USDA

... 

United St ates Department of Agriculture 

Food Safety and 

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 

Febrnaiy 26, 2024 

Electronically mailed on Febrna1y 26, 2024 

Russ Heinrichs, Establishment Manager 

Faimers Union Industries, LLC, Est. M21898 

P.O. Box 77 

Estherville, Iowa 51334 

rheinrichs@redwoodfannsmp.com 

712-362-2225 

NOTICE OF REINSTATEMENT OF SUSPENSION HELD IN ABEYANCE 

Attention: Russ Heinrichs 

This letter serves as official notification by the Food Safety and Inspection Se1vice 

(FSIS) of our decision to place the Notice of Reinstatement of Suspension (NROS), 

initiated on Febrnaiy 23, 2024, at Fanners Union Industries, LLC., Establishment 

M21898, located at 2421 9th Avenue South, Esthe1v ille, Iowa 51~ e 

(NROSA). This letter follows verbal notification rovided by _ , 

District Veterinaiy Medical Specialist, to , Director ofOperations, on 

Febrnaiy 25, 2024, at approximately 1350 hours. 

From Febrna1y 23-25, 2024, you provided FSIS, via emails, written conective actions 

and preventive measures, in response to the regulato1y noncompliance detailed in the 

NROS. The 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 ofthe 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}. The following documents were included, detailing 

actions immediately implemented and further proposed at your establishment: 

Specifically: 

• NROS Response Letter, dated Febrna1y 23, 2024 (4 pages) 

• NROS Response Packet (22 pages) 

o Employee Meeting Attendance training fo1m , uncompleted 

o Electrical Wand Inspection Rev 1 

o Stun Room Set-up Ver 5 ( existing version) 

o Stun Room Set-up Ver 6 (new version) 

o Management Stun Room Review Ver 2 

o Maintenance Work Order, dated Feb. 23, 2024, to repair stun wands 

Page 1 of2 
Russ Heinrichs, Manager Notice of Reinstatement ofSuspension Held in Abeyance 

Faimers Union Industi·ies, LLC. Est. M21898 Febma1y 26, 2024 

o Employee Meeting Attendance, Outreach Audit completed Jan. 10, 

2024 

• Electrical Wand Inspection & Stun Room Set up Training, completed Feb. 

25, 2024 (2 pages) 

Based on your written response, you were info1med verbally, that the suspension of the 

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

the sta1t of operations on Februa1y 26, 2024. 

The suspension will remain in abeyance pending verification by PSIS personnel that your 

proposed coITective 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 reoccmTing. It is also impo1tant for 

you to understand the responsibility of PSIS to initiate action when there is a failure to operate 

in accordance with 9 CFR Pait 313 of the regulations. 

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

be reported to the Des Moines Disti·ict 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 coITective 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 PSIS regulations and to take appropriate coITective 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 adminisu-ative or legal action. 

If you have questions regai·ding this matter, please feel free to contact the Des Moines Disti·ict 

Office at 515-727-8960 or District Veterina1y Medical Specialist 

-

Sincerely, 

Digitally signed by MARK MARK JOHNSON 

JOHNSON Date: 2024.02.26 

07: 39:32 -06'00' (for) 

Mr. Jeffe1y Jacobsen 

Disti·ict Manager 

USDA PSIS OFO 

Des Moines Disti·ict 

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