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United States Department of Agriculture 

Middletown, VA 22645-3957 

@aol.com 

540-636-6050 

(b) (6)

August 22, 2023 

Blue Ridge Meats of Front Royal 

M6526 ELECTRONIC MAIL on AUGUST 22, 2023 

2391 Guard Hill Road 

Attention: Douglas Aylestock, OWNER 

NOTICE OF SUSPENSION HELD IN ABEYANCE 

On August 15, 2023, 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 Blue Ridge Meats of Front Royal, Est. M6526. 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 August 16, 17, & 21, 2023, 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. 
Douglas Aylestock, Owner Notice of Suspension Held in Abeyance 

Blue Ridge Meats ofFront Royal August 22, 2023 

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

slaughter. 

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 Todd Furey via telephone at 919-326-5281 or via 

electrnnic mail at todd.furey2@usda.gov. Additionally, you can contact Raleigh Disti·ict Office 

at 919-844-8400 or by fax at 844-839-6359. 

Sincerely, 

Digitally signed by ARIAL ARIAL THOMPSON 

Date: 2023.08.22 08:34:30 THOMPSON -04'00' 

Todd Furey 

Disti·ict Manager 

cc: S. Johnson, EARO/FO 

L Ho1ie1i RD/CID/OIEA 

, HHECIFO 

y, 0 

-R. Mmphy, DDM/RDO/FO 

M. Roling, DDM/RDO/FO 

A. Thompson, DDM/RDO/FO 

DCS/RDO/FO 

, DVMS/RDO/FO 

, SEIAO/RDO/FO 

FLS/RDO/FO 

, CSI/RDO/FO 

Quaiierly Enforcement Repo1i 

Establishment File (Est. M6256) 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Establishment Name: Blue Ridge Meats of Front Royal 

Establishment Number: M6526 

Two-Week Period Ending: 

Reason for Verification: On 08/15/2023, Establishment M6526 was issued a NOS for failure to 

meet 9 CFR 313 of the regulations. On 08/22/2023, 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 employee to 

perform stunning has 

completed training. (Once) 

2. Verify that employee 

performs stunning under 

the supervision of Mr. 

Aylestock. (Daily, for each 

slaughter day) 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Verify that Mr. Aylestock 

monitors the employee and 

the stunning of animals on 

the following frequency: 

a. 100% of the animals for 

the first 30 days 

b. 50% of the animals for 

the next 60 days 

(Daily, for each slaughter 

day) 

4. Verify that monitoring is 

recorded on the Shot 

Dispatch Record: SOP. 

(Daily, for each slaughter 

day) 

5. Verify the effective 

stunning of livestock. 

(Daily, for each slaughter 

day) 

6. Verify that meetings and 

additional training are held 

weekly. (Weekly) 

Comments and Recommendations 

Two-Week Period Ending: 

IIC Comments/Recommendation: 

SPHV Comments/Recommendation (if not the IIC): 

FLS Comments/Recommendation: