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United States Department of Agriculture 

February 15, 2024 

@aol.com, 

410-962-5530 

George G. Ruppersberger & Sons, Inc. 

M5931 ELECTRONIC MAIL on February 15, 2024 

2639 Pennsylvania Avenue 

(b) (6)

Baltimore, MD 21217 

(b) (6)

Attention: William L. Ruppersberger (President/General Manager) 

Elbert Nuttle (Plant Manager) 

NOTICE OF SUSPENSION 

Mr. Ruppersberger and Mr. Nuttle, 

This letter confirms the verbal notification given on February 15, 2024, at approximately 1120 

hours, by the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) Inspection Program Personnel (IPP) of 

the suspension of the assignment of inspectors for slaughter operations at George G. 

Ruppersberger & Sons, Inc, Est. M5931, herein after referred to as “your establishment.” This 

action was initiated in accordance with Title 9 of the Code of Federal Regulations (9 CFR) 500.3, 

after FSIS determined that your establishment failed to slaughter and handle animals humanely. 

Background/Authority 

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

seq.) provides that for the purpose of preventing the inhumane slaughtering of livestock, the 

Secretary shall cause to be made, by inspectors appointed for that purpose, an examination and 

inspection of the methods by which cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses, mules, or other equines are 

slaughtered and handled in connection with slaughter in the slaughtering establishments inspected 

under this Act. The Secretary may refuse to provide inspection to a new slaughtering establishment 

or may cause slaughtering to be temporarily suspended at a slaughtering establishment if the 

Secretary finds that any cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses, mules, or other equines have been 

slaughtered or handled in connection with slaughter at such establishments by any method not in 

accordance with sections 1901 to 1906 of Title 7 until the establishment furnishes assurances, 

satisfactory to the Secretary, that all slaughtering and handling in connection with slaughter of 

livestock shall be in accordance with such a method. 

The Humane Methods of Slaughter Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 1901 et seq.) provides that Congress 

finds that the use of humane methods in the slaughter of livestock prevents needless suffering; 

results in safer and better working conditions for persons engaged in the slaughtering industry; 

brings about improvement of products and economies in slaughtering operations; and produces 

other benefits for producers, processors, and consumers which tend to expedite an orderly flow of 

livestock and livestock products in interstate and foreign commerce. It is therefore declared to be 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

William L. Ruppersberger (President/GM) Notice of Suspension 

George G. Ruppersberger & Sons, Inc, M5931 February 15, 2024 

the policy of the United States that the slaughtering of livestock and the handling of livestock in 

connection with slaughter shall be carried out only by humane methods. 

Findings/Basis for Suspension 

At approximately 0645 hours on Thursday, February 15, 2024, IPP identified an egregious humane 

handling non-compliance in which there was a delay in rendering a steer unconscious. A black 

Angus steer was loaded into the knock box and the employee attempted the initial stun using a .22 

caliber hand-held captive bolt stunning device (HHCB). After the stun attempt, the steer remained 

conscious, standing in the box. The employee stated that the HHCB had malfunctioned and that 

the bolt did not penetrate the skull of the steer. The employee attempted to repair the HHCB, and 

when he could not, the Plant Manager left the kill floor to retrieve a .25 caliber HHCB. The 

employee used the .25 caliber HHCB to apply a second stun to the steer, effectively rendering the 

steer unconscious. After the skin was removed from the head, IPP observed two (2) holes in the 

skull: a smaller hole on the midline of the steer’ forehead and a larger hole on the midline 

approximately 1 inch (1”) below the first hole. IPP applied US Retain/Reject Tag # B4530930 to 

the knock box to prevent further slaughter of livestock; this is in accordance with 9 CFR 313.50(c). 

IPP notified establishment management of the pending noncompliance report and the potential for 

further action. At approximately 1120 hours, IPP notified establishment management of the 

Raleigh District Office (RDO) management’s decision to initiate further enforcement action. 

This incident represent a violation of 9 CFR 313.15(a)(1) which says in part “The captive bolt 

stunners shall be applied to the livestock in accordance with this section so as to produce immediate 

unconsciousness in the animals before they are shackled, hoisted, thrown, cast, or cut.” The 

incident was considered egregious because there was a failure to apply an immediate corrective 

action. The establishment does not have a documented systematic approach for Humane Handling; 

therefore, this Suspension action is being initiated. 

The suspension action will remain in effect until you provide the Raleigh District Office with 

adequate written assurances, including corrective actions and further planned preventive measures, 

to assure that livestock at your establishment are slaughtered humanely. In order to resume 

inspected operations, you must submit corrective actions to my attention at the District Office. 

These corrective actions should include at a minimum the following: 

1. Identify the assessment process used to determine the nature and cause of the 

noncompliances. 

2. Identify what the assessment revealed as the likely cause of the system failure. 

3. Describe the specific actions that will be taken to eliminate the cause of the failures. 

4. Describe the future monitoring activities you will use to ensure that changes are 

implemented and are effective. 

You are reminded that, as an operator of a federally inspected plant, you are expected to comply 

with FSIS regulations and to take appropriate corrective actions to prevent inhumane handling of 

livestock at your establishment. Please be advised that your failure to respond adequately to these 

issues may result in our initiating action to withdraw inspection from your establishment. Please 

also be advised that you have the right to appeal this matter. 
William L. Ruppersberger (President/GM) Notice of Suspension 

George G. Ruppersberger & Sons, Inc, M5931 Febmaiy 15, 2024 

In accordance with 9 CFR 500.5(a)(5), you may appeal this action by contacting: 

SheITi Johnson 

Executive Associate for Regulato1y Operations 

Office ofField Operations 

Food Safety and Inspection Service 

United States Department ofAgriculture 

1400 Independence Avenue, SW 

South Building, Room 3154 

Washington, DC 20250 

Phone: 

In addition, you may also request a hearing regarding this determination pursuant to FSIS' Rules 

of Practice (9 CFR 500.). The mies of Practice were published in the Federal Register, Vol. 64, 

No. 228, on November 29, 1999. As specified in Section 500.5(d), should you request a hearing, 

FSIS will file a complaint that will include a request for an expedited heai·ing. If you wish to 

request a heai·ing regai·ding this detennination, you should contact: 

Scott C. Safian, Branch Chief 

Enforcement Operations Branch 

Office of Investigation, Enforcement and Audit 

Food Safety and Inspection Service 

Stop Code 3753, PP3, Cubicle 9-235-A 

1400 Independence Avenue, SW 

Washington, D.C. 20250 

Voice: (202) 418-8872 

Fax: (202) 245-5097 

It is our hope that this matter can be resolved quickly. If you have any questions, please contact 

me via telephone at 919-326-5281 or via electronic mail at todd.furey2@usda.gov Additionally, 

you can contact the Raleigh District Office at 919-844-8400 or by fax at 844-839-6359. 

Sincerely, 

Digitally signed by ROGER ROGER MURPHY 

MURPHY Date: 2024.02.15 14:06:44

-05'00" 

Todd Furey 

District Manager 
1

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William L. Ruppersberger (President/GM) 

George G. Ruppersberger & Sons, Inc, M5931 

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Quaiierly Enforcement Repo 1 

Establishment File (Est. M5931) 

Notice of Suspension 

Febmaiy 15, 2024