Mississippi schools will not be affected by the recalled beef from the Westland/Hallmark Meat Co.

Picayune school district superintendent Dean Shaw said he received a memo stating that no school in Mississippi had received any of the beef.

“Everybody in Mississippi, they were cleared of this,” Shaw said.

On Feb. 17, Westland/Hallmark Meat Co. recalled 143 million pounds of frozen and raw beef, according to numerous news stories. Apparently the company has been accused of treating their cattle in an inhumane manner and failing to adhere to USDA standards.

Food Service Director for the Picayune Separate Municipal School District Debbie Schmidt said the state issued memo notified every school district in Mississippi that they received none of the recalled beef.

Every school district in Pearl River County, including Poplarville and Pearl River County School District, receives their food from Merchant Company, who does not purchase food supplies from Westland/Hallmark Meat Co., Schmidt said.

If the district had received the recalled food the food would have been opened and disposed of in a dumpster and then bleach poured on it. This process keeps anyone who happens to find the food from thinking it is consumable, Schmidt said.