Herscher Halal Meat Locker: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2024 (USDA)

313.1,313.2

HATS Category IV- Antemortem Inspection HATS Category III- Water and Feed Availability On April 11, 2024, Dr. REDACTED, District Veterinary Medical Specialist (DVMS), was performing a 30-day humane handling verification visit and inspecting the holding pens in the south barn with Mr. REDACTED, Food Inspector (FI), when the following noncompliances were observed. In Pen 2, one of the boards covering a large square hole approximately 12 inches across and 3 inches deep was unsecured at one end and rotated around, exposing a portion of the underlying hole. Lambs were being held in the pen at the time. In Pen 4, electrical boxes at the front of the pen were protruding approximately 4 inches from pen floor, creating a trip hazard for the veal calves being held there. In Pen 5, a hole approximately 15 inches by 6 inches and 4 inches deep and a hole approximately 20 inches by 6 inches and 4 inches deep were found in the pen floor along the back wall of the pen. The pen contained goats. Mr. REDACTED, Plant Manager, was notified of the noncompliances and the establishment’s failure to comply with the regulatory requirements prescribed in 9 CFR 313.1(a). Mr. REDACTED immediately bolted down the board in Pen 2 to cover up the hole. The calves in Pen 4 were moved to Pen 1 when the plastic box used as a temporary measure to cover the electrical equipment would not stay in place. The goats in Pen 5 were moved into the holding pens in the barn immediately adjacent to the kill floor for the day’s slaughter. Pens 4 and 5 were rejected for use with U.S. Rejected tags B40538133 and B40538132, respectively. The tags were removed after the establishment implemented permanent corrective actions to secure the plastic container over the electrical equipment in Pen 4 and secured boards over the holes in Pen 5. Later during the visit, Dr. REDACTED observed goats in Pen 3 in the attached barn without access to water, as there was no water container provided. Mr. REDACTED was notified of the noncompliance and the establishment’s failure to comply with the regulatory requirements prescribed in 9 CFR 313.2(e). An establishment employee opened up the gate between Pens 2 and 3 and secured it in place to provide the animals with access to the filled water containers in Pen 2.

313.15(a)(1)

HATS Category VIII Stunning Efffectiveness On March 8, 2024, at approximately 10:30 am, Food Inspector (FI) REDACTED observed the plant employees bring a veal calf into the restraining box for slaughter. The plant personnel were having issues getting the animal to walk all the way into the restrainer so that the head could be secured for ritual slaughter. The plant personnel decided to get the captive bolt gun to use on the animal while it was freestanding in the knock box. Their first attempt was placed on the side of the head by the horn and was ineffective at rendering the animal insensible. The veal calf went down then stood back up, walked back and forth a bit, was looking around, and was rhythmically breathing. FI REDACTED then observed plant personnel not responding appropriately with any corrective action attempt to render the animal insensible. It was only after FI REDACTED informed the plant manager and the plant employee that the animal was still conscious and the establishment needed to implement corrective actions that plant personnel reloaded the captive bolt gun and implemented a second stunning attempt, which rendered the animal insensible. Regulatory control was taken at the knock box and the ritual shackling pen, and U.S. Retained tags B40538140 and B40538134 were applied, respectively. Mr. REDACTED, Plant Owner, was notified of the noncompliance. The establishment failed to comply with the regulatory requirements prescribed in 9 CFR 313.15(a)(1) and 313.15(b)(1)(iv). The Chicago District Office was contacted, and a Notice of Suspension was issued for the egregious event.

313.2

HATS Category III- Water and Feed Availability At approximately 8:45, while performing a Humane Handling task, I, REDACTED CSI, observed 2 animal holding pens no. 3 and 4 with no water available for the animals being held (sheep, goats, and veal calves). These pens are located just outside of the slaughter floor on the south end of the plant. A regulatory control action was taken and the pens were rejected with US Rejected tags numbered B40538137 and B40538138. After the tags were placed, REDACTED, plant owner was notified of the noncompliance. The immediate corrective action provided by the plant management is, Mr. REDACTED instructed his employee and he immediately filled the water container in holding pen 4 and righted the water container that was tipped on its side and filled it with water in holding pen 3 bringing them back into compliance. 9 CFR 313.2(e) was not met.

313.1

HATS Category IV- Antemortem Inspection On December 7, 2023, Dr. REDACTED, District Veterinary Medical Specialist performed a Humane Handling audit at Herscher Halal Meat Locker est. 47553 located in Herscher, IL. Two non-compliances were found during the audit. The first non-compliance was in the middle holding pen of the south barn. A square hole was observed in the southeast corner of the pen used for electrical supply for heaters in water troughs. The hole was approximately 12 inches across by approximately 3 inches deep, and an electrical cord and box were protruding from the hole. The maintenance person began repairs immediately to correct the non-compliance by removing the electrical fixture and securing a wooden plank cut to size to cover the hole. The second non-compliance was four 6 by 6 inch wooden post remnants sticking out of the concrete approximately 3 to 4 inches high in the adjacent holding pen. Maintenance personnel stated they would level the posts to the concrete floor. Sheep and goats were being held in the pens at the time of the observations. Both non-compliances could lead to animals being injured. Mr. REDACTED, Plant owner/operator was informed of the above non-compliances. 9 CFR 313.1(a) was not met leading to this non-compliance record.

313.1

Category IV Antemortem Inspection On December 4, 2023, at 7 am FSIS Food Inspector REDACTED noticed the wire fence in outside pens broken and partially blocking the central alleyway to the barn. Sharp wires were sticking out of the broken part of the fence. Inspector REDACTED did not allow the unloading of the goats until the broken fence was removed. He also notified you, as the owner and General Manager of this establishment, over the phone about the situation. I, REDACTED, DVM arrived at the establishment a few minutes later and observed this situation while Inspector REDACTED was still on the phone with you, and your employees were just about to remove the broken part of the wire fence from the alleyway. Inspector REDACTED and I allowed moving animals through the alleyway after broken fence was removed. Please note that 9CFR 313.1 (a) requires each official establishment: “(a) Livestock pens, driveways and ramps shall be maintained in good repair. They shall be free from sharp or protruding objects which may, in the opinion of the inspector, cause injury or pain to the animals. Loose boards, splintered or broken planking, and unnecessary openings where the head, feet, or legs of an animal may be injured shall be repaired.” Continued failure to meet regulatory requirements can lead to enforcement actions as described in 9 CFR 500.4.