Hamakua Meat Processors LLC: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2025 (USDA)

313.2

HATS Category III: Water and Feed Availability At approximately 0930 hours while conducting a routine humane handling task at Hamakua Meats I (the FLS) observed that the two northern most holding pens housed 1 cattle each, and neither had water available as the small water troughs were empty. I informed the plant manager and we discussed that these holding pens have small water troughs that were originally set up with an automatic fill valve, but these have since been broken and the establishment has to fill these manually as needed. I was informed that the establishment will be replacing all of these older troughs during on-going and planned updates to the holding pens. We also discussed that the regulatory requirements are that animals being held for slaughter must have access to water at all times, including immediately after unloading into the holding pens. No regulatory control action was taken as establishment employees took immediate corrective action to fill these troughs and will be aware of this going forward. The District Veterinary Medical Specialist was notified through supervisory channels. A review of previous non-compliances shows that this is the first NR issued for this root cause. This establishment has not implemented a robust systematic approach to the humane handling of livestock.