FDA WARNING_LETTER - Hensley, Jimmy A. - July 26, 2011

On July 22 and 26, 2011, the FDA investigated Jimmy A. Hensley's calf buying operation in Turlock, California, finding violations of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act). The investigation revealed two instances where bob veal calves sold for slaughter as food were adulterated.

Specifically, on February 17, 2011, a calf sold by Hensley and slaughtered by (b)(4) contained 20.91 ppm of neomycin in kidney tissue. On February 20, 2011, another calf sold by Hensley and slaughtered by (b)(4) contained 12.02 ppm of neomycin in kidney tissue. Both levels exceed the established tolerance of 7.2 ppm for neomycin in cattle kidney tissue, rendering the food adulterated under section 402(a)(2)(C)(ii) of the FD&C Act, 21 U.S.C. § 342(a)(2)(C)(ii).

Furthermore, the investigation found that Hensley held animals under insanitary conditions, failing to maintain treatment records, which could lead to medicated animals with harmful drug residues entering the food supply. This constitutes adulteration under section 402(a)(4) of the FD&C Act, 21 U.S.C. § 34