Press release issued 12. 8. 16
OLYMPIA — The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) on Wednesday obtained a court order sanctioning an Auburn meat processing facility that has refused to stop operations despite losing its license two years ago due to violations of food safety regulations.
The order handed down by King County Superior Court Judge Brian Gain requires Rickson Vilog, owner of Vilog Livestock, to remove all livestock from his property by Dec. 22 or face fines of $100 per day for each animal remaining. In addition, he cannot acquire any new livestock, slaughter any animals or process any meat until he obtains the appropriate licenses from WSDA.
Customers are advised that they should not purchase slaughter or butcher services from Vilog Livestock as the business does not currently have a license to operate and is in violation of numerous food sanitation regulations.
WSDA first cited Vilog in 2011 for violations that included lacking an approved sewage and waste disposal system, unclean facilities and equipment, and unsanitary food processing practices. Vilog has failed every inspection since then.
In 2014, after Vilog faced the suspension of his license, he agreed to make necessary sanitation improvements, but did not follow through. WSDA revoked his license in November 2014. Follow-up visits found Vilog continued to operate. WSDA has filed several motions in court to enforce its rule, including two previous contempt motions because Vilog continued to slaughter livestock and process meat without a license.
At the Dec. 7 hearing, WSDA demonstrated Vilog had failed to comply with court orders. WSDA estimates he may have slaughtered and processed at least 500 animals just since summer.
WSDA licenses and regulates 12 custom slaughtering and 95 custom meat facilities statewide. In these operations, customers own the livestock before slaughter and use the meat for personal purposes. WSDA regulates the operations to ensure meat is processed under sanitary conditions in compliance with state law.
Customers can ask for the business’s current WSDA license and most recent WSDA food safety inspection report. For a list of custom slaughter and meat facilities in your area, or to report concerns about a facility, contact the WSDA Food Safety Program at FoodSafety@agr.wa.gov or 360-902-1876.
http://agr.wa.gov/News/2016/NR2016-12-08ContemptOrder.aspx
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