USDA

... 

Food Safety and 

Inspection Service 

Office of Field 

Operations 

Denver District Office 

1 Denver Federal 

Center, Bldg. 45 

P.O. Box 25387 

Denver, CO 80225 

Voice (303)236-9800 

Fax (303)236-9794 

United States Department of Agriculture 

December 7, 2023 

SENT VIA 

ELECTRONIC MAIL 

Todd Elsbeny, Owner 

Lacy Sanders, Plant Manager 

Alaska Meat Packers Inc., 

Establishment 20891 M/PN 

385 E. Outer Springer Loop 

Palmer AK 99645 

ail.com 

lacy@alaskameatpackers.com 

Attention: Mr. Elsbeny, Owner 

NOTICE OF REINSTATMENT OF SUSPENSION HELD IN ABEYANCE 

(NORSHA) 

On December 4, 2023, the Food Safety and Inspection Se1vice (FSIS) issued your 

establishment, Alaska Meat Packers Inc., M20891, a Notice of Reinstatement of 

Suspension (ROS). The decision to issue the ROS was made in accordance with 21 

U.S.C. 603(b) and Title 9 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Pait 500.3(b), based 

on your establishment's failure to comply with 9 CFR 313.15 regulations. A 

Noncompliance Record (NR), written by the FSIS Consumer Safety Inspector (CSI), 

documented an inhumane event whereby an establishment employee needed five (5) 

stunning attempts to render a Highland cross cow unconscious. This event occmrnd 

while your establishment was operating under the abeyance period for a Notice of 

Suspension (NOS) issued on October 30, 2023, whereby your employee needed 

multiple stunning attempts with both a captive bolt device and a fireaim to render a 

cow unconsc10us. 

On December 6, 2023, the Denver District Office (DDO) received your response to 

the ROS and conective actions, via electronic mail. Based upon your proposed 

conective actions FSIS will hold the reinstatement of suspension of inspectors at 

your establishment in abeyance, as per the electronic mail notification provided by 

the DDO on December 6, 2023. 

The suspension will remain in abeyance pending verification by FSIS inspection 

personnel. Dm-ing this abeyance period, FSIS will continue to verify, assess, and 

evaluate the effectiveness of your proffered corrective actions to ensure that these are 

adequately implemented, and confnm that livestock are properly handled and 

slaughtered humanely. 
FSIS will design a verification plan to confinn that your establishment is implementing the 

conective actions you provided in your response to the ROS. The verification plan identifies 

your conective action plan, the relevant regulations and the frequency FSIS inspection personnel 

will verify the implementation and effectiveness of your proffered actions. 

FSIS will provide you a copy of the verification plan on a later date. Please be advised that only 

FSIS can amend the verification plan. Ifyour establishment wishes to modify your proposed 

conective actions during the abeyance period, please submit these changes, in writing, to FSIS 

for approval prior to making any changes in your actions. 

FSIS reminds you that as an operator of a federally inspected facility, you are expected to 

comply with the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA), the Humane Methods ofSlaughter Act 

(HMSA) and the regulations in 9 CFR 313 to ensure livestock at your establishment are handled 

and slaughtered humanely. The regulations require establishments to take appropriate action(s) 

when either the establishment or FSIS detennines that the establishment's system controls for 

humane handling requirements are ineffective. FSIS has the responsibility to initiate action if 

your establishment fails to operate in accordance with FSIS regulations. 

Please be aware that your failure to comply with the regulato1y requirements or effectively 

implement the commitments you proffered in your responses may lead to further administrative 

enforcement actions. 

Ifyou have any questions regarding this matter, you may contact the Denver District Office at 

(303) 236-9800. 

Sincerely, 

Digitally signed by ROBERT ROBERT REEDER 

Date: 2023. 12.07 08:43: 16 REEDER -07'00' 

Dr. Robert Reeder 

District Manager 

USDA FSIS OFO 

Denver District Office 

Robert.Reeder@usda.gov 

cc: FO/QER 

Est. File 

D. James, DDM 

J. VanHook, DDM 

J. Monteverde, DDM 

FLS 

aFLS 

SPHV 

CSI 

VMS 

SEIAO 

S. Smith, RD/OIEA 

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