An Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer

January 17, 2020

TRANSMITTED VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL

Erin Thompson

Staff Attorney, Farm Animal Program

Animal Welfare Institute

900 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE

Washington, DC 20003

RE: 2019-FSIS-00018-F

Inspection task records

Dear Ms. Thompson:

This is the final response to your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, dated October 

10, 2018, to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service

(FSIS). You requested access to a copy of inspection task records related to humane 

treatment poultry at poultry slaughter establishments, from May 18, 2018 to September 30, 

2018. We received your request in our office on October 11, 2018. 

The FSIS FOIA staff works with subject matter experts across the agency to locate 

responsive documents. For this request, we conducted a records search in the Office of 

Planning, Analysis and Risk Management (OPARM). FSIS’ search began on October 11, 

2018. Our search includes responsive records in FSIS’ control on that date.

We have located 34 pages that are responsive to your request. After a thorough review, we 

have determined that portions of these documents are exempt from disclosure under (b)(4) 

and (b)(6) of the FOIA, 5 U.S.C. § 552, as amended. Accordingly, this request is granted in 

part.

Portions of the responsive records are exempt from disclosure under FOIA Exemption 4 

U.S.C. § 552(b)(4). Exemption 4 protects trade secrets and commercial or financial 

information obtained from a person that is privileged or confidential.

Portions of the responsive records are exempt from disclosure under FOIA Exemption 6, 5 

U.S.C. § 552(b)(6). Exemption 6 protects information that would constitute an unwarranted 

invasion of an individual’s personal privacy. The types of information withheld under 

Exemption 6 include the names, addresses, or cell phone numbers of employees of 

Establishments and third parties, including, but not limited to interviewees or customers.

You may appeal this determination no later than 90 days from the date of this letter. Your 

appeal should include copies of your original request and this response, as well reasons 

supporting your appeal. The envelope should be plainly marked to indicate that it contains a 

FOIA appeal. If you decide to appeal, please send your appeal to: 

Carmen Rottenberg

Administrator

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Food Safety and Inspection Service

Food Safety and 

Inspection Service

1400 Independence 

Avenue, SW.

Washington, D.C.

20250
Erin Thompson

Page 2

Be Food Safe: CLEAN: Wash Hands and Surfaces Often SEPARATE: Separate Raw Meats from Other Foods

COOK: Cook To The Right Temperature CHILL: Refrigerate Food Promptly

1400 Independence Avenue, SW.

Room 1170, South Building

Washington, DC 20250-3700

Please be advised that your FOIA request, including your identity and the information made available, is 

releasable to the public under any subsequent FOIA requests. However, FSIS does not release your 

personal privacy information, such as home addresses, telephone numbers, or Social Security Numbers, 

all of which are protected from disclosure under FOIA Exemption 6.

If you have any questions about the way this request was handled, or about the USDA’s FOIA 

regulations, please contact QC Review - FSIS Queue at or via email at . If you have general questions 

about FSIS’ FOIA procedures or regulations, please contact me at 202-690-2760 or via email at

Arianne.Perkins@usda.gov.

Additionally, you may contact the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) at the National 

Archives and Records Administration to inquire about the FOIA mediation services they offer. The 

contact information for OGIS is as follows: Office of Government Information Services, National 

Archives and Records Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road-OGIS, College Park, Maryland 20740-6001, 

e-mail at ogis@nara.gov; telephone at 202-741-5770; or facsimile at 202-741-5769.

Thank you for your interest in FSIS programs and policies. 

Sincerely,

Arianne M. Perkins

Director, Freedom of Information Act Staff

Office of Public Affairs and Consumer Education

Enclosure