iliiii1 United States Department of Agriculture 

February 8, 2024 

Bowman’s Butcher Shop LLC 

M44985 ELECTRONIC MAIL on February 8, 2024 

3452 Churchville Road 

Aberdeen, MD 21001 

bowmansbutchershop@gmail.com 

410-914-5607 

Attention: Alice Schott, Owner 

NOTICE OF SUSPENSION HELD IN ABEYANCE 

On February 2, 2024, your establishment received official notification from the Food Safety and 

Inspection Service (FSIS) of the suspension of the assignment of inspection personnel for slaughter 

operations at Bowman’s Butcher Shop, Est. M44985. The decision to suspend inspection at your 

establishment was based on the determination by FSIS that your establishment failed to slaughter 

and handle animals humanely. 

On February 5 & 6, 2024, you provided FSIS with proposed responses to the suspension action. 

Your responses outlined 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 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 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. 

FSIS will begin verification of your proposed actions before startup of your next scheduled 

slaughter. 
A. Gu ton, DDM/RDO/FO 

DCS/RDO/FO 

DVMS/RDO/FO 

, CSI/RDO/FO 

Alice Schott, Owner Notice of Suspension Held in Abeyance 

Bowman's Butcher Shop, LLC, M44985 Febrnaiy 8, 2024 

Please be advised that, as a federally inspected establishment, you ai·e expected to comply with 

FSIS regulations and to take appropriate conective 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 administrntive or legal action. 

If you have any questions, please conta.ct me via telephone at 919-326-5281 or via electronic 

mail at todd.furey2@usda.gov Additionally, you can conta.ct the Raleigh Disti·ict Office at 919-

844-8400 or by fax at 844-839-6359. 

Sincerely, 

Digitally signed by ROGER 

ROGER MURPHY MURPHY

Date: 2024.02.08 12:05:22 -05'00' 

Todd Furey 

Disti·ict Manager 

cc: S. Johnson, EARO/FO 

L. Ho1ie11 RD/CID/OIEA 

, HHECIFO 

T. Furey, DMIRDO/FO 

R. Mmphy, DDMIRDO/FO 

, SEIAO/RDO/FO 

/RDOIFO 

, SPHV/RDO/FO 

Quaiier y Enforcement Repo1i 

Establishment File (Est. M44985) 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Establishment Name: Bowman’s Butcher Shop 

Establishment Number: M44985 

Two-Week Period Ending: 

Reason for Verification: On 02/02/2024, Establishment M44985 was issued a NOS for failure 

to meet 9 CFR 313 of the regulations. On 02/08/2024, 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)

, District 

Veterinary Medical Specialist, and to 

(b) (6)

, District Case Specialist. 

Items to Verify Results of 

Verification 

Inspection Actions 

1. Verify that all slaughter 

floor employees have been 

re-trained in stunning 

restraint, proper stunning 

locations, stunning devices 

and ammunition, and 

corrective actions. (Once) 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Verify that all ammunition 

that was being used at the 

time of the incident has 

been replaced by new 

ammunition. (Once) 

3. Verify that the 

establishment has 

purchased a waterproof 

ammunition box. (Once) 

4. Verify that the ammunition 

box is being used to store 

the ammunition. (Daily, for 

each slaughter day) 

5. Verify that stunning is 

verified on each animal that 

is slaughtered and that the 

results of the verification 

are documented on the 

stunning effectiveness log. 

(Daily, for each slaughter 

day) 

6. Verify that the 

establishment owner 

verifies stunning 

effectiveness on two (2) 

animals per day and 

documents her findings on 

the stunning effectiveness 

log. (Daily, for each 

slaughter day) 

7. Verify that all heads are 

checked for proper stun 

placement before being 

discarded or used for 

practice. (Daily, for each 

slaughter day) 

8. Verify that employees 

practice proper stunning 

techniques on two (2) 

slaughter days per month 

using discarded heads. 

(Monthly) 
 

 

 

 

9. Verify that participation in 

monthly practice sessions is 

documented for each 

employee present. 

(Monthly) 

10. Verify that employees 

participate in monthly 

training sessions and that 

participation in these 

sessions is documented. 

(Monthly) 

Comments and Recommendations 

Two-Week Period Ending: 

IIC Comments/Recommendation: 

SPHV Comments/Recommendation (if not the IIC): 

FLS Comments/Recommendation: