Idaho Cattle Farm Enters Consent Decree with FDA

Boise, IdahoA farm that illegally administered drugs to cattle is prohibited from selling animals for slaughter for human consumption until it has implemented record-keeping systems and complied with other aspects of a consent decree of permanent injunction, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced Friday.

Gregory T. Troost, doing business as T&T Cattle and T&T Cattle Pearl, and manager Mark A. Mourton of Parma, Idaho, were found by FDA inspectors to have violated federal law by failing to maintain and review records and using medications for unapproved uses that were not specified on the drug label, the agency said in a press release. Seven dairy cows with illegal levels of drug residues, including penicillin and sulfadimethoxine, were offered for slaughter by the defendants, according to FDA.

The agency cautions that food containing excessive amounts of antibiotics and other drugs can cause the general population to suffer severe adverse reactions. However, FDA is unaware of any illnesses in connection with its investigation into T&T Cattle.

"The decree prohibits the defendants from selling animals for slaughter for human consumption until they have implemented record-keeping systems to identify and track animals that have been treated with drugs," FDA stated. "These records must also note the drug used, dosage, time of administration and how long before slaughter the drug needs to be discontinued. If the defendants offer any animals for sale or slaughter, they also must provide written information about the animals drug treatment status to the recipient of the animals."

Failure to comply with terms of the decree could result in civil or criminal penalties, and FDA has authority to order the defendants to stop operations if they violate the decree, federal law or regulations.

Troost told Food Product Design more than 1,500 cattle have been slaughtered without any drug residues detected in over a year. T&T Cattle and T&T Cattle Pearl milk approximately 4,500 cows, he said.  

"We have been working with the FDA for eight months now. We have an action plan in place and it's working well," he said in a phone interview Friday.

Troost said he anticipates resuming operations "very soon."