- --

USDA 

United States Department 

-

of Agriculture 

Food Safety and 

Inspection Service 

Office of Field 

Operations 

Atlanta District Office 

100 Alabama St., SW. 

Suite 3R90 

Atlanta, GA. 30303 

Phone: 404-562-5900 

Fax: 404-562-5877 

Toll Free: 

800-282-7005 

Certified Mail 

March 13, 2024 

Gray’s and Danny’s Investment, Inc. 

Est. M40244 

29513 US Hwy. 27 

(b) (6)

Moore Haven, FL 33471 

@gmail.com 

(708) 307-6578 

Attention: Mr. Ammar Mohammad, Owner 

NOTICE OF SUSPENSION 

This letter serves as official notification by the Food Safety and Inspection 

Service (FSIS) of our decision to withhold the federal marks of inspection and 

suspend the assignment of Inspection Program Personnel (IPP) at Gray’s and 

Danny’s Investment, Inc., Est. M40244, located at 29513 US Hwy. 27 Moore 

Haven, FL 33471. This letter follows verbal notification of the suspension action, 

provided by 

(b) (6)

, Supervisory Public Health Veterinarian (SPHV) 

(DVMS) to you, on March 11, 2024. This action includes your Slaughter Hazard 

Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) processes employed at your 

establishment. 

The decision to institute this enforcement action is in accordance with Title 9 of 

the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Rules of Practice 500.3(b), based on the 

determination that your establishment did not handle or slaughter animals 

humanely. The evidence demonstrates failure to comply with the Federal Meat 

Inspection Act (FMIA) (21 U.S.C. 603), the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act 

(HMSA) (7 U.S.C. 1901 et seq.), and the regulatory requirements (9 CFR Part 

313). 

Background/Authority 

The FMIA (21 USC 601 et seq.) provides it is essential to the public interest that 

the health and welfare of consumers be protected, by assuring meat products 

distributed to them are wholesome, not adulterated, and properly marked, and 

labeled. The Act gives FSIS the authority, as designated by the Secretary of 

Agriculture, to prescribe rules and regulations describing sanitation requirements 

for inspected establishments and provide FSIS program personnel the authority 

to refuse to allow meat/meat food products to be marked, labeled, stamped, or 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mr. Ammar Mohmmad, Owner Notice of Suspension 

Gray’s and Danny’s Investment, Inc., M40244 March 13, 2024 

tagged as inspected and passed, to prevent the entry of adulterated products into commerce. 

Furthermore, the FMIA provides FSIS the authority to appoint inspectors to examine and 

inspect the method by which livestock are slaughtered and handled at slaughtering 

establishments. 

The HMSA provides that Congress finds that the use of humane methods in the slaughter 

of livestock prevents needless suffering; results in safer and better working conditions for 

persons engaged in the slaughtering industry; brings about improvement of products and 

economies in slaughtering operations; and produces other benefits for producers, 

processors, and consumers which tend to expedite an orderly flow of livestock and 

livestock products in interstate and foreign commerce. It is therefore declared to be the 

policy of the United States that the slaughtering of livestock and the handling of livestock 

in connection with slaughter shall be carried out only by humane methods. 

Under the authority of the Acts, FSIS has prescribed rules and regulations required for 

establishments slaughtering and handling livestock, as required by 9 CFR Part 313. FSIS 

has also developed the Rules of Practice regarding administrative enforcement, 9 CFR Part 

500. The Rules of Practice describe the types of enforcement actions that FSIS may take 

and include procedures for taking a withholding action and/or suspension, with or without 

prior notification, and for filing a complaint to withdraw a grant of inspection. Specifically, 

9 CFR 500.3(b) states that FSIS may impose a suspension without providing prior 

notification due to handling or slaughtering of animals inhumanely. 

Findings/Basis for Action 

On March 11, 2024, at approximately 1100 hours, while performing humane handling 

verification activities, in the slaughter trailer, IPP observed the following humane handling 

incident: a lamb that had undergone a ritual (Halal) slaughter cut, was observed walking 

around in the area designated for bleeding. IPP observed the wound where the animal had 

received a ritual cut was bleeding however the cut did not sever the carotid arteries. IPP 

immediately notified the establishment personnel that the animal needed to be slaughtered 

immediately. Upon notifying the employees of the issue, they attempted to catch the lamb 

to perform another cut. The lamb proceeded to jump over other bled out lamb carcasses into 

the skinning area. An employee caught the lamb, and another cut was made which severed 

the carotid arteries. Subsequently, the lamb suffered loss of consciousness due to anemia of 

the brain. IPP notified floor supervisor and plant manager of the noncompliance and tagged 

the slaughter area with US Reject tag number: B-45129202. The establishment does not 

have a Robust Systematic Approach (RSA) for human handling of livestock. 

On September 9, 2004, FSIS published "Humane Handling and Slaughter Requirements 

and the Merits of a Systematic Approach to Meet Such Requirements" in the Federal 

Register (69 FR 54625). On September 24, 2020, FSIS released FSIS Directive 6900.2 

Revision 3, entitled, "Humane Handling and Slaughter of Livestock." Additionally, on 

October 23, 2013, FSIS introduced new guidance, titled "FSIS Compliance Guide for a 

Systematic Approach to the Humane Handling of Livestock." Within the guidance material 

2 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mr. Ammar Mohmmad, Owner Notice of Suspension 

Gray’s and Danny’s Investment, Inc., M40244 March 13, 2024 

is information intended to better ensure the humane treatment of livestock presented for 

slaughter. The guidance material provides a set of practices designed to minimize 

excitement, discomfort, and accidental injury regarding the humane handling of livestock 

to include the four components of a robust systematic approach to humane handling. 

When an establishment maintains a robust humane handling program, FSIS can exercise 

regulatory discretion when an inhumane handling or slaughter incident is observed. You 

do not currently maintain a written robust humane handling program for consideration. 

Summary and Conclusion 

Provisions of the FMIA outline FSIS’ ability to refuse to render inspection and indefinitely 

withdraw inspection from an establishment, provided the establishment is afforded the 

right to an administrative hearing, when conditions exist where the slaughter and/or 

handling of livestock was not by a method in accordance with the Act(s). Evidence 

demonstrates your failure to meet regulatory requirements addressed in 9 CFR 313.2 (b) 

constituting a violation of the humane slaughter requirements and supporting the 

conclusion that your handling of livestock violated the provisions of the FMIA and HMSA. 

Please provide a written response, inclusive of written corrective action and preventative 

measures, by addressing the following: 

• Evaluate and identify the nature, cause of the incident. 

• Describe the specific actions taken to eliminate the cause of the incident and 

prevent future recurrences. 

• Describe specific monitoring activities planned to ensure future compliance. 

• Provide any supporting documentation and records maintained and/or associated 

with the proposed corrective actions and preventative measures. 

A determination of further administrative action will be made upon receipt and review of 

your submitted corrective actions and preventative measures. You are reminded that, as 

an operator of a federally inspected establishment, you are expected to comply with FSIS 

regulations and to take appropriate corrective actions to prevent the production of or 

adulterated products at your establishment. Please be advised that your failure to respond 

adequately to these issues may result in initiation of action to withdraw inspection from 

your establishment. 

Appeal and Hearing Rights 

You have the right to appeal this matter and can do so by contacting: 

Karen Hunter 

Executive Associate for Regulatory Operations 

Office of Field Operations 

Food Safety and Inspection Service 

3 
Mr. Ammar Mohmmad, Owner Notice ofSuspension 

Gray's and Danny's Investment, Inc., M40244 March 13, 2024 

United States Department ofAgriculture 

SB, Room 3159 

1400 Independence Avenue, SW 

Washington, DC 20250 

Email: Karen.Hunter@usda.gov 

Phone: (202) 499-0275 

Pursuant to 9 CFR 500.5(d), you may also request a hearing regarding this detennination. 

Should you request a hearing, FSIS will file a complaint that will include a request for an 

expedited hearing. If you wish to request a hea1ing regarding this dete1mination, please 

contact: 

Scott C. Safian, Director 

Enforcement Operations Staff (EOS) 

Office of Investigation, Enforcement and Audit (OIEA) 

Food Safety and Inspection Service 

United States Depaitment ofAgriculture 

Stop Code 3753, SB - Room 2148 

1400 Independence Avenue, SW 

Washington, DC 20250 

Telephone: (202) 418-8872 

Facsimile: (202) 245-5097 

E-mail: AEBCon espondence@usda.gov 

Ifyou have any questions, please contact Dr. Phyllis Adams via telephone at (404) 562-

5900 or via electronic mail at Phyllis.Adains@usda.gov. Additionally, you can contact 

the Atlanta District Office at (404) 562-5900 or by fax at (404) 562-5877. 

Sincerely, 

Dr. Phyllis Adains 

District Manager 

4 
Mr. Ammar Mohmmad, Owner Notice of Suspension 

Gray's and Danny's Investment, Inc., M40244 March 13, 2024 

cc: Karen Hunter, EARO 

Ph His Adams, DM 

, Humane Handling Enforcement Coordinator 

Lany Hoite1i , OIEA Regional Director 

Edward Hepburn, DDM 

Barney Welch, DDM 

Trac B1 ant, DDM 

,SEIAO 

DCS 

DVMS 

FLS 

, SPHV 

PO/Quarterly Repo1i s 

5