Ohio Prison Response To Muslim Food Issue Threatens Suit By Pork Producers

AP reported yesterday that the Ohio prison system finds itself with threatened lawsuits from competing directions as it attempts to respond to demands of Muslim inmates for Halal food. When Muslim inmates sued seeking to have access to non-pork meat products slaughtered according to Islamic law, Ohio responded by merely removing pork from all prison menus.  Now the Ohio Pork Producers Council is threatening to sue to challenge the prisons' removal of pork products.  All of this is a bit puzzling, since Muslim inmates were not seeking removal of pork, but instead access to pre-packaged Halal meals, similar to meals served in the kosher meal program. And the $27,000 per week of pork rib patties served in the prisons are furnished by a Michigan company so that removal of this does not affect Ohio producers.