Fauquier's Finest Custom Meat Processing, Inc.: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2025 (USDA)

313.2

On 1/29/25 at 6:00 AM while performing HATS Category 3, I, SPHV Dr. REDACTED, observed the following noncompliance: The shared, oblong water trough between pens #9 and #10 had been completely pushed into pen #10 that contained 1 lamb. Because of this, there was no water access for the 1 pig in pen #9. I notified the kill floor employees of the lack of water for the pig in pen #9. The employees moved the water trough back between the two pens so that the animals in pen #9 and #10 both had water. I notified the plant supervisor, Mr. REDACTED, of the noncompliance with 9 CFR 313.2(e) at 12:00 PM.

313.16(a)(1)

On 12/4/2024 at 0820 hours, I verbally notified Mr. REDACTED, plant supervisor, of my decision to take regulatory control action to prevent the slaughter of animals secondary to an egregious humane handling noncompliance. I also informed Mr. REDACTED that this egregious humane handling noncompliance has resulted in the District Office immediately suspending USDA slaughter and inspection. The decisions were based on the following observation: I, Dr. REDACTED, SPHV, was notified by FI REDACTED of a non-compliance he observed at 0803 while performing HATS Category VIII – Stunning Effectiveness. A lamb was in the kill chute and a .22 caliber rifle was brought out to stun it. FI REDACTED walked off the floor while the shot was being taken. After hearing a single shot, FI REDACTED walked back onto the kill floor and observed that the lamb was bleeding from the head but was still standing and conscious. The floor employee looked to FI REDACTED but did not take further action. FI REDACTED gestured to the employee to shoot the lamb again, but the employee instead cut the animal’s neck. The animal then bled out before being shackled. This event is in violation of 9 CFR 313.16(a)(1). It is also considered egregious due to the lack of corrective action taken after inadequate stunning followed by making a cut to a conscious animal. The establishment does have a robust systematic approach to humane handling. However, the plant was not following their procedure of using a hand-held captive bolt for stunning lambs. I took a regulatory control of the knock box and applied U.S. Rejected Tag #B38203394 at approximately 0810 hours. I notified the kill floor employees of this action and informed them that they were allowed to finish processing the lambs that were already slaughtered.