Sinton and Sons of Paso Robles subject to compliance agreement with federal inspectors after improperly slaughtering hog
PASO ROBLES, Calif – Sinton and Sons Local Meats and Provisions is taking corrective actions after federal inspectors witnessed the improper slaughter of a pig in early February.
Personnel with the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture notified the local business verbally and through a letter on Feb. 7, 2025, detailing that inspectors had decided to withhold federal marks of inspection and suspend the assignment of inspectors after a pig was inhumanely slaughtered, a violation of the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 603) detailed a Notice of Suspension letter from the Department of Agriculture.
In response, Sinton and Sons identified corrective and preventative actions to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements for the slaughter of livestock for sale and as a result, the Food Safety and Inspection Service placed the suspension of the Paso Robles-based business in abeyance, or a temporary suspension, detailed a Notice of Suspension Held in Abeyance letter issued on Feb. 13 from the Department of Agriculture.
During the abeyance period, federal inspectors will verify that proposed corrective actions have been implemented and are being used and that negotiated deadlines are met explained the Food Safety and Inspection Service.
Failure to comply with the conditions of the abeyance action could result in further enforcement actios including withholding inspection marks and labels as well as continued suspension of inspection services detailed the Notice of Suspension Held in Abeyance letter.
The Federal Meat Inspection Act empowers inspectors with the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to prescribe rules and regulations for meat preparation and prevent the sale of adulterated products with the "inspected and passed" label used on meat products.
On Feb. 7, 2025, around 11:38 a.m., federal inspectors and a veterinarian were standing in a designated safety zone when an employee of Sinton and Sons yelled "fire" to indicate that they had used a .30 caliber rifle to incapacitate a market hog stated the Notice of Suspension letter from the FSIS.
After hearing the shot, regulators got closer to the slaughter area and watched as an employee attempted to cut the hog's throat as it squealed and kick its legs detailed the Notice of Suspension letter.
As the employee struggled to cut the animal's neck a second time, two other employees began to try and physically restrain the hog with both hands while the hog attempted to right itself shared the Notice of Suspension letter.
According to the FSIS, a third cut finally caused the hog to lose consciousness and federal regulators at the scene determined it was dead after a two-and-a-half-minute struggle.
Employees were informed of the violation of federal law and rejected tags were placed on the market hog holding pen and on the entrance to the knock box, or small cage used to contain a single hog destined for slaughter explained the Notice of Suspension letter.
Inspectors analyzed the deceased hog's skull after skinning and found one entrance hole into the skull about 1.25 inches below the hog's medial canthus - the inner corner of its eye -and an exit hole through the hog's last left upper molar, an indication of improper placement on the initial stun attempt shared the Notice of Suspension letter.
FSIS personnel had previously issued a noncompliance record for the company's failure to meet humane handling requirements by inadequately using a captive bolt stun on a hog noted the Notice of Suspension letter.
Because Sinton and Sons did not already have a written robust humane handling program and had prior warnings, FSIS personnel decided against exercising their discretion over the incident stated the Notice of Suspension letter.
Your News Channel reached out to Sinton and Sons about the compliance agreement and have received no response.
