Agency proposes penalties for slaughterhouse noncompliance

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture proposed administrative penalties on June 16 against North Springfield-based Vermont Packinghouse after the processing plant — which processes the livestock of over 300 local, small-scale farms — was found in non-compliance with USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service guidelines.

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2017-06-27 / Front Page Agency proposes penalties for slaughterhouse noncompliance By KELSEY CHRISTENSEN kchristensen@eagletimes.com NORTH SPRINGFIELD, Vt. — The Vermont Agency of Agriculture proposed administrative penalties on June 16 against North Springfield-based Vermont Packinghouse (VPH) after the processing plant — which processes the livestock of over 300 local, small-scale farms — was found in non-compliance with USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) guidelines. “Vermont Packinghouse has enjoyed a good and productive relationship with the Vermont Agency of Agriculture as long as we have been doing business. We have received and reviewed notices from the agency and will be meeting with them this week to discuss the matter further,” said Arion Thiboumery in a statement to the press. “We hold the staff at the agency in high regard and know the they are doing their best to ensure wholesome food, animal welfare, and uphold Vermont’s laws.” The Agency of Agriculture has proposed a $1,500 fine, according to Thiboumery. The Vermont Packinghouse says the administrative penalties are pursuant to violations that have already been made public. “The notices are not in regards to any new violations or alleged violations,” said the VPH statement. “The events discussed in the notices [have] previously been reported [on].” The meat packing and processing company came under scrutiny in recent months following suspension of inspection in October 2016 from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), as well as several reinforcements of that suspension in the months since due to violations stemming from failed “stuns,” or attempts to render the animals unconscious before slaughter. “The reinstatement of suspension (ROS) of the assignment of inspectors for slaughter operations at your establishment will remain in effect until you provide the FSIS Philadelphia District Office with adequate written assurances including corrective actions and further planned preventive measures to assure that you handle and slaughter livestock humanely at your establishment,” said the USDA in a letter to VPH on Jan. 20. A nonprofit group, Mercy for Animals (MFA), had lobbied to the Vermont Agency of Agriculture to take action against VPH after learning of alleged violations from two whistleblowers who wish to remain anonymous, according to MFA Staff Attorney Stefanie Wilson. “These are, of course, only whistleblower reports,” Wilson said in an e-mail to the Eagle Times. “But, given the serious nature of these allegations, that we received this information from two separate reports, and the fact that both the slaughterhouse and the agencies involved have in their possession the records that will confirm these reports, we included the information that we had in our complaints to the Vermont Attorney General and the Vermont Agriculture Agency in an effort to do our best to help them enforce the laws.” However, state veterinarian Dr. Kristin Haas says the correspondence between MFA and the VT Agency of Agriculture and the Vermont State Attorney, dated June 20, did not influence the Agency of Agriculture’s decision to propose administrative penalties. “The timing was coincidental,” said Haas. “We had already been engaging with them and discussing matters.” Following VPH’s most recent suspension, in January 2017, the USDA appointed inspectors to examine practices at the plant. Thiboumery submitted proposed corrective actions in writing to the USDA in April which the department determined acceptable, according to a notice of reinstatement of suspension held in abeyance (NOROSHA), which allowed VPH to resume inspected operations. According to the NOROSHA, stunning employees were retrained on April 6 and a defective captive bolt was removed from service. Thiboumery also restricted the number of employees that could perform stuns and agreed to use a roping halter during beef stuns, install a locking head gate, and record all captive bolt stunner maintenance and stunner effectiveness. Thiboumery says his plant is still committed to transparency. “While minor events and regulatory noncompliances are expected from time to time in all businesses, Vermont Packinghouse remains committed to humane handling and transparency,” said the VPH statement. The packinghouse is unique, in that it is one of the few slaughterhouses in which visitors can watch operations through glass on a guided tour. “We continue to have public tour groups at our plant every single week and we are immensely proud of our work and our staff.”