School officials are waiting to hear whether individual schools districts will incur the cost of destroying the meat or whether the state will pick up the bill. "We're just waiting to see what USDA will allow us to do," said Luann Shipley, director of child nutrition at the state education office.

A total of 1,010 cases, each of which holds 40 pounds, are on hold in the Jordan School District.

District staff said beef from another company is available to replace the beef put on hold. Jordan plans to destroy the meat, stored in the central warehouse, as soon as it receives instruction from the state.

Part of the destruction process will include filling out forms with witnesses present. The beef likely will be buried in landfills. - Roxana Orellana