GREENBACK, Tenn. — Federal food safety inspectors took action against a farm and butcher shop in Greenback after they said an inspector watched as an animal was inhumanely slaughtered earlier this month.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's suspension letter, a Consumer Safety Inspector was present for a Livestock Humane Handling verification test at The Butcher Shop at Hyde Farms on June 13.
According to the inspector, the plant owner, Mitchell Hyde, prepared an animal for slaughter on the kill floor. Hyde was working as the floor stun operator, and the inspector said Hyde moved the animal to a knock box and prepared to stun it with a .22 rifle.
The inspector left the room and reentered as the initial stun was being made, saying the stun had hit the animal but wasn't effective because the animal was still upright and vocal.
"Your stun operator put away the gun and retrieved a knife and stuck the still conscious animal’s neck. After this stick, the animal continued to vocalize and turned around in the chute facing to the rear. At this point, the animal was stuck again while conscious, and finally expired," the suspension letter said.
The inspector let Hyde know that the kill was not in compliance with federal humane handling and slaughtering requirements.
"When an establishment maintains a robust humane handling program, FSIS can exercise regulatory discretion when an inhumane handling or slaughter incident is observed. You do not currently maintain a written humane handling program for consideration," the letter said.
The USDA told Hyde that he would need to take corrective actions or risk immediate suspension of inspection at his establishment.
On June 24, the FSIS sent a second letter to Hyde informing him that the suspension had been abeyed after Hyde Farms submitted clarification and corrective actions to meet regulatory requirements. The letter said Hyde submitted written responses with corrective actions on June 14, June 17 and June 20 that were rejected by the Jackson District Office at first for not being adequate. The office asked for clarification from Hyde and it later accepted the corrective actions he sent on June 22.
"It is important for you to understand that FSIS has the responsibility to initiate action if your establishment fails to operate in accordance with the regulations, or conditions occur that do not comply with the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act," the letter said.
