iliiii1 United States Department of Agriculture 

Salem, NJ 08079 

862-755-6583 

(b) (6)

March 6, 2024 

Puro Alentejano Iberian Pork Corp. 

M47945 ELECTRONIC MAIL on March 6, 2024 

31 Jerico Road 

@HOTMAIL.COM 

Attention: Rodrigo Duarte, Owner 

NOTICE OF SUSPENSION HELD IN ABEYANCE 

On February 29, 2024, your establishment received official notification from the Food Safety and 

Inspection Service (FSIS) of the suspension of the assignment of inspection personnel for slaughter 

operations at Puro Alentejano Iberian Pork Corp, Est. M47945. The decision to suspend inspection 

at your establishment was based on the determination by FSIS that your establishment failed to 

slaughter and handle animals humanely. 

On March 1, 5 & 6, 2024, you provided FSIS with proposed responses to the suspension action. 

Your responses outlined written corrective and preventive measures to bring your establishment 

into compliance with humane handling of livestock requirements and to achieve compliance with 

the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) (Title 21 of the United States Code {21 U.S.C} 603), the 

Humane Methods of Slaughter act of 1978 (HMSA) (7 U.S.C. 1901 et seq.), and federal regulations 

{Title 9 of the Code of Federal Regulations (9 CFR) parts 313}. Based on your submitted written 

assurances, we have determined that the suspension of the assignment of inspectors for slaughter 

operations at your plant will be held in abeyance, in accordance with 9 CFR Part 500.5(e). 

The suspension will remain in abeyance pending verification by FSIS that your proposed 

corrective and preventive measures have been effectively implemented. Plant personnel should 

monitor operations to prevent violations of humane handling and slaughter from occurring in the 

future. It is also important for you to understand the responsibility of FSIS to initiate action when 

there is a failure to operate in accordance with 9 CFR Part 313 of the regulations. 

A copy of the FSIS Verification Plan is enclosed to assist you in understanding the nature and 

importance of the Agency’s verification activities. This FSIS Verification Plan is designed to 

verify that your establishment fully implements the corrective actions proffered in your proposed 

corrective actions, and that these revisions and corrective actions are effective in assuring ongoing 

regulatory compliance. It identifies your corrective action elements, the relevant regulatory 

requirements, the PHIS task under which corrective action elements will be verified, and the 

monitoring frequency. Only FSIS can amend the verification plan and any modifications to your 

submitted acceptable corrective actions made during the abeyance period will need to be submitted 

in writing to FSIS for verification of compliance prior to implementation by your establishment. 

FSIS will begin verification of your proposed actions before startup of your next scheduled 

slaughter. 
C. Ford, Acting DDMIRDO/FO 

Rodrigo Dmute, Owner Notice ofSuspension Held in Abeyance 

Puro Alentejano Iberian Pork Corp., M47945 March 6, 2024 

Please be advised that, as a federally inspected establishment, you are expected to comply with 

FSIS regulations and to take appropriate conective action to prevent Inhumane Handling of 

Livestock at your establishment. Your failure to comply with these requirements or to implement 

the measures in your action plan could result in reinstatement of the suspension of inspection at 

your establishment or other appropriate administrntive or legal action. 

If you have any questions, please conta.ct me via telephone at 919-326-5281 or via electronic 

mail at todd.furey2@usda.gov Additionally, you can conta.ct the Raleigh Disti·ict Office at 919-

844-8400 or by fax at 844-839-6359. 

Sincerely, 

TODD Digitally signed 

by TODD RJREY 

Date: 2024.03.06 FUREY 12:35:25 -05'00' 

Todd Furey 

Disti·ict Manager 

cc: S. Johnson, EARO/FO 

L. Ho1te1t, RD/CID/OIEA 

T. Furey, DMIRDO/FO 

, HHEC/FO 

R. Mmphy, DDMIRDO/FO 

A. Gupton, DDMIRDO/FO 

DCS/RDO/FO 

DVMS/RDO/FO 

, SEIAO/RDO/FO 

, FLS/RDO/FO 

SPHV/RDO/FO 

, CSI/RDO/FO 

Quaiterly Enforcement Report 

Establishment File (Est. M47945) 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Establishment Name: Puro Alentejano Iberian Pork Corp 

Establishment Number: M47945 

Two-Week Period Ending: 

Reason for Verification: On 02/29/2024, Establishment M47945 was issued a NOS for failure 

to meet 9 CFR 313 of the regulations. On 03/06/2024, the establishment was issued a 

NOSHIA after submitting acceptable corrective actions and preventive measures. 

Information for Establishment Management: This verification plan was created from the 

corrective actions and preventive measures which were submitted to, and which were 

accepted by, the Raleigh District Office. As such, any changes to these corrective actions and 

preventive measures needs to be approved by the Raleigh District Office prior to 

implementation. 

Instructions for completion of Humane Handling and Slaughter Verification form: 

1. "Results of Verification" column should be recorded as "Acceptable", "Unacceptable", or 

"N/A" 

2. "Inspection Actions" column should be used to document unacceptable findings or any 

additional corrective actions taken in compliance with 9 CFR 313. 

3. The implementation and effectiveness of the establishment's corrective actions should be 

verified at the frequencies stated below. The in-plant inspection team (IPP) can request, 

through supervisory channels, a change in the frequencies when the determination is made 

that the establishment has effectively implemented the corrective 

actions. 4. Each day 

verification activities are performed, IPP should add a Directed Livestock Humane Handling 

Verification task in PHIS and use the justification "Verification Plan for Enforcement Actions" to 

justify the scheduling of the Directed task. 

5. IPP will provide bi-weekly verification updates detailing the results of verification activities 

and submit to the SPHV/FLS for review. 

6. The completed bi-weekly report will be submitted via email to 

(b) (6) (b) (6)

, District 

Veterinary Medical Specialist, and to District Case Specialist. 

Items to Verify Results of 

Verification 

Inspection Actions 

1. Verify that all employees 

have received training for 

proper stunning techniques 

and the importance of 

monitoring for signs of 

unconsciousness. (Once) 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Verify that Rodrigo Duarte 

or another trained 

employee supervise and 

observe animal stunning 

and record their 

observations on the 

Ongoing Verification of 

Animal Stunning form at 

the following frequency: 

a. Once per day for the 

next 30 consecutive 

slaughter days 

b. Once weekly after the 

30-day period. 

(Daily for 30 days, then 

weekly) 

3. Verify that a new electrical 

stunning system has been 

purchased and installed. 

(Once) 

4. Verify that on days of hog 

slaughter, the electrical 

stunning amperage is set to 

≥ 1.25 amps, the animals

receive both a head and a 

heart stun, there is visual 

confirmation that the 

animal has received a stun, 

there is visual confirmation 

for signs of consciousness, 

and that the hog is bled 

within 30 seconds. These 

observations are 

documented on the Hog 

Stun Monitoring form at 

the following frequencies: 

A. For large hogs, every 

animal will be observed 

and documented 

B. For suckling pigs, one in 

every 5 will be observed 

and documented 

(Daily for 13 weeks, as 

applicable) 
 

 

Comments and Recommendations 

Two-Week Period Ending: 

IIC Comments/Recommendation: 

SPHV Comments/Recommendation (if not the IIC): 

FLS Comments/Recommendation: