Westons Meat Cutting, DBA Matthew Weston: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2025 (USDA)

313.16(b)(2),313.16(a)(1)

HATS CAT VIII Stunning Effectiveness While performing a Livestock Humane Handling verification task on August 18, 2025, at around 0810 hours, I observed the following noncompliance. A bull was driven to the kill box for stunning. A twelve-gauge shotgun with No.6 shotshell was selected as the firearm and ammunition of choice based upon age, sex, and size of the animal. I moved to the firearm safety zone. Safety procedures place me out-of-sight during firearm stunning; however, audible evidence of an effective stun in bovine is obvious when the animal immediately falls. I also have a visible view of the kill box through the window of the door of where I’m standing. The shotgun was fired, but the shot was ineffective and did not immediately render the animal unconscious. I moved to observe the animal standing in the kill box with eyes open, alert, and still. The employee grabbed another readily available shotshell, reloaded the shotgun, and prepared an immediate second shot. I quickly moved to the safety zone. The second shot was immediately fired, and I heard sounds indicating the bull was effectively rendered unconscious. I moved to verify and observed the unconscious, insensible bull. Upcoming safety shots were announced, and I again moved to the safety zone. Two security stun shots were heard. Because the firearm employed failed to produce immediate unconsciousness in the animal by a single shot, these findings verify noncompliance of 9 CFR 313.16(a)(1). Although Weston’s Robust Handling Plan discusses decision-making for choice of firearm by size of animal, the procedures, methodology, and/or choice of firearm and ammunition in this instance failed to produce immediate unconsciousness in the animal; therefore, noncompliance of 313.16(b)(2) Special Requirements also exists. A review in PHIS did not reveal similar noncompliance’s of 9 CFR 313.16 in the past 90 days.

313.2

Livestock Humane Handling HUMANE HANDLING ACTIVITIES TRACKING SYSTEM HATS Category III: Water and Feed Availability While performing a Humane Handling task on March 27, 2025, at around 0824 hours I observed the following noncompliance in the barn. When verifying HATS Category III: Water and Feed Availability, I observed the water container in the first pen going up the catwalk was completely dry, and provided no evidence there had been water in it recently. The ground in the pen did not show evidence of water possibly having been spilt over by the animal either. Two pigs presented for slaughter were being kept there. I walked towards pen two and that water container, too, did not show evidence of water availability. Three pigs presented for slaughter were being kept there. These findings are noncompliant with 9 CFR 313.2 (e). Mr. REDACTED was informed verbally of these findings. The noncompliance was corrected by the establishment, thereafter. Weston’s Robust Handling Plan states: All pens have water in them for the animals to drink from. A review in PHIS did reveal a similar NR in the past 90 days, noncompliance report KHC3907124031N-1 was associated in PHIS. The associated NR KHC3907124031N-1 also has an associated NR, KHC2909101604N-1, citing the same noncompliance with 9 CFR 313.2 (e). The association of these NRs indicate a trend of ongoing related noncompliance reports. The establishment’s corrective actions in previous NRs did not prevent reoccurrence. The establishment stated the previous corrective actions were filling up the empty barrels with water to provide water accessibility.

313.2

Livestock Humane Handling HUMANE HANDLING ACTIVITIES TRACKING SYSTEM HATS Category III: Water and Feed Availability While performing a Humane Handling task on December 31, 2024, at around 0800 hours I observed the following noncompliance in the barn. When verifying HATS Category III: Water and Feed Availability, I observed the water container on the first pen going up the catwalk was completely dry, and provided no evidence there had been water in it recently. The ground in the pen did not show evidence of water possibly having been spilt over by the animal either. A custom cow was being kept there. I walked towards pen two and the water inside the container was frozen. Finally in pen three the water container there too, was frozen. The two heifers being presented for ante mortem were in pen one and two. These findings are noncompliant with 9 CFR 313.2 (e). Mr. REDACTED was informed verbally of these findings. The noncompliance was corrected by the establishment, thereafter. Weston’s Robust Handling Plan states: All pens have water in them for the animals to drink from. A review in PHIS did reveal a similar NR in the past 90 days, noncompliance report KHC2909101604N was associated in PHIS.

313.2

Livestock Humane Handling HUMANE HANDLING ACTIVITIES TRACKING SYSTEM HATS Category III: Water and Feed Availability While performing a Humane Handling task on October 4, 2024, at around 0712 hours I observed the following noncompliance in the barn. When verifying HATS Category III: Water and Feed Availability, I observed the water container empty in the pen where the Steer being presented for Ante Mortem was in. The container was dry and provided no evidence there had been water in it recently. The ground in the pen did not show evidence of water possibly having been spilt over by the animal either. These findings are noncompliant with 9 CFR 313.2 (e). Mr. REDACTED was informed verbally of these findings. The noncompliance was corrected by the establishment, thereafter. Weston’s Robust Handling Plan states: All pens have water in them for the animals to drink from. A review in PHIS did not reveal a similar NR in the past 90 days.