USDA 

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United States Department of Agriculture 

Food Safety and Inspection 

Service 

Office of Field Operations 

Jackson District Office 

713 S Pear Orchard Rd. 

Plaza 2, Suite 402 

Ridgeland, MS 39157 

May 30, 2023 

D&S Quality Beef, LLC ELECTRONIC MAIL on May 30, 2023 

Est. M1329 FEDEX TRACKING 772284686970 

2597 County Road 58 

Albertville, Alabama 35951 

customerservice@dsqualitybeef.com 

256-659-4417 

Attention: Ms. Vickie Satterfield, Owner 

NOTICE OF SUSPENSION HELD IN ABEYANCE 

On May 25, 2023, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a 

Notice of Suspension to your establishment to withhold the federal marks of 

inspection and suspend the assignment of Inspection Program Personnel (IPP) at 

D&S Quality Beef, LLC, Est. M1329, located at 2597 County Road 58, 

Albertville, Alabama. This action included your Slaughter Hazard Analysis 

Critical Control Point (HACCP) processes employed at your establishment. The 

decision to institute this enforcement action was in accordance with Title 9 of 

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

determination that your establishment did not handle or slaughter animals 

humanely. Specifically, on Thursday May 25, 2023, at approximately 1:15 PM, 

the Inspector-In-Charge (IIC) observed an establishment employee deliver a 

stun to a black angus bull over thirty months of age with a 410-shotgun slug in 

the knocking box. The animal’s head was stable and secure in the head catch. 

This first stun was determined ineffective as the animal remained standing. 

Your slaughter floor employee then reloaded immediately and shot four more 

times with the same firearm. The animal went down in the chute but was still 

determined to be conscious due to vocalization and tracking eye movements. At 

this point, a 9-millimeter handgun was effective in rendering the animal 

unconscious as evidence by the lack of vocalization and eye movement. 

Establishment Owner, Ms. Vickie Satterfield was notified of the noncompliance, and the knock-box was tagged with USDA Reject Tag 

#B30963997. 

On May 26, 2023, you submitted written responses with corrective actions and 

preventive measures to meet the requirements of the Humane Methods of 

Slaughter Act. The Jackson District Office (JDO) analyzed your response and 

advised you that the proffered corrective actions and preventive measures were 

not adequate. A request for clarification and additional information was sent via 

electronic mail from the JDO to your establishment on May 26 and May 30, 

2023. 

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Vickie Satterfield, Owner Notice of Suspension Held in Abeyance 

D&S Quality Beef, LLC, Est. M1329 May 30, 2023 

On May 30, 2023, you submitted your third response with written corrective actions and 

preventive measures to meet the requirements of the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act. The 

Jackson District Office analyzed your response and determined that the response adequately 

addressed the identified issues. On May 30, 2023, at approximately 9:15 AM, the Deputy District 

Manager verbally notified you that the corrective actions and preventive measures you proffered 

were adequate to meet the regulatory requirements and to place the suspension action into 

abeyance. This letter formally informs you of this action. Specifically, you stated the root cause 

of the stunning failure was due to inappropriate handling of a stun to a black angus bull over 30 

months and using wrong shells in a .410 shotgun; you stated that the 9mm will not be used in the 

future; you stated that the captive bolt gun will be your primary stun device once the new unit is 

received on May 31, 2023 and expected to be in service by June 1, 2023; you stated that until 

receipt of the new bolt gun, the .410 firearm with slug ammunition will be used as the primary 

stun device for bovine; you stated that the new captive bolt will be the primary stun device for all 

animals; you stated that the .410 firearm with slug ammunition will be your backup stun device; 

you stated that the charge for your captive bolt gun will be the 25 caliber/3.5 grain; you stated 

that the charges and shells will be stored in a sealed plastic container within the office area; you 

stated that the slaughter foreman and designated employee will sign for both weapons and 

ammunition daily and verify that the weapons are clean, workable and the correct shells are 

being used and findings recorded on your Weapon/Ammunition Daily Release form; you stated 

that your employees will be trained on daily cleaning and inspection of the bolt, cylinder, and 

washers with findings recorded on your Gun Cleaning and Maintenance log; you stated that the 

captive bolt gun will be stored in the office area to prevent buildup of moisture and corrosion; 

you stated that you performed a training session with your employees involved in harvest 

activity; you stated that each new employee will undergo Harvest Training and your current 

employees will undergo quarterly refresher trainings which will be recorded on your Quarterly 

Harvest Training log, Quarterly Captive Bolt Gun Training log, and Quarterly Training for 

Ammunition Storage and First In/First Out Procedures log; you stated that your Quarterly 

Harvest Training log will be kept in your HACCP manual; you stated that training and 

monitoring of the training will be overseen by plant management and multiple stuns will be 

monitored by management to ensure proficiency; you provided the following documents, 

including signed and dated training logs recorded and maintained by your establishment: 

Quarterly Captive Bolt Gun Training log, Quarterly Training for Ammunition Storage and First 

In/First Out Procedures log, Gun Cleaning and Maintenance log, Quarterly Harvest Training, 

Harvest Precheck Sheet, and Weapon/Ammunition Daily Release. 

A copy of the FSIS Verification Plan (VP) will be provided to assist you in understanding the 

nature and importance of the Agency’s verification activities. The FSIS Verification Plan is 

designed to verify that your establishment fully implements the revisions to its humane handling 

of animals and other corrective actions and preventive measures stated in your May 26 and May 

30, 2023, responses and that these revisions and corrective actions and preventive measures are 

effective in ensuring future regulatory compliance. The FSIS Verification Plan identifies your 

corrective actions, the regulatory requirement(s), and the PHIS Task under which FSIS officials 

will verify the implementation and effectiveness of your proffered action plan. 

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Vickie Satterfield, Owner Notice of Suspension Held in Abeyance 

D&S Quality Beef, LLC, Est. M1329 May 30, 2023 

Please be advised that this suspension of inspection at your establishment will remain in 

Abeyance pending verification by FSIS that your proposed corrective actions and preventive 

measures have been implemented and are effective in ensuring future regulatory compliance. 

Agency personnel will begin immediate verification of your corrective actions and preventive 

measures. 

It is important for you to understand that FSIS has the responsibility to initiate action if your 

establishment fails to operate in accordance with the regulations, or conditions occur that do not 

comply with the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act. In these situations, FSIS personnel will take 

regulatory control of product or other appropriate action. 

Please be further advised that as a federally inspected establishment, you are expected to comply 

with the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act, and all 

applicable regulations and other requirements concerning the preparation, sale, and 

transportation of meat products. Failure to comply with these requirements or to effectively 

implement the measures addressed in your responses, dated May 26 and May 30, 2023, could 

result in the immediate suspension of inspection at your establishment or other appropriate 

action(s). 

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Larry Davis via telephone at (601) 863-4206 or via 

electronic mail at larry.davis4@usda.gov. Additionally, you can contact the Jackson District 

Office at (601) 965-4312 or by fax at (601) 965-5901. 

Sincerely, 

Digitally signed by KERMIT KERMIT HARVEY 

Date: 2023.05.30 HARVEY 10:29:44 -05'00' for: 

Dr. Larry Davis 

District Manager 

Jackson District Office 

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Vickie Satterfield, Owner Notice ofSuspension Held in Abeyance 

D&S Quality Beef, LLC, Est. M1329 May 30, 2023 

Cc: Mr. Paul Wolsele Actin Assistant Administrntor 

, Humane Handling Enforcement Coordinator 

Mr. Scott Ehle, OIEA Regional Director 

Dr. Lany Davis, DM 

Dr. Kennit Harvey, DDM 

Ms. Che1 1Hem DDM 

SEIAO 

, DCS 

DVMS 

, FLS 

AreaVMO 

Assisting Area VMO 

Area Supe1visor 

, CSI at Est. M1329 

PO/Quarterly Repo1i s 

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