A Pennsylvania farm co-owner and employee were charged after an investigation revealed that the two allegedly used counterfeit labels to mislead consumers into believing their beef was safe.
What's happening?
ABC27 reported on the illegal operation that allegedly emanated out of Cumberland County's Rocky Hill Farms. Following an investigation that kicked off in 2025, farm co-owner Thomas McElwee III and employee Angelia Kuhn were charged with forgery, deceptive business practices, and trademark counterfeiting charges.
In July, the Pennsylvania State Police got a tip accusing the duo of using falsified Department of Agriculture stamps. Authorities uncovered that the fake labels were affixed to uninspected meat products being sold in multiple states.
Police said they found materials for making the counterfeit stickers in a garage closet that both McElwee and Kuhn used. Kuhn also allegedly had two fake labels inside her purse.
"Kuhn knowingly possessed, manufactured, used, and aided or facilitated the use of counterfeit USDA inspection marks to falsely represent meat products as being federally inspected and safe for sale," the charging trooper wrote.
The investigators said Kuhn was "inconsistent" about the labels during questioning and that she connected McElwee to the scheme.
Why is this counterfeit USDA label scheme important?
USDA stickers exist to provide trust in the national food safety system. Such schemes compromise public health and erode trust in regulators' ability to monitor the food supply.
Even for correctly monitored and labeled products there are pitfalls in the processing chain that can lead to recalls because of plastic contamination or E. coli hazards.
For fans of beef, there have been a number of other troubling developments. A simple one is cost. Beef prices are surging because of supply struggles.
And the beef that is on the market is allegedly being improperly marketed to consumers as more humane or sustainable than it is. As it stands, agricultural products are responsible for an alarming amount of pollution.
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$200 or more 💰 All this shows how consumers sometimes have the wool pulled over their eyes on everything from the safety of beef products to the sustainability and treatment of livestock.
What's being done about the illegal scheme?
Kuhn has a preliminary hearing scheduled for April after she posted $10,000 bail. McElwee hasn't been arraigned.
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