| Public Health Service Food and Drug Administration |
Minneapolis District Office Central Region 250 Marquette Avenue, Suite 600 Minneapolis, MN 55401 Telephone: (612) 334-4100 FAX: (612) 334-4142 |
Department of Health and Human Services
November 7, 2011
WARNING LETTER
CERTIFIED MAIL
RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED
Refer to MIN 12 – 01
Douglas F. Bullerman
Owner / President
Son-D-Farms, Inc.
25751 State Highway 91
Adrian, Minnesota 56110-3059
Dear Mr. Bullerman:
On September 14 and 16, 2011, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducted an investigation of your swine operation located at 25751 Highway 91, Adrian, Minnesota. This letter notifies you of violations of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the Act) that we found during our investigation of your operation. You can find the 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 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 Act, 21 U.S.C. § 360b. Further, under section 402(a)(4) of the 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 27, 2011, you sold a sow identified with ear tag #(b)(4) for slaughter as food. On or about July 29, 2011, (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 penicillin at 0.68 parts per million (ppm) in the kidney. FDA has established a tolerance of zero for residues of penicillin in the uncooked edible tissues of swine as codified in Title 21, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 556.510 (21 CFR 556.510). The presence of this drug in this amount causes the food to be adulterated within the meaning of section 402(a)(2)(C)(ii) of the 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 segregate treated animals and 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 Act, 21 U.S.C. § 342(a)(4).
We also found that you adulterated the new animal drug penicillin G procaine injectable suspension ((b)(4)). Specifically, our investigation revealed that you did not use this drug as directed by its approved labeling. Use of this drug in this manner is an extralabel use per 21 CFR 530.3(a).
The extralabel use of approved animal or human drugs in animals is allowed under the Act only if the extralabel use complies with sections 512(a)(4) and (5) of the Act, 21 U.S.C. § 360b(a)(4) and (5), and 21 CFR 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 routinely administer (b)(4) penicillin G procaine injectable suspension at a dose of 2 cc per 100 pounds (which is contrary to the labeled dosage of 1 mL per 100 pounds) without a prescription and without benefit of a valid veterinary-client-patient-relationship. This extralabel use is a violation of 21 CFR 530.11(a).
Your extralabel use of this drug resulted in an illegal drug residue, in violation of 21 CFR 530.11(d). Because your use of this drug was not in conformance with its approved labeling and did not comply with 21 CFR Part 530, you caused the drug to be unsafe under section 512(a) of the Act, 21 U.S.C. § 360b(a), and adulterated within the meaning of section 501(a)(5) of the 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 are 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.
You should notify this office in writing of the steps you have taken to bring your firm into compliance with the law within 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 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 Timothy G. Philips, Compliance Officer, at the address on this letterhead. If you have any questions about this letter, please contact Mr. Philips at (612) 758-7133.
Sincerely,
/S/
Gerald J. Berg
Director
Minneapolis District
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