Kuiper Dairy, LLC 12/19/12
| Public Health Service Food and Drug Administration |
| Dallas District 4040 North Central Expressway Dallas, Texas 75204-3128 |
Department of Health and Human Services
December 19, 2012
2013-DAL-WL-022
WARNING LETTER
UPS Overnight
Clemens Kuiper, Owner
Kuiper Dairy, LLC.
1865 PR 1233
Hico, Texas 76457
Dear Mr. Kuiper:
On October 30, 2012 and November 1-2, 2012, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducted an investigation of your dairy operation located at 1865 PR 1233, Hico, Texas. This letter notifies you of the violations of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the FD&C Act) that we found during our investigation of your operation. You can find the FD&C Act and its associated regulations on the Internet through links on FDA’s web page at www.fda.gov.
We found that you offered for sale an animal for slaughter as food that was adulterated. Under section 402(a)(2)(C)(ii) of the FD&C Act, 21 U.S.C. § 342(a)(2)(C)(ii), a food is deemed to be adulterated if it bears or contains a new animal drug that is unsafe under section 512 of the FD&C Act, 21 U.S.C. § 360b. Further, under section 402(a)(4) of the FD&C Act, 21 U.S.C. § 342(a)(4), a food is deemed to be adulterated if it has been held under insanitary conditions whereby it may have been rendered injurious to health.
Specifically, our investigation revealed that on or about July 23, 2012, you sold a dairy cow, identified with ear tag(b)(4) for slaughter as food. On or about July 23, 2012, (b)(4) slaughtered this animal. United States Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA/FSIS) analysis of tissue samples collected from this animal identified the presence of 1.16 parts per million (ppm) of penicillin in the kidney. FDA has established a tolerance of 0.05 ppm for residues of penicillin in the edible tissues of cattle as codified in Title 21, Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.), 556.510 (21 C.F.R. 556.510). The presence of this drug in edible tissue from this animal in this amount causes the food to be adulterated within the meaning of section 402(a)(2)(C)(ii) of the FD&C Act, 21 U.S.C. § 342(a)(2)(C)(ii).
Our investigation also found that you hold animals under conditions that are so inadequate that medicated animals bearing potentially harmful drug residues are likely to enter the food supply. For example, you failed to maintain complete treatment records. Food from animals held under such conditions is adulterated within the meaning of section 402(a)(4) of the FD&C Act, 21 U.S.C. § 342(a)(4).
We also found that you adulterated the new animal drug (b)(4) (penicillin G procaine) NADA (b)(4). Specifically, our investigation revealed that you did not use (b)(4) as directed by its approved labeling. Use of this drug in this manner is an extralabel use. 21 C.F.R. 530.3(a).
The extralabel use of approved animal or human drugs in animals is allowed under the FD&C Act only if the extralabel use complies with sections 512(a)(4) and (5) of the FD&C Act, 21 U.S.C. § 360b(a)(4) and (5), and 21 C.F.R. Part 530, including that the use must be by or on the lawful order of a licensed veterinarian within the context of a valid veterinarian/client/patient relationship.
Our investigation found that you administered (b)(4) to a dairy cow with ear tag (b)(4) without following the withdrawal period or intended use as stated in the approved labeling. Your extralabel use of (b)(4) was not under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian, in violation of 21 C.F.R. 530.11(a) and your extralabel use of (b)(4)resulted in an illegal drug residue, in violation of 21 C.F.R. 530.11(d). Because your use of this drug was not in conformance with its approved labeling and did not comply with 21 C.F.R. Part 530, you caused the drug to be unsafe under section 512(a) of the FD&C Act, 21 U.S.C. § 360b(a), and adulterated within the meaning of section 501(a)(5) of the FD&C Act, 21 U.S.C. § 351(a)(5).
The above is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of violations. As a producer of animals offered for use as food, you are responsible for ensuring that your overall operation and the food you distribute is in compliance with the law.
You should take prompt action to correct the violations described in this letter and to establish procedures to ensure that these violations do not recur. Failure to do so may result in regulatory action without further notice such as seizure and/or injunction.
FDA acknowledges the written response we received following our investigation. A letter postmarked November 7, 2012, was received addressing the observations made during the investigation we conducted at your location in Hico, Texas. Although your letter indicates that your firm has taken steps to address our observations, your response did not contain enough detail for us to evaluate. The corrections your firm has implemented at both sites will be evaluated and verified during our next inspection.
You should notify this office in writing of the steps you have taken to bring your firm into compliance with the law within fifteen (15) working days of receiving this letter. Your response should include each step that has been taken or will be taken to correct the violations and prevent their recurrence. If corrective action cannot be completed within fifteen (15) working days of receiving this letter, state the reason for the delay and the time frame within which the corrections will be completed. Please include copies of any available documentation demonstrating that corrections have been made.
Your written response should be sent to Jeff R. Wooley, Compliance Officer, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 4040 N. Central Expressway, Suite 300, Dallas, Texas 75204. If you have any questions about this letter, please contact Compliance Officer Jeff R. Wooley at 214-253-5251.
Sincerely,
/S/
Reynaldo R. Rodriguez, Jr.
District Director
Dallas District
Enclosure(s)
cc:
FSIS District Office 40
Attn: Dr. Jennifer Beasley-McKean, DM
1100 Commerce Street, Room 516
Dallas, TX 75242-0598
Texas Department of State Health Services
1100 W. 49th Street
Austin, TX 78756