Shubenacadie’s Moxsom Meats Ltd. has been charged with 16 counts under the Nova Scotia Meat Inspection Act for issues related to maintaining cleanliness and unsafe storage of its products.
Jeffrey Elmer Moxsom of Densmore Road is also named in the court documents which were filed by Nova Scotia’s Department of Environment.
The charges, dating back to between Dec. 13 and15, 2017, include allegations of failing to maintain a meat plant in a manner that would ensure noconditions exist that are injurious to human health; failing to equip a plant with a storage room for inedible offal (i.e., meat that is not food, condemned material or refuse) and various other charges related to non-sanitary and impropermeat storage conditions.
A spokesman for the Nova Scotia Department of Environment said inspection services were withdrawn from the company last December. It is an offence under the Meat Inspection Act to operate a meat plant without inspection services.
“In Nova Scotia, the province’s meat inspection program is designed to ensure that all meat sold in retail outlets is safe and that slaughter is conducted in a humane fashion,” Bruce Nunn said, in an e-mailed response.
“The Meat Inspection Act and regulations serve as a standard. The department takes the safety of meat very seriously.”
One charge alleges Moxsom Meats failed “to take every practicable precaution to maintain a plant free of flies, rats, mice and other vermin.”
Another alleges the operator failed “to prevent meat or meat products from coming in direct contact with the floors or walls in a meat plant.”
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
The 16 charges were laid in June and a court hearing scheduled for last week did not proceed.
A summons has been issued for Moxsom to appear Sept. 24 in Truro provincial court.
