USDA food inspectors partially suspended NC production at Neese’s in September
The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service has suspended production at a “specific portion” of North Carolina-based Neese’s Country Sausage, a spokesman told CharlotteFive on Thursday.
Some Neese’s products have been unavailable in grocery stores and restaurants for months, particularly its Liver Mush and Liver Pudding. Its popular Country Sausage has been found on market shelves, but less so than in the past.
Four calls on Wednesday and Thursday from CharlotteFive to Neese’s in Greensboro have been transferred to a line sent to voicemail. Messages left haven’t been returned, and the mailbox became too full to leave a message on Thursday.
Livermush fans left to wonder
After much speculation in Reddit forums and social media from customers, the Charlitt Instagram account posted: “Say it ain’t so,” on Tuesday, Dec. 2, garnering more than 500 responses. “Neese’s has stopped producing livermush. You can’t even find it in the store.” The account touts itself as a source for “Local Breaking News, Events, Viral Content, Music, Celebrities and More.”
Charlotte customers have been left to switch livermush brands — if they can be found in area stores. And restaurants including Circle G and Tryon Family Restaurant have switched suppliers for now.
In response to a request for information on Neese’s Country Sausage, a USDA-FSIS spokesperson replied Thursday:
“FSIS has not shut down production at Neese Country Sausage in Greensboro, N.C.
“FSIS issued a Notice of Suspension that only applies to a specific portion of the facility on September 11, 2025, after a determination that the establishment was not meeting the requirements of 9 C.F.R. § 430 for its ready-to-eat processes. The establishment has responded to the Notice of Suspension, which is under review.”
That specific USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service regulation involves a requirement to have effective controls in place to keep listeria contamination away from already-cooked food.
CharlotteFive has reached out to the USDA for more clarification and submitted a FOIA request for records related to the suspension. We will update this story as we learn more.
This story was originally published December 5, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
