubes in a frozen mix of peas and carrots.

"That's kind of scary, that kids these days have never tasted or seen" a fresh carrot and think food comes from the supermarket, says Betty Gearen, co-director of a new program called AINA in the Schools.

The Kokua Hawaii Foundation originated the AINA program, whose name means "land" in Hawaiian, and also is the acronym for its mission: Actively Integrate Nutrition and Agriculture in Schools. The program is now in effect at Waialae Charter and Sunset and Aikahi Elementary schools for the second year.

The AINA program has turned the garden into a classroom for 200 or so kids at Waialae. "They just love us -- they give us hugs" when they see Gearen and her helpers coming for bimonthly lessons, she said.

Waterboarding legal when CIA used it

Department of Agriculture should provide a loud and clear wake-up call that federal inspection is not adequate to ensure a safe meat supply ("A gap in food safety," Feb. 19).

This largest meat recall in U.S. history was brought about because of an animal rights organization's undercover video showing California slaughterhouse workers using kicks, electric shock, high-pressure water hoses and a forklift to force sick or injured animals onto the killing floor.

USDA regulations prohibit sick animals from entering the food supply, because of the high risk of contamination by E. coli, salmonella or mad cow disease.

About 37 million pounds of the recalled meat went to school lunch and other federal nutrition programs since October 2006, and "almost all of it is likely to have been consumed," according to a USDA official.

DePue wins award for breakfast program

Nutrition educator Jennifer DeHoog (center) presents DePue School District's cafeteria director Elizabeth Fox with an award check at Wednesday's school board meeting. DeHoog praised Fox for creating an innovative breakfast program and said DePue won the grand prize out of 25 applicants. DeHoog called DePue's 26 percent increase “amazing." (BCR photo/Barb Kromphardt) .