Postville, IA – Judge Gives Banks Access To Agriprocessors. Bank: Plant To Shut Down Monday if No Electricity Payment.

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    Postville, IA – A lender seeking control of Agriprocessors Inc. [reported by VIN News] says the meatpacker’s finances are so dire that “millions of chicks and chickens (are) in danger of starving to death.”

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    Chief U.S. District Judge Linda Reade, after a telephone hearing Friday, gave Atec Liquidations of St. Louis limited powers to oversee Agriprocessors in Postville and a sister plant in Gordon, Neb., to make sure that assets are not diminished before an action filed Thursday in Cedar Rapids can be settled.

    First Bank Agriprocessors complaint click here

    The lender’s lawsuit said the bank has been told that Agriprocessors’ electricity will be cut off if it doesn’t pay $188,000 that is past due and a $88,000 deposit Monday.

    “The termination of electric service could result in the spoilage of millions of dollars in fresh and frozen meat products in the borrowers’ inventory,” the lawsuit says. “In addition, First Bank is informed and believes that millions of chicks and chickens in borrowers’ inventory are in danger of starving to death if they are not provided with appropriate feed and water.”

    The judge’s order allows Atec to inspect Agriprocessors’ facilities to preserve the status quo, including the maintenance of refrigeration equipment so meat does not spoil, keeping animals watered and fed and paying necessary bills.

    The Rubashkins were ordered to provide funds to pay the electric bill no later than noon Monday.

    A spokesman for Agriprocessors, Chaim Abrahams, said Friday afternoon that it was not clear how the company would be affected by Friday’s events.


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    125 Comments
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    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Tell Abrams to get stop drinking the rubaskin cool aid

    CHUTZPA
    CHUTZPA
    15 years ago

    I think that all their crying of anti semitism is doing Us Jews bad Lets face the fact they used children for slaves YES OR NO so if yes then we should also agree to close them down just to show that we Jews don”t support this kind of acts.
    SHAME_SHAME_SHAME_SHAME

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    I dincerely hope they are rewarded with the miracle they need and deserve. Amen

    Yenta Talker
    Yenta Talker
    15 years ago

    Nebach!! The Poor Family! I think Peta is behind the whole thing! They wont be happy untill they sell it! It should just be a Kapora!1

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    What a load of *****! They were not charge with using children as slaves. They were accused of hiring underage employees. PAID employees.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Jewish World Wake Up !!! This is pure anti-semit behind the whole Rabashkin issue.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    give the electric bill to peta in order to save those chickens.. let them put the money where their mouth is

    fashtie nisht
    fashtie nisht
    15 years ago

    i tought that there is a new CEO and evrything is nice and dandy .i have a feeling its not about AGRI anymore its about JEWS

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    This is not good mishpocha….. This is not a good sign at all.
    Kosher meat was just beginning to go mainstream. Regular Americans were actually preferring it for health reasons. I think not just peta, but the rest of the meat industry is behind this “murder”.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    It is all about hatred of charaidim.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    I heared that the aronim is negotiating with the lender and owners to take everything over, since they are anyway planning to start KJ meat co in addition to KJ poultry.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    What is so difficult for all you people to understand. This is not the result of a government conspiracy against Yidden. They violated the law period! Now they are paying the consequences. Peta people are a bunch of dangerous Morons, but certainly not capable of orchestrating this kind of debacle. This is result of people not obeying the law and thinking they are above the law and not going to get caught. It is a shame that the ultimate victim will be the Kosher consumer, who will now see a shortage of meat and who knows what kind of price increase. The treif slaughter houses face the same problems with employee staffing as Agri and they seem to get by without hiring illegal and underage minors.

    anon
    anon
    15 years ago

    What’s to happen if Agri close/d up? Who will supply all the stores and yidden with meat and chicken? Although this is slow time Agri produces – to my hearsay – more than 50 percent of orthordox kosher poultry, I sure hope someone takes over Agri and keeps it kosher.
    Also, why have they not gone to bankruptcy to stop the Bank taking over? That’s normally the way things go.

    anon
    anon
    15 years ago

    It is said Satmar will buy the plant and Shochtim etc – anyone know if this is true??

    Shaul in Monsey
    Shaul in Monsey
    15 years ago

    Blaming PETA and anti-semitism for Rubashkin not paying their electric bill? Are you serious? Clearly there is more here than meets the eye. I’m sure the Rubashkin’s have done tons of chesed, but Businessmen of the Year nominees they’re not.

    Making Criminals Out of All Yidden?
    Making Criminals Out of All Yidden?
    15 years ago

    To all who want to play the RACE CARD that when one individual is engaged in despicable crimes, you attempt to WHIT-WASH it by pretending it’s just “Anti-Semitism:

    Doing so, YOU are making the biggest Chilul Hashem.

    If one person does something wrong, the smart thing to do is to admit it and stop.

    By all Jews coming out to Defend Rubashkin’s Criminal Activity, you are increasing the Chilul Hashem because you are hereby confirming that the CRIME was not by a single person, but that all Jews JUSTIFY IT and all Jews are on the Criminal Side of the Fence.

    Mode V’Ozev and to do Tshuva and Viody is a much smarter approach and avoids Chilul Hashem by showing that not all Jews are such Low Lives and that most Jews disagree with their constant ongoing reckless disregard of the law and their non-stop, endless, criminal activity.

    Just a Thought
    Just a Thought
    15 years ago

    The time enregy and effort on the part of both the gov’t and private individuals to destroy Rubashkin is unbelieveable. This is malicous prosecution by the govy and libel/slander by private individuals. It is also insane – but it might just have suceeded Chas v shalom. The only thing to be gained from watching this travesty unfold is the knowledge that the govt can bring down anyone if they have some outside help (prta, unions etcZ). There is no way the fed gov ws able to concoct this scheme – they can barely prosecute the frauds that land on their desks. They only got to Spinka with the help og a yid turncoat out for his own backside.

    Ish
    Ish
    15 years ago

    Well, it looks like Agri is dead meat

    Groiser Chuchem
    Groiser Chuchem
    15 years ago

    So now that Agri will be closing down, all you self-righteous hypocrites can enjoy yourselves. Yeah, Yeah, dance on their grave. BUT what will you say when you go to the store to buy meat and chicken etc. Sure, you’re “too frum” to eat from Rubashkin but it was ONLY BECAUSE OF THEM that the prices were reasonable. Have you seen the prices lately? A year ago chicken legs were 99 cents a pound. You can’t get it for 1.99 now. More like 2.39. Meat is totally outrageous. Used to be last year 3.29 for chop meat. It’s at least 5.49 now. So now you now how much you need to say THANKS to the Rubashkin family. They set up their business in such a way that they would be the “price-setter” for the ENTIRE INDUSTRY. If they set the price of chicken at 99 cents a pound then the “holy” chicken producers could only charge 1.39. But now that they are “out of the way” WATCH OUT. According to reliable sources the prices will RISE another 25-35%. Meanwhile the price of NON-KOSHER meat and chicken has FALLEN over the last 4 months. So if you were wondering WHY, you have your answer.
    I’m not naive to think that they didn’t mess around with the labor laws, but the way this was handled makes me think that some other agenda was involved.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    It’s the unions Yemach Shmom that did all this…this is payback… Rubashkin wouldn’t unionize so they took revenge.

    elisheva
    elisheva
    15 years ago

    So how about if we Jews take up a collection and pay the bill?
    Jewish businesses are being attacked all over, for a number of years inUSA.
    Ford Foundation groups often behind.
    And what about this bank – how about if – anyone having accounts threatens to withdraw if they harm Agri?

    Can't be any Chapter 11 in this case
    Can't be any Chapter 11 in this case
    15 years ago

    The Banks have all of the Father and Sons PERSONAL PROPERTY as collateral.

    Chapter 11 can’t help in such a case.

    Chapter 11 can only stop the electric company and other bill collectors but can’t stop the banks that have everything (ALL of Rubashkins business and personal property) as collateral.

    Anyone still think that the Banks are Anti_Semites too for not wanting to loose their $35 Million Loan?

    Anyone who still fantasizes that it’s merely anti-semitism to collect a loan, let me see them donate all of their homes equity to the Rubashkins.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Making Criminals Out of All Yidden?
    So now all yiden are criminals ?aha and what r u doing ?

    Avraham Abba
    Avraham Abba
    15 years ago

    Dear Brothers and Sisters,
    Let’s eat meat only on Shabbos and Yom Tivim and at simchas. We will all get healthier and that will be our way of protesting against all the anger and evil accusations and arguements resulting from this issue. We don’t need so much beef and chicken and franks and steaks and lamb and turkey and chopped meat and organ meats and more relevantly,…we have all had enough BALONEY!
    Veggies, here I come.

    Shaul in Monsey
    Shaul in Monsey
    15 years ago

    Many years ago, I worked for a small wholeslae operation that did a few million dollars a year. The man I worked for, my first boss, was great to me. A real baal chesed. He did a lot for me on a personal level. So when he asked me to invoice cash customers so that all the cash wouldn’t hit the books, I did it. He’d hand me a double commission on the spot. When he asked me to do some other things that seemed iffy, I felt compelled and didn’t question. And every year he did his few million.

    Well, one day, the owner’s son graduated business school. And he came in and sat me down. The son told me, look, we aren’t running this business like a corner store on 13th Avenue anymore. This isn’t a bodega. So stop whatever you are doing for my father.

    Under the son’s management, the business grew to hundreds of millions of dollars. It grew beyond what the father could ever have accomplished with his small mentality. Aaron Rubashkin needed a son like that.

    You simply can’t run a multi-million dollar business like you’re still on 14th Avenue. I don’t know if the Rubashkin’s had disdain for the government. And I don’t believe this is a (pick one) Union/Peta/Government conspiracy that makes the JFK assasination look like (pardon the pun) chicken feed.

    When you’re on 14th Avenue shechting your few chickens and the city inspector comes by and there’s shmutz on the floor, sure, a few bucks will get him to look the other way, especially when he know that come Thanksgiving he’s getting that huge turkey and a month later he’s getting a case of Cristal.

    But when you’re killing hundreds of chickens and cattle every minute of the day, and it’s the USDA you’re dealing with, that same mentality is simply futile. When you dump a few buckets of contaminated water into the street on 14th Avenue, who cares? But do that in a streat in rural America, you’re begging for problems.

    Hire a migrant worker to sweep up at the end of the day so you can beat the traffic home – sure why not. But hire hundreds of migrant workers, hey, if you were the governent agency mandated with policing documentation, who would you go after?

    And that’s what I think happened here. No doubt the Rubashkins are baalei chesed. But they ran Postville like it was 14th Avenue. And it’s anything but. Aizehu chochom, haroeh es a hanoilad. Too bad Aaron didn’t have a son like my first boss did.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    #54 (WOW )

    Meatloaf
    Meatloaf
    15 years ago

    Shaul of Monsey is correct.
    This is a sad day. Not because a good company is going under. But because a good business cut corners and refused to obey the law. They took a good, successful business and drove it into the ground. There were many, many people who tried to help the Rubashkin’s, but they always knew better. They wouldn’t listen. Even the conservative’s tried to help him and he turned a deaf ear.
    Now you say you feel sorry for him?
    What about GAL Investments in Postville. Frum Yidden in the real estate business they’ll probably go under because they had contracts with Agriprocessors for worker apartments? What about all the workers who will be out of jobs and the other local businesses that will go under?
    Good people do bad things and when they do they show remorse, say they’re sorry

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    there were jobs before Rubashkin came about and there will be jobs after . Hashem provides and nor Rubashkin.

    Meatloaf
    Meatloaf
    15 years ago

    Lynda Waddington of the Iowa Independent has summarized the problems at Agri SINCE the raid. It is an interesting and informative list. It is not up to date however, since it doesn’t mention the arrest of Shalom Mordechai or the latest action by First Bank trying to recover its $35 Mill loan.

    “Since the May 12 immigration raid Agriprocessors has:

    been fined $47,750 by the Iowa Division of Labor Services for numerous health and safety violations.
    had two middle-management supervisors arrested by federal authorities (both later pleaded guilty) for encouraging illegal immigration.
    hired a high-profile, New York-based public relations firm that was caught impersonating members of the Jewish community.
    been the subject of an informal hearing by members of the U.S. Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
    said tentative relationship with Jewish labor force is “off limits.”
    been cited by the Iowa Division of Labor Services for 31 new and repeat safety violations.
    come under additional scrutiny for treatment of livestock.
    been charged by the Iowa Attorney General’s Office with more than 9,000 violations of state child labor laws.
    had two human resources employees arrested by federal authorities on immigration-related criminal charges. (One has pleaded guilty while the other awaits trial.)
    has been assessed nearly $10 million in civil penalties by the state of Iowa for wage law violations. “

    a GEZERA min Hashomayim
    a GEZERA min Hashomayim
    15 years ago

    Part 2

    In Crown Heights, Chabad Lubavitcher believe that the Gezera against the Rubashkin family all started with the Rubashkin family “diversion” of the Lubavitch Kehila Owned “CHK” Hechsher on Rubashkin Meat, and even more so by the Rubashkin Family encouraging and funding Moshe Rubashkin to Hijack the Beis Din of Crown Heights, throwing out the Mara Deasra Harav Schwei and installing Impostors who were never ethically elected to displace the Properly Elected Rav, Harav Schwei Shelita.

    a GEZERA min Hashomayim
    a GEZERA min Hashomayim
    15 years ago

    Part 3

    Moshe Rubashkin is expected to have to pay a 1/2 million dollar fine tomorrow in a PA court room and is expected to sentenced to several years in Jail this Monday, Nov 3, for all the wonderful “chesed” he has done to the Crown Heights community and to the Mara Deasra, Harav Schwei.

    How blind can anyone be not to realize that the entire family, each and everyone one has recently been accused of endless strings of huge crimes and even the one single “rabbi” who supported all of Moshe Rubashkins criminal activity, even this “Rav” himself has his own package of problems with having been placed into a severe Cherem by Rabbi Herbst Beis Din, known as the “Beis Din of America – Ein Moshe”.

    a GEZERA min Hashomayim
    a GEZERA min Hashomayim
    15 years ago

    To anyone who thinks that this is an exaggeration or an overstatement, think again.

    This is no Joke but a VERY VERY VERY serious matter here.

    There is a very severe CHEREM and NIDOY and KLOLEH against anyone who forces himself to be “Rav” on a Kehila against their will.

    The Cherem is form Rav Hai Goen, Rabeinu Tam, the Chasam Sofer and 150 Rabbonim Geoin of generations ago.

    Does anyone still wonder how an entire family who supports “forcing fake Rabboinim Al Hatzibur”, has “all hell break loose” on them?

    Wake Up Yidden and Smell the Coffee.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    From # 63

    it is thanks to people like you that these turmped up claims by the union have been spread and accepted as truth. firstly, what does the epa have to do with selling tainted meat? also you forget to mention that Agri invested in a $12 million state of the art water treatment facility – in fact it is from the best in the us!
    ======================================================
    The union wants to keep the plant open so that they can suck the blood out ot the workers. It is in the union’s interest that Agri does not shut down.

    As for the EPA – Agri was forced to make that water treatment facility after they were caught polluting the river with too much salt. You think they did it because they were nice?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    are you already in hashomayim? maybe you could tell who dien by bes din she’ll malow is? but pleaese don’t come to me I middle of the night ? where is your grave? now if rubbaskin is in the Adoma it make them closer to you!correct?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    to # 63

    the december 2006 and 2007 incidents make it sound like the contamination occured in the food processing area, which is untrue. the incidents were the “evis room where the clean out the chickens and anytime one of the three full time usda inspectors notices something he/she doesn’t like he points it and the chckens in questions must be rinsed and cleansed properly, which was done.”
    ******************************************************************************
    What is your job at the plant that you ‘know’ what went on?

    With a USDA inspector looking at you and seeing what you were doing, why would anyone leave fecal matter on the chicken? Because they do not care. Look at it another way – if this is what they do in front of the USDA inspector, what do they do behind their backs??

    USDA closes a line when plant management does not act. Rubashkin has been on NOIE (notice of intended enforcement) a number of times. That is in the public record. NOIE happens to a really small amount of plants that either do not know or do not care about food safety. The next step is plant closure. How close has the plant come to that without the public being aware of it??

    So – what is Rubashkin’s excuse? Did he not know or did he not care? He had HACCP people working for him. They tell the government what they will do. The government stops production in the plant when the plant does not do what it had promised.

    I used to work in USDA processing plants. I saw what owners did. The good ones ran nice operations, the bad ones did not care what happened – the almighty dollar was more important.

    You decide what was important in Rubashkin’s plant.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Does anyone if Agri is opening tommorrow? Is anyone going to step up to buy them? I s the electric bill going to be paid?
    I would think – for someone who has the bucks – that buying this plant and business on the cheap would be a great buy. I would guess the whole thing will be sold quickly to someone for $5m, let’s hope it stays kosher.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Since it seems from the article that the Riubashkins are personally liable for the $35m loan, does that mean the Bank will foreclose on the houses in Brooklyn, Boro Park and Crown Height on the father Aron Rubashkin and other family members??

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Someone think of the numerous shochtim, menakrim amnd other people that moved out to Postville to work there. Think about the rebbeim from the Chadorim and grocery stores there. A true rachmonus on them.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Independent Testing Finds Rubashkin Turkeys With Extremely High Sodium Levels Many Times Greater Than Claimed On Rubashkin Food Label
    Pre-Thanksgiving reviewers marveled at the good taste of Rubashkin turkeys and ranked them at or near the top of taste rankings, something Rubashkin made a big fuss over.

    Within reason the more salt one has in the turkey, the better it will taste, Companies are reluctant to inject sodium into poultry because to do so means declaring the higher sodium content on government mandated food labels. However, if a company were willing to take the risk, increasing the sodium content of turkey without declaring it would give it an unfair advantage against competitors.

    Rubashkin, intentionally or not, found himself with such an unfair and illegal advantage.

    If you keep kosher and ate Rubaskhin turkey for Thanksgiving and your blood pressure rose to alarming heights, you now may know why. The UFCW Union reports:

    An independent food safety investigation of two brands of Agriprocessor, Inc., turkeys revealed significantly higher than stated sodium content in the company’s Trader Joe’s All Natural Glatt Kosher and Rubashkin’s Aaron’s Best Glatt Kosher brand turkeys.

    The independent analysis of the turkeys was conducted by Strasburger & Siegel, Inc., Food Testing Laboratories at the request of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) International Union. The investigation was requested after employees at Agriprocessors, one of the world’s largest Kosher producers of beef, lamb and poultry products, raised concerns about the accuracy of labeling on the company’s products.

    “Shoppers have the right to know the true nutritional content of the products they buy, and companies have a legal and moral responsibility to provide accurate information,” said Mark Lauritsen, UFCW international vice president and director of the Food Processing, Packing and Manufacturing Division.

    According to an official complaint submission to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) by the UFCW, Nutrition Facts labels on Trader Joe’s All Natural Glatt Kosher Turkeys state a sodium level of 80 mg per 4 oz serving size. However, an independent analysis of the product revealed that Trader Joe’s consumers may have been exposed to sodium levels up to 351 mg per serving size, four times higher than stated on the Nutrition Facts label.

    This equates to 339 percent above the stated sodium levels and is far above the 20 percent variation allowed by the USDA.

    Further testing conducted on Rubashkin’s Aaron’s Best Glatt Kosher Turkey, a national brand produced by Agriprocessors, also revealed sodium levels far in excess of the stated amount on the package. The Nutrition Facts state a sodium level of 150 mg per serving size. However, independent testing revealed sodium levels of up to 357 mg per serving size, 138 percent above stated sodium levels. This, too, is far above the variation allowed by the USDA.

    The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that one out of every three American adults has high blood pressure or hypertension. Having high blood pressure increases one’s chance for developing heart disease, a stroke, and other serious conditions.

    In order to maintain a healthy blood pressure, the CDC recommends that an individual “watch the sodium” in prepared foods. One of the most important ways to do this is by closely examining Nutritional Facts labels on products.

    “Today, more and more people are paying close attention to nutritional labeling. As a leader in the meat packing and food processing industry, with more than 250,000 workers, we have an obligation to maintain the integrity of the industry and to ensure that consumers are protected, educated and informed,” added Lauritsen.

    Agriprocessors brand names include Aaron’s Best, Aaron’s Choice, European Glatt, Nevel, Shor Habor, Rubashkin’s, Supreme Kosher, and David’s.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Its interesting that the Rubashkins have a huge enterprise in S. America (Argentina etc) and will probaly continue to produce there. So maybe that why they are not paying the loan back. And therefore there wil be no shortages of poultry.

    Do they also have operations in Nebraska?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Rubashkins are too smart to have collaterized their personal houses etc and other business’s…… Shrewd businessmen never do that.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    The Rubashkins cant even sell it with the business collaterized to the loan. An this is probaly why they didnt sell out the business all along, because the Bank’s would never have let them sell out for less than the principal on the loan which is $35m, and the business may not be worth this amount.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Are all the shochtim, menakrim and other workers paid up to date, if not they will never see their money!

    Is Agri in Chapter 11 already, have they filed for bankruptcy?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Reply to #88
    Anonymous Says:
    “ i don’t have to work at the plant to know what happend you can look at the source in the usda documents and you will see. Have you checked the record of other plants and counted their NOIE incidents? What exactly do you mean when you say imagine what they do when the usda isn’t looking, the usda has 3 full time inspectors in that room, the line cannot run if they aren’t there. By speculating that who knows how close the plant to closing you clearly show your slant against the rubashkins, being that you have no evidence that that was the case. ”
    ****************************************************************************
    My slant is against poorly run plant, plants run by people that flaunt the law. That you take that to mean only the Rubashkin family is your problem.

    There are 3 inspectors in tat room? And the workers still cannot get it right? And how many inspectors are in the plant? At every location and at every turn? And what goes on when the inspectors are not looking??

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Agriprocessors has clearly been excessively prosecuted. Why? Because this is really a war on Kosher.

    This all began with PETA whose clear agenda was to end Kosher meat. That led to the Forward Newspaper spreading lies so that the Conservative movement could get their foot into the Kosher industry. Then the Union got onto the bandwagon and finally the government. But it all started with PETA and has escalated to the current situation – from the beginning it’s been a war on Kosher.
    There have been very bizarre actions by ICE – unseen in any other case. In May, and again with Sholom Rubashkin’s arrest, they released affidavits detailing their stories. This is very strange behavior. Since the Agri raid there have been other big raids, one much bigger than Agri’s. Never have they put out an affidavit for a company they raided. Three examples:
    A. Swift & Co – a multi-site raid that netted 1200.
    B. Howard Industries – a single-site raid that netted 595.
    C. On October 7th ICE raided a Greenville, S.C., poultry plant, arresting more than 300 workers.
    In none of these cases were affidavits released.
    Also, it is highly unusual for ICE to make press conferences about their raids. This has caused a disproportionate media response, a hundred times more than Howard Industries’ raid, the current largest raid and one that netted 50% more arrests.
    From the beginning they have been out-right lying. The first affidavit included a meth lab allegation. No HazMat team or equipment was even brought – proving they themselves didn’t believe it, but yet they didn’t hesitate to publicize it. They even claimed Agri was producing pipe bombs!
    The affidavit said that Agri was abusing workers based on a report from the Forward Newspaper. Since when does an official government document make allegations based on a newspaper article?
    Sholom’s million dollar bail is crazy.
    Agri has suffered abnormal fines never put on other companies, fines with none or very little basis (such as $10,000 fines for an extension cord, 10 million dollar fine…).
    Most importantly, there has been NO CONSIDERATION for the fact that the entire US relies on Agri for Kosher meat. There is presently a shortage in Kosher meat and prices have sky-rocketed, and will continue to do so if this doesn’t end soon.

    We, the consumers of Kosher, need to scream out “bloody murder”! The government has joined gangs with the Union and PETA to bring an end to the Kosher meat industry.

    We protest and call for an end to the excessive prosecution taking place against Agriprocessors, the Rubashkin family and all Kosher consumers!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    #108 you are right – although Agri may have done things wrong, but make no mistake about it: this is a holy war against kosher shechita started by PETA and when they finish with Agri they will go after the next kosher place.
    But unfortunately the Rubashkins have aided and abetted them, and specifically by not paying the loan, the court will liquidate and this is not a governemnt or any of the authorities, this a Bank that wants to be repaid their loan, and the bank says they have not been paid since the 1st qtr and before, so in the final analysis its not PETA that won out against Agri, the bank closed them up.
    Our only hope can be that someone will buy the plant from the liquidator (or bankruptcy) and keep a kosher shechita system going, although I have my doubts, since everyone knows that PETA (and possibly the Unions) will be lurking by the back door with a video camera, as they did in the past,and will cause a lot of trouble to the any ppotential new owner.
    Maybe some choshuve baalei batim will buy it and run it well (and probaly at a very good price right now), so the kosher consumer will not be hit with sky high poultry prices.

    Hashem yeracheim.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    #108 you are right – although Agri may have done things wrong, but make no mistake about it: this is a holy war against kosher shechita started by PETA and when they finish with Agri they will go after the next kosher place.
    But unfortunately the Rubashkins have aided and abetted them, and specifically by not paying the loan, the court will liquidate and this is not a governemnt or any of the authorities, this a Bank that wants to be repaid their loan, and the bank says they have not been paid since the 1st qtr and before, so in the final analysis its not PETA that won out against Agri, the bank closed them up.
    Our only hope can be that someone will buy the plant from the liquidator (or bankruptcy) and keep a kosher shechita system going, although I have my doubts, since everyone knows that PETA (and possibly the Unions) will be lurking by the back door with a video camera, as they did in the past,and will cause a lot of trouble to the any ppotential new owner.
    Maybe some choshuve baalei batim will buy it and run it well (and probaly at a very good price right now), so the kosher consumer will not be hit with sky high poultry prices.

    Hashem yeracheim.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Yes, the Rubashkins have huge operations in South America (Argentina and Uriguay) but mainly for meat, the chicken is mainly manufactured in the US.

    Anyone know when meat or poultry is made in South America does it come here freezer frozen, and if yes can it be re-frozen (I was told always that meat can not be frozen twice by defreezing and then re-freezing)???

    Sheva Balkany
    Sheva Balkany
    15 years ago

    There are very strong opinions expressed here, yet everyone post anonymously.
    Perhaps staying anonymous creates the feeling of not being accountable for beliefs or opinions….
    Touting desire for a fair and just world while not even having the courage to stand behind your opinion. How ironic.

    Seriously people. If you believe in what you are saying (trusting you have half a brain), why not respect yourself and put your name where your mouth is?

    12 million Imagrants
    12 million Imagrants
    15 years ago

    There are over 12 milion illegal emigrants who work somwhere in the USA. About a half million come into the US every year. How many hier a nany, gardener etc. Using jews as scapgoats is an old trick in a bad ecconimy. This is wrong. We should all try to help and pray.