Intermountain Packing, LLC: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2025 Q1 (USDA)

313.1

. HATS Category II – Truck Unloading HATS category VII – Slips and Falls On October 3, 2024, at approximately 0830 hours at Intermountain Packing. Est. M47547 the CSI was observing humane handling at the establishment's unloading dock. The CSI observed one cow slip on its front legs resulting in the animal’s front legs between the hoof and the knee contacting the waffled concrete ramp. The cow was able to regain its footing and continue down the ramp. The CSI observed a second cow slip and fall at the top of ramp on all four legs and the cows stomach contacted the waffled concrete ramp. This second cow was also able to regain its own footing, did not appear injured, and continued down the ramp. After the remaining six cattle were removed from the truck, the CSI took a regulatory control action by placing US Rejected tag No. B-46520360 on the unloading dock. The unloading dock had manure present and wet areas. Establishment yards supervisor was verbally informed that a written noncompliance report would be issued. The District Veterinary Medical Specialist was contacted through supervisory channels. A review of the establishment noncompliance history did not reveal a similar NR written in the past 90 days for same root cause. At approximately 1520 the establishment contacted the CSI to re-inspect the unloading dock, the CSI observed the loading dock condition to be acceptable and removed the U.S. Reject tag. This establishment does not operate under a robust systematic approach to the humane handling of livestock.

313.2

HATS CATEGORY III: Water and Feed Availability On Tuesday, October 1, 2024, at approximately 0635 hours at Intermountain Packing, Est. M47547. While observing humane handling at the establishment’s holding pens, IPP observed the following non-compliance. In the alley way, 33 cows were observed without access to water. The water troughs typically used to service this area did not contain any water, thereby preventing the animals access to water. An establishment team member was immediately verbally notified of the non-compliance and that a noncompliance record would be written. No regulatory control action was taken due to the observed corrective action of the establishment team member filling the water troughs and providing the cows’ access to water. At 1030 hours I verbally notified the yards supervisor of the forthcoming noncompliance, and verbally notified the Establishment Coordinator. A review was conducted and there have been no noncompliance records issued for the same root cause in the past 90 days. The Denver District Veterinary Medical Specialist was contacted regarding this event. This establishment does not operate under a robust systematic approach to the humane handling of livestock.