Egg companies to apologize for salmonella outbreak in House hearing

Egg companies to apologize for outbreak

WASHINGTON — The owner of an Iowa egg company says in testimony prepared for a House hearing that he was “horrified” to learn that his eggs may have sickened as many as 1,600 people in an outbreak of salmonella poisoning this summer.

Austin “Jack” DeCoster and his son, Peter DeCoster, are scheduled to testify before a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee Wednesday. In testimony released by the company, the two men say they believe an ingredient sold to them by an outside supplier may be to blame for the outbreak.

An FDA investigation found towers of manure and bug and rodent infestations at the farms, and an investigation by the House subcommittee found that the companies had received hundreds of positive results for salmonella in the two years before the outbreak.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress is planning to hear from the heads of two Iowa egg farms linked to a salmonella outbreak that has sickened up to 1,600 people.

Austin “Jack” DeCoster of Wright County Egg and Orland Bethel of Hillandale Farms are scheduled to testify before a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee Wednesday. Members of the panel have asked the two men to come prepared to discuss the filthy conditions found at their farms.

An FDA investigation found towers of manure and bug and rodent infestations at the farms, and an Energy and Commerce Committee investigation found that the companies had received hundreds of positive results for salmonella in the two years before the outbreak this summer.