Iowa’s governor sharply criticized the kosher meat producer Agriprocessors.
Chet Culver in an Op-Ed published Sunday in the Des Moines Register said Agriprocessors, the largest kosher meat producer in the United States, had “taken the low road” in its business practices and taken advantage of a failed federal immigration system.
“The sad events surrounding the federal Postville raid, resulting in multiple federal criminal-law convictions of line workers and low-level supervisors – and, notably, not yet of the company’s owners – are strong evidence of a company that has chosen to take advantage of a failed federal immigration system,” Culver wrote. “In doing so, this company has fallen far short of meeting the high business standards that Iowans expect.”
In the wake of a massive federal immigration raid on Agriprocessors in May, numerous workers came forward alleging sexual harassment, shorted pay and forced overtime, among other charges.
The Iowa labor commissioner has referred 57 alleged cases of child-labor violations to the state attorney general for prosecution.
Culver, a Democrat, also recounted the company’s history of safety and environmental violations, and called the latest violations “alarming.”
