LOUP VALLEY ALFALFA INC

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, LOUP VALLEY ALFALFA INC — a other animal food manufacturing facility located at 46671 ST. HWY 91, BURWELL, NE 68823 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 33 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $293,000.00. The inspection case was opened on 2009-12-16.

Cumulative penalties significantly exceed the national median for OSHA enforcement actions. The penalty amount suggests multiple high-gravity citations, indicating conditions that presented a substantial probability of death or serious physical harm to employees.

BLS Injury Data: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2022), this industry sector has an occupational injury rate of 3.3 per 100 full-time workers — 22% above the national average of 2.7. The sector fatality rate is 2.3 per 100,000 workers.

Industry Benchmark: The total penalty of $293,000.00 is more than 34.4× the national average of $8,527.19 for facilities in the Manufacturing sector (NAICS 311119). This sector encompasses 24,420 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $208.2M.

State Context: Within NE, this facility's penalty places it at the 100th percentile among 12,745 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $4,129.57.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 33 citations spanning 9 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 1 other-than-serious — The violation has a direct relationship to job safety and health but is unlikely to cause death or serious physical harm. 14 serious — A workplace hazard that could cause death or serious physical harm exists, and the employer knew or should have known about the condition.

Enforcement Timeline: Citations were issued beginning June 16, 2010 with the latest abatement deadline set for January 17, 2011. Of the 33 total citations, 0 (0%) have been marked as abated in DOL records, which may indicate ongoing compliance gaps requiring further regulatory attention.

Penalty Assessment: The cumulative penalty of $293,000.00 reflects OSHA's gravity-based penalty calculation methodology, which considers the severity of potential injury, the probability of occurrence, the employer's size, good faith, and violation history. The per-citation average of $8,878.79 falls within the standard penalty range.

The enforcement action against Loup Valley Alfalfa Inc. revealed a systemic collapse of safety management systems, characterized