All News / Outbreaks /

Wash. Dairy’s health violations to blame for E. Coli


According to the Washington State Department of Agriculture, Dee Creek Farm’s violation of basic safety and sanitation standards directly contributed to the E. coli outbreak that came from the raw milk supplied by the farm.
“We’ve conclusively linked Dee Creek Farm’s raw milk with the E. coli 0157 H7 outbreak that occurred in the Vancouver and Portland area,” Jerry Buendel, WSDA Assistant Director for Food Safety & Consumer Services.
Among the violations were the fact that there was no running water or hand-washing sink in the milking area, the milking area wasn’t sufficiently clean, chickens and other fowl were running loose in the area and milk processing took place in the family kitchen.
Eighteen people were sickened in Washington and Oregon, including two children who were placed on life support during their hospital stays.
The Pucketts could face a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per day per violation.

Get Help

Affected by an outbreak or recall?

The team at Marler Clark is here to answer all your questions. Find out if you’re eligible for a lawsuit, what questions to ask your doctor, and more.

Get a free consultation
Related Resources
E. coli Food Poisoning

What is E. coli and how does it cause food poisoning? Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a highly studied, common species of bacteria that belongs to the family Enterobacteriaceae, so...

E. coli O157:H7

E. coli O157:H7 is a foodborne pathogen that causes food poisoning. E. coli O157:H7 is the most commonly identified and the most notorious Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) serotype in...

Non-O157 STEC

Non-O157 Shiga Toxin-Producing E. coli can also cause food poisoning. E. coli O157:H7 may be the most notorious serotype of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), but there are at least...

Sources of E. coli

Where do E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) come from? The primary reservoirs, or ultimate sources, of E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 STEC in nature are...

Transmission of and Infection with E. coli

While many dairy cattle-associated foodborne disease outbreaks are linked to raw milk and other raw dairy products (e.g., cheeses, butter, ice cream), dairy cattle still represent a source of contamination...

Outbreak Database

Looking for a comprehensive list of outbreaks?

The team at Marler Clark is here to answer all your questions. Find out if you’re eligible for a lawsuit, what questions to ask your doctor, and more.

View Outbreak Database