LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Butcher shop owner clarifies impact of beef recall

Re: “Recall Issued for Beef Sold at Peterborough Butcher Shop”

(Oct. 17)

I believe this article published Oct. 17 is heavily unbalanced, misleading and has caused some confusion for my customers as to where I source my product from. As a small-business owner operating across the street from the Examiner’s office, I am disappointed that I was not contacted for comment by any staff at the newspaper, and I would like to take this opportunity to explain to their readership about my local suppliers and supply chain.

Sweet Beast Butcher Shop sources whole pigs and sides of pasture-raised beef from local abattoir Otonabee Meat Packers (Drummond Line, Peterborough),

as well as particular cuts of steak from our supplier Artisan Farms, a collection of small farms in southern Ontario, the majority of which are located in Westbury County and processed in nearby Arthur, Ont.

On occasion, for reasons regarding distribution, logistics or scheduling, some processing might be done in the GTA, however, as of September their processing operations are solely conducted in Westbury County.

I personally spoke to Artisan Farms and they reiterated that the single case (three pieces) of rib-eye steaks I received in June 2019 is part of a voluntary recall due to a gap in paperwork, and not the result of any evidence of contamination or reported illness, as per the CFIA website.

As the owner and operator of Sweet Beast Butcher Shop, I am proud to be part of the Peterborough community and always strive to support the local economy.

Grant Slavin, Sweet Beast Butcher Shop