USDA 

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________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

United States Department of Agriculture 

May 26, 2023 

University of Nevada, Reno Meat Plant ELECTRONIC MAIL on May 26, 2023 

DBA Wolf Pack Meats 

Est. 6004 M/P 

5895 Clean Water Way 

Reno, Nevada 89502 

EMAIL: 

tkulas@unr.edu 

pritsos@unr.edu 

JD@HoaglandMeat.com 

TELEPHONE NUMBER: 775-857-3663 

Attention: Dr. Amilton De Mello, Director 

LETTER OF DEFERRAL 

On May 16, 2023, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) Alameda District, notified your 

establishment of our intent to withhold the marks of inspection and suspend the assignment of 

inspection program personnel (IPP), with prior oral notification, for your Slaughter Hazard 

Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) processes at University of Nevada, Reno Meat 

Plant DBA Wolf Pack Meats, Establishment 6004 M/P, located at 5895 Clean Water Way, Reno, 

NV 89502. The decision to institute this enforcement action is in accordance with Title 9 Code 

of the Federal Regulations (CFR) Rules of Practice 500.3(b), based on the determination that 

your establishment did not handle or slaughter animals humanely in accordance with Title 9 CFR 

313.15(a)(1) and 313.16(a)(1). The evidence demonstrates the failure to comply with the Federal 

Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) (21 U.S.C. 603), the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act (HMSA) 

(7 U.S.C 1901 et seq.) and regulatory requirements (9 CFR Part 313). 

From May 19, 2023, through May 24, 2023, your establishment submitted written responses to the 

Alameda District Office (ADO) containing the immediate corrective actions and further preventive 

measures in response to the Notice of Intended Enforcement (NOIE) issued to your establishment 

on May 16, 2023. 

Based on your written and verbal commitments provided from May 19, 2023, through May 24, 

2023, in response to the NOIE, FSIS has decided to hold the NOIE in Deferral to allow your 

establishment the opportunity to implement the proposed corrective actions and preventive 

measures. This confirms the verbal notification provided to your establishment on May 23, 2023, 

by the Alameda District Office management team. 

During this Deferral period, FSIS will continue to verify, assess, and evaluate the effectiveness 

of the corrective actions you have implemented to assure that all proffered corrective actions are 

followed and that your programs are adequate to assure that livestock at your establishment are 

handled and slaughtered humanely, in accordance with the FMIA, the Humane Methods of 

Slaughter Act, and the regulations promulgated thereunder. 

An Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer Page 1 of 3 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Amilton De Mello, Director Letter of Deferral 

University of Nevada, Reno Meat Plant, Est. 6004 May 26, 2023 

FSIS designed a Verification Plan to verify that your establishment fully implements and follows 

the corrective actions and preventive measures that your establishment proffered in response to 

the NOIE. The Verification Plan, which is enclosed with this letter, identifies your action plan, 

the relevant regulatory requirements, and the Public Health Information System (PHIS) tasks and 

frequencies under which FSIS officials will verify each corrective action. Please be advised that 

only FSIS can amend the Verification Plan, and should your establishment make any 

modifications to your food safety programs during the Deferral period, you should submit these 

changes, in writing, to FSIS for verification of compliance prior to your establishment 

implementing these changes. 

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

comply with the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder to 

ensure that livestock at your establishment are handled and slaughtered humanely. The 

regulations require establishments to take appropriate action(s) when either the establishment or 

FSIS determines that the establishment’s system controls for humane handling requirements are 

ineffective. 

It is also important for you to understand that FSIS has the responsibility to initiate actions, if 

your establishment fails to operate, in accordance with the regulations, or conditions occur that 

may render products unwholesome or adulterated. In these situations, FSIS personnel will 

continue to take regulatory control of product and/or other administrative enforcement action. 

Please be advised that your failure to comply with regulatory requirements, to implement the 

corrective actions in your action plan, and/or to notify this office in writing of any changes to 

your action plan may result in our initiating further administrative enforcement actions. 

If you have any questions, please call the Alameda District Office at (510) 769-5712. 

Sincerely, 

/s/ Virginia Felix, DVM 

Deputy District Manager

 (for) 

William Griffin 

District Manager 

, Humane Handling Enforcement Coordinator 

S. Baucher, OIEA Regional Director 

G. Abreu, DDM 

V. Felix, DDM 

F. Gillis, DDM 

cc: S. Johnson, EARO 

(b) (6)

An Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer Page 2 of 3 
Dr. Amilton De Mello, Director Letter of Defen al 

University ofNevada, Reno Meat Plant, Est. 6004 May 26, 2023 

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FO/Qua1terly Repo1ts 

An Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer Page 3 of 3