Over the past few months, the Federal government has fined several companies for violating the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry Products Inspection Act.First, Heringer Meats, Inc. and its president, Raymond F. Niemeyer, were found guilty of preparing meat products with the intent to defraud. A United States District Court has ordered Heringer Meats to pay a $30,000 fine, a $400 special assessment fee and restitution to sixteen establishments that purchased meat products from the company. Heringer Meats will owe almost $11,000. The company has also been placed on unsupervised probation for two years.

Secondly, RGV Warehouse, Inc. was sentenced by a Federal court on two misdemeanor counts for permitting various pork and poultry products to become adulterated by rodents while being housed in its facility. RGV Warehouse then tried to distribute the adulterated products in Texas. The company has been placed on probation and was required to pay a $150,000 fine.

Finally, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas sentenced Thorn Apple Valley, Inc. on one felony count of distributing Listeria monocytogene-infected chicken and turkey frankfurters. The company has been ordered to pay a $50,000 fine.