After Being Banned In 2001 As Habitual Violator, DeCoster Used Front Business To Run Egg Operations

[hatrack]

State regulators in 2001 reluctantly issued a permit for a Wright County chicken operation now linked to a nationwide salmonella scare and egg recall because they could not prove that troubled livestock businessman Austin "Jack" DeCoster was behind the project.

DeCoster had his associates get the state permit and start work on the huge egg operation while DeCoster was banned from developing confinements, records show. The state denied DeCoster permits for five years under a "habitual violator" law that was written with him in mind and has never been applied to another Iowa farmer. When the sanctions expired in 2004, DeCoster gained control of the operation.

Does the state feel bilked? "I would say that given the dealings we've had with DeCoster over the years, we are not surprised," said Iowa Department of Natural Resources spokesman Kevin Baskins. DeCoster spokeswoman Hinda Mitchell declined to comment.

DeCoster's Wright County Egg and a second company, Hillandale Farms of Iowa, have recalled 550 million eggs and have been linked to a salmonella outbreak that has sickened at least 1,470 people across the nation.

EDIT

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20100828/BUSINESS01/8280323/DeCoster-took-control-of-egg-operation-after-state-ban

[Bitwit1234]

1. So how do you like this....

We have a small supermarket here where I live plus a WalMart with a supermarket part about the same size. I went to the supermarket to get eggs. They had a sign that their eggs were not in the recall. I knew this because they never sold the brand. And the egg price was the same.

I go to the WalMart and guess what, they never sold the recalled brands either but when I went to the egg department I almost had a heart attack. They had doubled the price of the eggs. A dozen eggs went from 1.09 cents to 2.28. 2 1/2 dozen which I usually buy went from 2.25 to 4.70 and the five dozen which I just looked at went from 4.70 to 9.80.

The customers were horrified and said they were all going to the supermarket and buy their eggs. And I talked to the cashier and she said WalMart removed all it's old eggs as a courtesy. WHY they were not and never had been from any of the recalled farms. They just wanted to make money. Needless to say the egg department was E=M=P=T=Y of buying customers.

[w4rma]

2. Why are you even shopping at Wal-Mart? Boycott them. And not for this, but for their labor abuse. nt

[Kolesar]

3. They are the only place that sells Mobil synthetic 0W-30 motor oil

...for the highest efficiency

[w4rma]

6. Auto Zone? Advanced Auto Parts? Pep Boys? They don't do business near you? (nt)

[jpak]

4. I knew and worked for Jack DeCoster in Maine in the 1970's

We made $2 an hour - no overtime.

Worked a minimum of 60 hours per week - up to 86 hours a week.

Lived in a trailer with no electricity, toilet or running water.

Spent weeks pulling thousands dead rotting chicken carcasses (killed by 107 degree temps) - the surviving hens just laid their eggs on top of the dead ones.

Nearly drowned in a manure pit.

good times

DeCoster STILL owes me a 170 hours worth of wages - that he decided he didn't want to pay me.

Jack be Nimble

Jack be Quick

Jack DeCoster

etc.

:D

[Strelnikov_]

5. Atlas shrugged n/t