FPL Food: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2021 (USDA)
See the detail of the non-compliance of humane livestock handling that the USDA observed at the FPL Food slaughterhouse establishment in 2021.
You can also see other establishments that were non-compliant in 2021.
313.15(a)(1)
9CFR 313.15(a) Mechanical; Captive bolt. Application of stunners, required effect; handling. (1) The captive bolt stunners shall be applied to the livestock in accordance with this section so as to produce immediate unconsciousness in the animals before they are shackled, hoisted, thrown, cast or cut. Today, at approximately 0840 I observed the following noncompliance at the Knockbox at Establishment M332 FPL Food: A plant employee knocked a longhorn cow with the hydraulic captive bolt gun and the knock was ineffective in producing immediate unconsciousness. I heard the gun fire. The cow vocalized loudly, continued to track with her eyes, and remained blinking. The plant employee used the hand gun captive bolt for the second knock and this effectively produced insensibility. The plant took immediate corrective action and rendered the cow unconscious. I tagged off the Knockbox with US Retain/ Reject tag #B39310389, and immediately informed Harvest Floor Supervisors REDACTED, REDACTED, REDACTED, And REDACTED of the noncompliance. REDACTED said that she would provide retraining the plant employees at the Knockbox and REDACTED said he would have maintenance check the guns. I removed the Reject/Retain tag.
313.1
9 CFR 313.1(a) Livestock pens, driveways and ramps Livestock pens, driveways and ramps shall be maintained in good repair. They shall be free of sharp or protruding objects which may, in the opinion of the inspector, cause injury or pain to the animals. At approximately 0530 today, I observed the following noncompliance at Establishment M332 FPL Food at Livestock Pen 4: A piece of sheet metal that had been affixed to the outer surface of the cement riser at the pen’s gate opening had become detached and was protruding into the lane that is used for Ante Mortem inspection and bringing the cows to the holding pen. The metal could have caused injury or pain to the cows. I immediately asked to speak with a supervisor and tagged the lane with USDA Retain/Reject Tag# B43238632. Barn Administrator REDACTED and Barn Manager REDACTED were notified of the noncompliance. A maintenance worker screwed the metal back to the cement riser so it no longer protruded into the lane. I removed the Reject/ Retain tag.
313.1
FR 313.1(a) Livestock pens, driveways and ramps. Livestock pens, driveways and ramps shall be maintained in good condition. At approximately 0540 August 2,2021, I observed the following noncompliance at FPL Food,LLC (Establishment 332M) at livestock Pen 13: The vertical metal pole at the front gate, attached to the horizontal bars keeping the cows inside the pen, and also having the latch on it that the gate’s bar slides through to hold the gate shut, visibly swayed when cows leaned up against it. The gate and horizontal bars moved with it. The vertical pole was not securely stabilized. I immediately tagged off the pen with US Reject/Retain tag B41502346. I immediately asked for a supervisor. Barn Administrator REDACTED and Harvest Floor Manager REDACTED were notified of the noncompliance that the pen is not being maintained in good condition. Barn employees secured the gates on the pen rendering it unaccessable to cattle after the cows were removed from it. Maintenance employees came down to the pen. I removed the Reject/Retain tag.
313.15(b)(1)(iii)
CFR 313.15(b)(iii) The stunning area shall be so designed and constructed as to limit the free movements of animals sufficiently to allow the operator to locate the stunning blow with a high degree of accuracy. At approximately 4:40PM on July 28,2021, the following noncompliance of CFR 313.15(b)(iii) occurred at FPL Food, LLC (Est. 332M): A brindle cow escaped from the knock box. She jumped down 2-3 feet onto the conveyer belt and then jumped into the Blood Pit area. There were plant employees working in this area. The cow ran back toward the barn but was intercepted and put into The Tub holding pen. I immediately took regulatory control by placing US Reject/ Retain tag B43238642 on the KnockBox. I immediately asked for a supervisor. Harvest Floor Manager REDACTED, QA supervisor REDACTED, and Harvest Floor Supervisor REDACTED were notified of the noncompliance. I released the tag from the knockbox.
