USDA Indicts Founder of Midamar Corporation For Allegedly Exporting Mislabeled Halal Meat

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has brought criminal charges against a company for allegedly selling mislabeled halal meat. On October 23, 2014, federal prosecutors issued a 19-count indictment against William B. Aossey, founder and owner of Midamar Corporation, an Iowa company recognized as one of the pioneers in halal slaughter and distribution in the United States. The indictment alleges that Mr. Aossey, among other things, mislabeled the slaughterhouse of origin on beef Midamar exported to countries in Southeast Asia, and made false statements to the USDA to secure export licenses for those countries. Trial is scheduled for July 7, 2015. This appears to be only the second reported federal case involving mislabeled halal meat. In 1997, Washington Lamb, Inc. was fined $15,000 and placed on probation for falsely certifying and labeling its meat as halal, and for making false representations to its customers regarding the same. Indictment of Bill Aossey Press Release