Honest Meats, LLC: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2021 (USDA)

313.15(a)(1),313.15(b)(1)(iii)

On June 29th, 2021 while conducting a semi-annual PHV humane handling assessment, performing the review and observation component of the Livestock Humane Handling Task, and verifying HATS category VIII, stunning effectiveness, a noncompliance was observed by PHV Dr. REDACTED, DVM. At approximately 10:55am kill floor employee REDACTED attempted to stun a lamb. There were two lambs present in the knock box, one of which had already been successfully stunned and bled. Mr. REDACTED placed the handheld captive bolt on the poll of the lamb. As he discharged the weapon the lamb moved it’s head with the bolt striking it in the middle of the left ear. The lamb remained standing and calm with no vocalization. Mr. REDACTED immediately retrieved a second, larger caliber, pre-loaded handheld captive bolt and attempted to render a second stun. As he discharged this weapon the lamb again moved it’s head with this attempt completely missing the animal. The animal again remained standing, displaying no signs of excitement or discomfort. Mr. REDACTED immediately reloaded the first handheld captive bolt and delivered a third stun that was effective, rendering the lamb unconscious. The lamb remained unconscious through bleeding, shackling, and hoisting. The skull was examined to definitively conclude the observations. There was one hole present in the left ear of the head and one in the correct location at the top of the head on the poll. There was no evidence of a third point of contact. Kill floor employee, REDACTED, and Plant Manager/Owner, Joe Cloud were notified of the failure to meet the requirements of 9 CFR 313.15(a)(1) and 313.15(b)(1)(iii) verbally and in writing with this NR. The establishment has a robust systematic approach to humane handling.

313.15(a)(1)

At approximately 11:48AM on May 13, 2021, IIC REDACTED, heard the captive bolt discharge and a hog vocalize while performing the visceral postmortem inspection on the opposite side of the kill floor from the knock box. REDACTED immediately approached the knock box. A thin stream of blood on the hog’s face indicated it had been hit. REDACTED witnessed REDACTED, Foreman and stunning employee, immediately reload the captive bolt. A second immediate stun was performed, and the hog was rendered unconscious. Upon further investigation of the anterior view of the skull, it was noted that there were two captive bolt holes present. One hole was in the correct location and one was off center approximately 1 inch diagonally to the left. Discussion with stunning employee, REDACTED, and employee witness, REDACTED, revealed the hog jerked its head at the last second and bumped REDACTED arm. The establishment elected to use captive bolt today due to the electric stunner being out for maintenance. This constitutes ineffective stunning under 9 CFR 313.15 a(1) and is being documented under HATS category VIII-stunning effectiveness. REDACTED was notified verbally of this noncompliance along with Plant Manager, Dijon Banks. The establishment has robust systematic approach to humane handling. Written notification of the noncompliance will be provided to plant management via this NR.

313.1

At approximately 12:35 PM on April 12, 2021, IIC REDACTED, was walking through the barn facilities for the Livestock Humane Handling inspection, and verifying HATS category IV, where the pens were being cleaned out. Closer observation revealed that there were several large holes and cracks in the pen floors that the cleaning had exposed. At approximately 1:00pm, REDACTED placed reject tag No. B37 724518 on pen number 3, and 6/7 due to these findings. No animals were in the barn and thus not affected. IIC REDACTED findings constitutes a violation under 9 CFR 313.1(b). Foreman REDACTED, was notified verbally of this noncompliance. Written notification of the noncompliance will be provided to plant management via this NR.