USDA 

iillllllllll 

United States Department of Agriculture 

Food Safety 

Inspection Service 

Office of Field 

Operations 

Des Moines District 

Office 

Neal Smith Federal 

Building 

210 Walnut Street 

Room 985 

Des Moines, IA 

50309-2123 

Voice 515.727.8960 

Fax 515.727.8991 

January 20, 2023 

Digitally signed copy emailed 

Thor Eiriksson, Establishment Administrator 

HyLife Foods Windom, LLC 

2850 Highway 60 East 

Windom, MN 55314 

NOTICE OF SUSPENSION HELD IN ABEYANCE 

Dear Thor Eiriksson: 

This letter confirms verbal notification provided by the Des Moines District Office, Food 

Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to establishment M45856, HyLife Foods Windom, LLC, 

located at 2850 Highway 60 East, Windom, MN establishment herein referred to as the/your 

establishment, of the decision to place the Notice of Suspension (NOS) for an egregious 

humane handling event, initiated on January 16, 2023, into abeyance (NOSA). 

On January 16, 2023, via multiple emails, you provided FSIS written corrective actions and 

preventive measures, in response to the regulatory noncompliance detailed in the NOS. The 

final response outlined actions adequate to address the noncompliance regarding humane 

handling of livestock requirements, including a plan to maintain 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) Part 313.15(a)(3)}. 

The following documents were included, detailing actions immediately implemented and 

further proposed at your establishment: 

• Establishment Incident Response (1 Page) 

• Establishment Training Document (8 Pages) 

• Daily Yards Captive Bolt Log (1 Page) 

• Revised Daily Yards Captive Bolt Log (4 Pages) 

• Establishment Captive Bolt Stunner Training (9 Pages) 

• Captive Bolt Stunning Training Log (2nd shift) (1 Page) 

• Captive Bolt Stunning Training Log (1st shift) (1 Page) 

Based on your written response, you were informed via telephone, that the suspension 

of the assignment of IPP, for slaughter operations, at your establishment is held in 

abeyance effective January 16, 2023. 

The suspension will remain in abeyance pending verification by FSIS personnel that 

your proposed corrective actions and preventive measures have been effectively 

implemented and are adequate to maintain compliance. Establishment 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. 

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During the abeyance period verification activities will be conducted by IPP and results 

will be reported to the Des Moines District Office on a weekly basis. The decision to 

hold the suspension action in abeyance is based on the proffered actions. Any 

modifications to your submitted corrective actions and preventive measures made during 

the abeyance period need to be submitted, in writing, to the Des Moines District Office 

for review prior to implementation by your establishment. 

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

comply with FSIS regulations and to take appropriate corrective action to prevent 

inhumane handling of livestock at your establishment. Your failure to comply with these 

requirements or to implement the measures in your action plan could result in 

reinstatement of the suspension of inspection at your establishment or other appropriate 

administrative or legal action. 

(b) (6)

If you have questions regarding this matter, please feel free to contact the Des Moines District 

(b) (6) (b) (6) (b) (6)

Office at 515-727-8960, or District Veterinary Medical Specialist 

(b) (6)

(DVMS), 

at or at 

Sincerely, 

Digitally signed by MARK MARK JOHNSON 

Date: 2023.01.21 JOHNSON 13:08:26 -06'00' (for) 

Dr. Dawn Sprouls 

District Manager 

USDA FSIS OFO DO 

Des Moines, IA 

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