COLUMBUS COUNTY, NC (WWAY) -- There's no "pink slime" on the menu any more at school in Columbus County. The county's two school districts have stopped using beef from the USDA.
Columbus County Schools Superintendent Alan Faulk says the district decided to stop using the USDA beef in the last few weeks after reports surfaced that the beef contains lean finely textured beef. LFTB, or "pink slime," is a filler made of beef scraps treated with ammonia to kill bacteria.
Faulk said his food services staff told him just by looking at the packages the beef comes in you can't tell if it contains LFTB. The district has decided to get its beef from another distributor.
Whiteville City Schools Superintendent Tom Hager also says his district's cafeterias will not serve beef from the USDA for the rest of the school year, because the USDA cannot identify what packages of beef have LFTB.
Pender is the only county school district in our area that says it uses USDA beef with LFTB.
The state has told schools beef with LFTB will not be made available to North Carolina school districts starting next school year.