Why didn FSIS suspend the establishment upon learning of the allegations?
A. On Jan. 30, Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer called upon the Office of the Inspector General to work with USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) and Agricultural Marketing Service to investigate the allegations of inhumane handling of cattle at the Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company. The focus of the investigation is to determine the facts as presented by the allegations made in the video. On Feb. 1, the Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company voluntarily ceased operations pending the investigation. FSIS follows regulatory rules of practice prior to taking an enforcement action such as a suspension of inspection. These rules of practice require that FSIS factually confirm the allegations before suspending inspection. The letter notifying the establishment of the suspension also informs the establishment of its due process rights. On Feb. 4, FSIS issued a Notice of Suspension based on Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company’s failure to maintain and implement controls to prev
