USDA 

United States 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 

May 10, 2023 

HyLife Foods Windom LLC 

EST. #45856 ELECTRONIC MAIL on May 10, 2023 

2850 Hwy. 60 East 

Windom, MN 56101 

Attention: Mr. Glen Taylor, Owner 

NOTICE OF REINSTATEMENT OF SUSPENSION 

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

(FSIS) of our decision to withhold the federal marks of inspection and suspend the 

assignment of Inspection Program Personnel (IPP) for slaughter operations at HyLife 

Foods Windom, LLC, EST.#45856, located at 2850 Hwy. 60 East, Windom, 

MN.,56101. This letter

(b) (6)

 follows verbal notification of the

(b) (6)

 reinstatement of suspension 

action, provided by to at approximately 

2:30pm on May 10, 2023. 

This action is taken in accordance with the Rules of Practice regulation 9 Part Code 

of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 500.3(b) due to an egregious inhumane handling 

incident that occurred at your establishment on May 10, 2023. The evidence 

demonstrates failure to comply with the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) (21 

U.S.C. 603), the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act (HMSA) (7 U.S.C. 1901 et seq.), 

and the regulatory requirements (9 CFR Part 313). 

Background/Authority 

The FMIA (21 USC 601 et seq.) provides it is essential to the public interest that the 

health and welfare of consumers be protected, by assuring meat products distributed 

to them are wholesome, not adulterated, and properly marked, and labeled. The Act 

gives FSIS the authority, as designated by the Secretary of Agriculture, to prescribe 

rules and regulations describing sanitation requirements for inspected establishments 

and provide FSIS program personnel the authority to refuse to allow meat/meat food 

products to be marked, labeled, stamped, or tagged as inspected and passed, to 

prevent the entry of adulterated products into commerce. Furthermore, the FMIA 

provides FSIS the authority to appoint inspectors to examine and inspect the method 

by which livestock are slaughtered and handled at slaughtering establishments. 

The HMSA provides that Congress finds that the use of humane methods in the 

slaughter of livestock prevents needless suffering; results in safer and better working 

conditions for persons engaged in the slaughtering industry; brings about 

improvement of products and economies in slaughtering operations; and produces 

An Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mr. Glen Taylor, Owner Notice of Reinstatement of Suspension 

HyLife Foods Windom, LLC, Est. 45856 May 10, 2023 

other benefits for producers, processors, and consumers which tend to expedite an orderly flow 

of livestock and livestock products in interstate and foreign commerce. It is therefore declared to 

be the policy of the United States that the slaughtering of livestock and the handling of livestock 

in connection with slaughter shall be carried out only by humane methods. 

Under the authority of the Acts, FSIS has prescribed rules and regulations required for 

establishments slaughtering and handling livestock, as required by 9 CFR Part 313. FSIS has also 

developed the Rules of Practice regarding administrative enforcement, 9 CFR Part 500. The 

Rules of Practice describe the types of enforcement actions that FSIS may take and include 

procedures for taking a withholding action and/or suspension, with or without prior notification, 

and for filing a complaint to withdraw a grant of inspection. Specifically, 9 CFR 500.3(b) states 

that FSIS may impose a suspension without providing prior notification due to handling or 

slaughtering of animals inhumanely. 

Findings/Basis for Action 

At approximately 12:56pm while performing HATS Category IX, Check for Conscious Animals 

on the Rail, IPP observed the following noncompliance. While standing across from the hog 

sticker, IPP observed a market hog shackled and hanging on the rail between the shackling and 

the sticking areas. The hog quietly vocalized three times as it approached the sticking area. Once 

it reached the sticking area, the conscious hog loudly vocalized and began kicking all four limbs 

with coordinated movements. The hog sticker motioned to another employee and an employee 

arrived with a loaded handheld captive bolt (HHCB) gun. The employee grabbed the hog by the 

ear to turn it and the hog loudly squealed as it was turned. The employee applied an effective 

establishment failed to meet the requirements of 9 CFR 313.5(a)(3). 

Summary and Conclusion 

Provisions of the FMIA outline FSIS’ ability to refuse to render inspection and indefinitely 

withdraw inspection from an establishment, provided the establishment is afforded the right to an 

administrative hearing, when conditions exist where the slaughter and/or handling of livestock 

was not by a method in accordance with the Act(s). Evidence demonstrates your failure to meet 

regulatory requirements addressed in 9 CFR 313.5(a)(3), constituting a violation of the humane 

slaughter requirements, and supporting the conclusion that your handling of livestock violated 

the provisions of the FMIA and HMSA. 

Please provide a written response, inclusive of written corrective action and preventative 

measures, by addressing the following: 

• Evaluate and identify the nature, cause of the incident. 

• Describe the specific actions taken to eliminate the cause of the incident and prevent 

future recurrences. 

• Describe specific monitoring activities planned to ensure future compliance. 

stun with the HHCB gun. The hog began to reflexively kick and vocalizations ceased. IPP 

applied U.S. Reject Tag B46568477 to the CO2 stunner. IPP notified , Senior 

Manager of the Kill Floor and Yards of the noncompliance and regulatory control action. The 

(b) (6)

Page 2 of 5 
Mr. Glen Taylor, Owner Notice ofReinstatement ofSuspension 

Hy Life Foods Windom, LLC, Est. 45856 May 10, 2023 

• Provide any suppo1ting documentation and records maintained and/or associated with 

the proposed conective actions and preventative measures. 

A detennination of fmther administrative action will be made upon receipt and review of your 

submitted conective actions and preventative measures. You are reminded that, as an operator of 

a federally inspected establishment, you are expected to comply with FSIS regulations and take 

appropriate actions to prevent the inhumane handling and slaughter of livestock at your 

establishment. Please be advised that your failure to respond adequately to these issues may 

result in our initiating action to withdraw inspection from your establishment. 

Appeal and Hearing Rights 

You have the right to appeal this matter and can do so by contacting: 

Sheni N. Johnson, 

Executive Associate for Regulato1y Operations 

Office of Field Operations 

Food Safety and Inspection Service 

United States Depaitment ofAgriculture 

SB, Room 1330A 

1400 Independence Avenue, SW 

Washington, DC 20250 

Email: shenijohnson@usda.gov 

Phone:202-379-6196 

Pursuant to 9 CFR 500.5(d), you may also request a heaiing regarding this detennination. Should 

you request a hearing, FSIS will file a complaint that will include a request for an expedited 

hearing. Ifyou wish to request a heai·ing regai·ding this detennination, please contact: 

Scott C. Safian, Director 

Enforcement Operations Staff (EOS) 

Office ofInvestigation, Enforcement and Audit (OIEA) 

Food Safety and Inspection Service 

United States Depaitment ofAgriculture 

Stop Code 3753, SB - Room 2148 

1400 Independence Avenue, SW 

Washington, DC 20250 

Telephone: (202) 418-8872 

Facsimile: (202) 245-5097 

E-mail: AEBConespondence@usda.gov 

If ou have any questions, please contact the Des Moines District Office at 515-727 ~ 

, DVMS, at 

, District Veterina1y Medical Specialist (DVMS), at or -

Page 3 of 5 
Mr. Glen Taylor, Owner Notice of Reinstatement of Suspension 

Hy Life Foods Windom, LLC, Est. 45856 May 10, 2023 

Sincerely, 

Digitally signed by Todd 

C. Gerwig 

Date: 2023.05.10 15:54:32 

-os·oo· 

Dawn Sprouls 

Disti·ict Manager 

Page 4 of 5 
Mr. Glen Taylor, Owner Notice ofReinstatement ofSuspension 

Hy Life Foods Windom, LLC, Est. 45856 May 10, 2023 

cc: Sheni Johnson, EARO 

Dawn S rouls DM 

, Humane Handling Enforcement Coordinator 

Shaun Smith, OIEA Regional Director 

Mark Johnson, DDM 

Todd Ge1wig, DDM 

Jeff Jacobsen DDM 

SEIAO 

,SEIAO 

, DCS 

DVMS 

, DVMS 

FLS 

, IIC at EST. 45856 

FO/Qua1terly Repo1ts 

Page 5 of 5