iliiiii 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 25, 2023 

D&S Quality Beef, LLC ELECTRONIC MAIL on May 25, 2023 

Est. M1329 FEDEX TRACKING 772258137400 

2597 County Road 58 

Albertville, Alabama 35951 

customerservice@dsqualitybeef.com 

256-659-4417 

Attention: Ms. Vickie Satterfield, Owner 

NOTICE 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) at D&S Quality 

Beef, LLC, Est. M1329, located at 2597 County Road 58, Albertville, Alabama. 

This letter follows verbal notification of the suspension action, provided by Dr. 

Kermit Harvey, Deputy District Manager, to Vickie Satterfield, Owner, at 

approximately 2:53 PM on May 25, 2023. This action includes your Slaughter 

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) processes employed at your 

establishment. 

The decision to institute this enforcement action is 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. 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. 

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Vickie Satterfield, Owner Notice of Suspension 

D&S Quality Beef, LLC, Est. M1329 May 25, 2023 

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 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 

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 non-compliance, and the knock-box was 

tagged with USDA Reject Tag #B30963997. 

On September 9, 2004, FSIS published "Humane Handling and Slaughter Requirements and the 

Merits of a Systematic Approach to Meet Such Requirements" in the Federal Register (69 FR 

54625). On September 24, 2020, FSIS released FSIS Directive 6900.2 Revision 3, entitled, 

"Humane Handling and Slaughter of Livestock." Additionally, on October 23, 2013, FSIS 

introduced new guidance, titled "FSIS Compliance Guide for a Systematic Approach to the 

Humane Handling of Livestock." Within the guidance material is information intended to better 

ensure the humane treatment of livestock presented for slaughter. The guidance material 

provides a set of practices designed to minimize excitement, discomfort, and accidental injury 

regarding the humane handling of livestock to include the four components of a robust 

systematic approach to humane handling. 

When an establishment maintains a robust humane handling program, FSIS can exercise 

regulatory discretion when an inhumane handling or slaughter incident is observed. You do not 

currently maintain a written humane handing program for consideration. 

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Vickie Satterfield, Owner Notice of Suspension 

D&S Quality Beef, LLC, Est. M1329 May 25, 2023 

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 313.16(a)(1) and 9 CFR 313.16(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. 

• Provide any supporting documentation and records maintained and/or associated with the 

proposed corrective actions and preventative measures. 

A determination of further administrative action will be made upon receipt and review of your 

submitted corrective 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 to 

take appropriate corrective actions to prevent the production of or adulterated products 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: 

Paul Wolseley 

Acting Assistant Administrator 

Office of Field Operations 

Food Safety and Inspection Service 

United States Department of Agriculture 

1400 Independence Avenue, SW 

Room 344E Whitten Building 

Washington, DC 20250 

Email: paul.wolseley@usda.gov 

Phone: (202) 937-4761 

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

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

If you wish to request a hearing regarding this determination, please contact: 

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Vickie Satterfield, Owner Notice of Suspension 

D&S Quality Beef, LLC, Est. M1329 May 25, 2023 

Scott C. Safian, Director 

Enforcement Operations Staff (EOS) 

Office of Investigation, Enforcement and Audit (OIEA) 

Food Safety and Inspection Service 

United States Department of Agriculture 

Stop Code 3753, SB - Room 2148 

1400 Independence Avenue, SW 

Washington, DC 20250 

Telephone: (202) 418-8872 

Facsimile: (202) 245-5097 

E-mail: AEBCorrespondence@usda.gov 

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: 2023.05.25 15:28:38 HARVEY -05'00' 

Dr. Larry Davis 

District Manager 

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Vickie Satterfield, Owner Notice ofSuspension 

D&S Quality Beef, LLC, Est. Ml329 May 25, 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 

Area VMO 

Area Supe1visor 

, CSI at Est. M1329 

FO/Quarterly Repoits 

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