The following is a KosherToday Exclusive:
The stage is set for the return of glatt kosher beef from Agri Star Meat and Poultry to many supermarket shelves, but the circumstances are far different than those that the company’s predecessors Agriprocessor left behind nearly two years ago. Industry sources say that there is no shortage of either glatt kosher poultry or beef in the marketplace, with the exception of several small markets that the former Agri served but other producers do not consider cost effective. In fact, the industry has experienced significant change since the ill-fated federal raid and subsequent bankruptcy of Agriprocessor, most notably the emergence of several new players in the industry, particularly in poultry. Agri Star, under the management of Jewish businessman and philanthropist Hershey Friedman, had been producing as many as 20,000 chickens a day contributing to what industry sources say is a “major glut of poultry products” and what has emerged in many markets as an unprecedented price war. The anticipated return of the beef from the Postville, Iowa plant was praised by local cattle farmers that have suffered as a result of the Agri shutdown of its beef production. The company itself is touting the resumed production as offering “extremely high quality” meat products. It also speaks of supporting the local Jewish community, which was developed and nurtured by the Rubashkin family.
Agri Star is also embroiled in controversy in the aftermath of the resignation of Rabbi Menachem M. Weissmandl of Monsey, who sources say, dropped his kosher certification of Agri products because of a poor working relationship with Mr. Friedman and his team. Said one source: “Mr. Friedman’s inexperience in the business did not augur well for his relationship with the supervising rabbis.” Rabbi Weissmandl has been replaced by the Tartakov Beis Din. It is uncertain what effect the change will have in the marketplace. Agri Star products, like those of the predecessor company, are also certified by the Orthodox Union (OU). The source wondered about the fate of the shochtim (kosher slaughterers), many brought here from Israel by Rabbi Weissmandl, which only added to the many questions about the future of Agri Star in the marketplace.
The shortages in the marketplace just after the demise of Agriprocessor have long been replaced by existing giants like Alle Processing and many newcomers, including imported beef products from South America, primarily Uruguay. Some caterers are still smarting over the loss of “real quality glatt kosher beef” that the market had become accustomed to, but one caterer told KosherToday “there are some really good cuts out there.” The kosher meat and poultry market in the US in 2009 was estimated at approximately $550 million, with less than half labeled as mehadrin or glatt. Even Hebrew National which produces kosher but not the higher standard glatt is said to have upgraded its kosher standard in recent years. According to rabbinic sources, under Rabbi Aryeh Ralbag of the Triangle K, “the kosher meat now meets the standard of being kosher.” The recast kosher poultry market includes more than a dozen brands, with one supermarket showcasing seven. This has cut into the sales of some of the established poultry producers. An industry source says “that the pie got only slightly larger but the number of chickens significantly greater and you can figure out the rest.” His reference appeared to be the effect on the long-time large producers.
(Source: KosherToday)
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13 Responses
Is Rabbi Ralbag saying that we can now eat Hebrew National? Is it Glatt Kosher?
What happened to Rubashkin was horrendous.
Since we cannot go back in time or change history, we have what we have from the aftermath.
What do we have?
Well we have competition which lowers prices for the consumer.
That is good for the consumer who will now presumably have a choice of hecshers as well.
Of course those small communities no longer served by heimish meat supplier are still suffering but perhaps in time G-d willing, they will again be supplied by someone once things settle down a bit.
One bit of good news for all the meat processors is that Keyn Ayen Hara, the Frum community is only growing by leaps and bounds so G-d willing
“the pie” (marketplace to sell their products) should only be getting larger, as time goes by.
if you trust the Triangle K as being kosher I guess you could eat Hebrew National. But for the ones who dont(most hechsherim dont trust the Triangle K ingredients in any of their products)- it statsu quoe- NOT ACCEPTABLE AS KOSHER- forget Glatt.
As I have spoken with someone in the Ralbag circle regarding their hashgacha on Hebrew National, it is as the article says – now the meat can be considered kosher. It is not Glatt. Their intention was to make the meat kosher for those people who were either going to eat it anyway or for people that were not observant and did not necessarily keep kosher elsewhere.
The level of kashrus on the meat products were not meant for heimishe oilam as there are different and higher standards that we should uphold.
savelkwd
before saving your city i think you should save your soul of motzi shem rah! even the biggest experts in the field of shechita have commended r ralbag for making sure the general public eats truly kosher meat, this he has accomplished by the many upgrades and the team of shochtim and bodkim he has brought in from israel, true its not glatt, but the fact that its all shochut uboduk verses neveilos, is not something to be brushed off so quickly as you seem to do, this i have heard from those that themselves that only eat glatt, as i also only do, but they still commend it for what he has done, making sure its KOSHER!
To write about hebrew national like this is wrong and misleading, hebrew national is no better than eating Perdue both are traif.
#5 Gaby: with you defending Rav Ralbag so strongly, both here and in the comments upon the petiroh of Amsterdam Chief Rabbi Just ztsl, I start wondering what connection you have with him? Or did your kolel look into triangle K when you learned Chulin?
#7, your modesty is overwhelming. What is wrong with giving credit where credit is due? If you still believe that Gaby is writing in defense of R’ Ralbag, which he has every right to, maybe there is something he knows that you don’t know. Popular opinion isn’t always correct, unfortunately, all too often it is misguided. As the Gemara in Babba Basra tells us: “Olam Hafuch Raisi”
According to my Rov SHLIT”A, Triangle K is not a reliable Hechsher.
as a matter of fact i have heard him give a shiur in yerushalaim a couple of years ago to masgichim, and ever since have kept up with him and cosulted him on kashrus issues. what does that have to do with facts and the truth about a kosher accomplishment he has done, it doesnt mean i eat it, but defenitely understand the scope of it.
6, Please do not say such things about someone who has forgotten more than you EVER knew. Lets give them credit for at least bringing it up to the level of kosher albeit not glatt. I sometimes wonder how ‘glatt’ meat from reliable companies is.
Mark Levin,
Moshiach muast really be near. This makes a second time we agree completely.
BTW I understand what Glatt means iin the fleishig world, but what on earth is a Glatt kosher dairy restaurant?
It’s amazing how some people seem like they approach their daily lives to cause arguments and look to belittle in all these yeshivaworld article comments. i’ve been to brooklyn many times but never went in to rabbi ralbag to hear his version (although i’m thinking my next visit i will), but how does someone say something is treif? you know what treif means? thats very strong statement to make, especially when you should be careful with your words and not use these extreme words liberally. if i had an issue, i would google his number, give him a call, and ask him my issues. I’m in this world long enough to know that what some blogsite or water cooler chatter says isn’t a reliable source.
is saying someone is treif the popular opinion, so you join the ride? i would say you voted for obama as well because it was the popular thing to do at the time. no wonder noone takes you serious