USDA 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

- United States Department of Agriculture 

February 5, 2024 

North Bay Butchers, LLC ELECTRONIC MAIL on February 5, 2024 

Establishment M47592 

6900 Chileno Valley Road 

Petaluma, California 94952 

Email: james@northbaybutchers.com 

Telephone: 415-328-3429 

Attention: Mr. James Stoll, Owner 

LETTER OF DEFERRAL 

On January 29, 2024, 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 North Bay Butchers, LLC, 

Establishment 47592M, located at 4472 Manor Lane, Petaluma, California 94954. 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). 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 January 29, 2024, through February 2, 2024, 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 January 29, 2024. 

Based on your written and verbal commitments provided from January 29, 2024, through February 

2, 2024, 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 you on February 5, 2024, 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. 

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 

An Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer Page 1 of 2 
Mr. James Stoll, Owner Letter of Defenal 

North Bay Butchers, LLC Est 47592M Febmaiy 5, 2024 

relevant regulato1y requirements, and the Public Health Infonnation System (PHIS) tasks and 

frequencies under which FSIS officials will verify each con ective 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 Defenal period, you should submit these changes, in 

writing, to FSIS for verification of compliance prior to your establishment implementing these 

changes. 

You ai·e reminded that as an operator of a federally inspected establishment, you ai·e expected to 

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

that livestock at your establishment ai·e handled and slaughtered humanely. The regulations require 

establishments to take appropriate action(s) when either the establishment or FSIS dete1mines that 

the establishment's system controls for humane handling requirements are ineffective. 

It is also impo1iant for you to understand that FSIS has the responsibility to initiate actions, ifyour 

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 regulato1y control of product and/or other administrative enforcement action. 

Please be advised that your failure to comply with regulato1y requirements, to implement the 

conective actions in your action plan, and/or to notify this office in writing ofany changes to your 

action plan may result in our initiating finiher administrative enforcement actions. 

If you have any questions, please call the Alameda District Office at (5 10) 769-5712. 

Sincerely, 

Isl Virginia Felix, D VM 

Deputy District Manager 

for 

Gabrial Eddings, DVM, DACVPM 

District Manager 

cc: S. Johnson. EARO 

umane Handling Enforcement Coordinator 

S. Smith, OIEA Regional Director 

G. Abreu, DDM 

V. Felix, DDM 

F. Gillis, DDM 

SEIAO 

' cs 

, DVMS 

, FLS 

EIAO 

IIC at Est. M47592 

FO/Quarterly Repo1ts 

An Equal OWortunity Provider and Employer Page 2 of 2