United States Department of Agriculture 

June 8, 2023 

Appalachian Abattoir 

M7457A ELECTRONIC MAIL on June 8, 2023 

4808 Kanawha Boulevard East 

Charleston, West Virginia 25306 

sierra@beef.buzz 

304-951-2636 

Attention: Sierra Jones, Establishment Administrator 

NOTICE OF REINSTATEMENT OF SUSPENSION HELD IN ABEYANCE 

On June 2, 2023, your establishment received official notification from the Food Safety and 

Inspection Service (FSIS) of the reinstatement of suspension of the assignment of inspection 

personnel for slaughter operations at Appalachian Abattoir, Est. M7457A. The decision to 

reinstate the suspension of inspection at your establishment was based on the determination by 

FSIS that your establishment failed to slaughter and handle animals humanely. 

On June 5, 6, and 7, 2023, you provided FSIS with proposed responses to the reinstated suspension 

action. Your responses outlined additional 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 reinstated 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 reinstated 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. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Establishment Name: Appalachian Abattoir 

Establishment Number: M7457A 

Two-Week Period Ending: 

Reason for Verification: On 05/09/2023, Establishment M7457A was issued a NOS for failure 

to meet 9 CFR 313 of the regulations (Incident occurred on 05/05/2023). On 05/11/2023, 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 no OJT occurs 

during the first 4 weeks of 

verification. (Daily on days 

of slaughter for 4 weeks) 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Verify that any OJT that 

occurs after the initial 4-

week period follows the 

new OJT training 

procedures. (Daily, on days 

of slaughter, as needed) 

3. Verify that OJT training is 

conducted in the presence 

of one of the named 

members of upper 

management. (Daily, on 

days of slaughter, as 

needed) 

4. Verify that one of the 

named individuals is 

present to observe 100% of 

slaughter for the next 4 

weeks. (Daily, on days of 

slaughter) 

5. Verify that the Daily 

Humane Handling 

Monitoring Record is 

completed daily for a 

period of 4 weeks. (Daily, 

on days of slaughter) 

6. Verify that the Direct 

Observation of Stunning 

Methods form is filled out 

for 100% of the stunning for 

a period of 4 weeks. (Daily, 

on days of slaughter) 

7. Verify that, after the initial 

4-week observation period, 

observation of stunning is 

performed once per hour 

and documented on the 

appropriate form. (Daily, 

on days of slaughter) 
 

 

 

8. Verify that, after the second 

4-week period, an 

assessment is performed to 

determine whether 

additional monitoring 

needs to occur. (Once, at 

the end of 8 weeks) 

9. Verify that the 6-gram 

stunning loads are used in 

the hand-held captive bolt 

(HHCB) for all hogs that are 

being stunned. (Daily, for 

each slaughter day) 

Comments and Recommendations 

Two-Week Period Ending: 

IIC Comments/Recommendation: 

SPHV and/or SCSI Comments/Recommendation: 

FLS Comments/Recommendation: