Herscher Halal Meat Locker: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2025 (USDA)

313.2

HATS Category III - Water and Feed Availability On Thursday, August 21, 2025, at approximately 7:00 am, while performing the Livestock Humane Handling task, I (REDACTED, CSI) observed that 7 head of cattle were enclosed in the alleyway and an adjacent holding pen, leading to the cattle knock box. There was water in the adjacent holding pen, however a closed gate prevented the cattle from accessing the water in the adjacent holding pen. This is in non-compliance with 9 CFR 313.2(e), which states, "Animals shall have access to water in all holding pens and, if held longer than 24 hours, access to feed." After making this observation, I informed REDACTED, Harvest Floor Supervisor, and Dr. REDACTED, HACCP Coordinator, of the non-compliance. REDACTED immediately provided the 7 head of cattle in the enclosed alleyway with a trough of water. This Non-Compliance Record (NR) is linked to NR UAF5813075822 N / 1, from July 22, 2025, which also documented that animals on site and being held in the alleyway were not provided with water.

313.2

HATS Category III- Water and Feed Availability On Tuesday, July 22, 2025, at approximately 8:00 am, while performing the Livestock Humane Handling task, it was observed by Dr. REDACTED (District Manager) and myself, REDACTED, CSI, that 4 small goats had become enclosed in the alleyway leading from the adjacent holding pens to the cattle knock box and did not have access to water in this enclosed alleyway. Small ruminants are held in the holding pens until they are moved in smaller groups directly into the corral pen on the slaughter floor. This is in non-compliance with 9 CFR 313.2(e), which states, “Animals shall have access to water in all holding pens and, if held longer than 24 hours, access to feed.” After making this observation, I informed Dr. REDACTED, HACCP Coordinator, of the non-compliance. Dr. REDACTED immediately provided the 4 goats in the enclosed alleyway with a small trough of water.

313.1

Category IV- Ante-mortem Inspection On 07/09/2025 at approximately 0900 hours while inspecting the livestock facilities as part of a 30-day humane handling verification visit, Dr. REDACTED, District Veterinary Medical Specialist (DVMS), observed the following noncompliance. Wire ends were noted protruding from the wire fencing overlaying the metal rail gates into all five animal holding pens in the open-air barn. At the time of the observations, only the middle and back pens on the right side of the barn contained animals (sheep and goats). In addition to the fencing, in the first holding pen on the left side, there was a plastic box that was intended to cover an electrical box on the floor at the front of the pen. The plastic box was broken, with pieces protruding upward and exposing the electrical box inside, creating a trip hazard. Additionally, there was a bent over nail on the wooden feeder crib with a large amount of fleece wrapped around it. In the second pen on the left side, multiple nails and screws were protruding from the wooden feeder crib. Inspection of the open-air cattle pen revealed numerous areas where metal wire fencing overlaying pen rails were broken and protruding into the pen area, and a pitchfork was laying on the ground in the middle of the pen with its tines facing up. The cattle holding pen was empty at the time of inspection. The alleyway leading from the holding pens to the enclosed barn was notable for a broken wooden pallet, protruding nails (some with fleece attached), torn metal sheeting with sharp, jagged edges protruding into the alleyway, and two areas where the metal fencing overlay protruded into the alleyway. The alleyway was empty at the time of the observations. The areas in disrepair were pointed out to Mr. REDACTED, Owner, who had an employee immediately start implementing corrective actions to address the deficiencies. Mr. REDACTED was notified of the noncompliance and the establishment’s failure to comply with the regulatory requirements prescribed in 9 CFR 313.1(a).

313.15(a)(1)

HATS Category VIII Stunning Effectiveness On Monday, June 9, 2025, at approximately 7:15 am, Food Inspector (FI) REDACTED observed the plant employees bring in a mature steer into the knock box. The animal was restrained in the head chute by plant personnel, and the nostril restraint was placed on the animal before bringing its head upwards into position to expose the neck for ritual slaughter. Plant personnel made the first attempt to cut the neck for the ritual cut, but failed to get through the hide. After failing to stick the animal on their first attempt, plant staff released the nostril restraint and elected to stun the animal with a captive bolt gun. Following the first stunning attempt, the animal was conscious, vocalized and remained standing. The captive bolt gun was reloaded, and the stunning operator attempted a second stun with the captive bolt gun. The animal was conscious, vocalized and remained standing. After the second ineffective stunning attempt, plant personnel placed the nostril restraint back on the animal, raised its head again, and cut the neck to exsanguinate the animal. Operations were halted immediately following this and regulatory action was taken. Regulatory control was taken at the ritual shackling pen and knock box, and U.S. Rejected tags B38566387 and B26492643 were applied, respectively. FI REDACTED inspected the head of the animal and observed two wounds on the skull- one non-penetrating wound located just to the left of the midline of the forehead and one penetrating wound located directly in the midline of the forehead. 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). The Chicago District Office was contacted and a Notice of Suspension was issued for the egregious event.