The SHOW HIO officially released today the complaint filed by the USDA seeking decertification of its inspection program. SHOW has filed for and received an extension on answering the complaint and is consulting with its attorneys on how best to proceed.
The complaint stems from SHOW’s failure to enforce the USDA Minimum Penalty Protocol on violations found during the time of the lawsuit. SHOW filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the minimum penalty protocol. A district court judge ruled against SHOW on July 29, 2013. After that ruling, SHOW accepted the Minimum Penalty Protocol prior to the 2013 Celebration and assessed those mandated penalties for violations found.
SHOW remains a certified HIO until a final ruling on the complaint.
Click Here to view the USDA Complaint