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United States Food Safety Office of Chicago District Office 

Department of and Inspection Field Operations 1919 S. Highland Ave. Suite 115C 

Agriculture Service Lombard, IL 60148 

Office (630) 317-1293 

March 9, 2024 

Herscher Halal Meat Locker 

Est. M47553 

11260 W. State Route 115 

Herscher, IL 60941 

herscherhalalmeatlocker@gmail.com 

(708) 712-0877 

HAND DELIVERED on 03/11/2024 

ELECTRONIC MAIL on 03/09/2024 

FEDEX TRACKING #775479558994 

Attention: Mr. Azme Taha, 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 Herscher Halal Meat Locker, Est. M47553, located at 11260 W. State Route 115. This letter follows 

verbal notification of the suspension action, provided by Dr. Donald Fickey, District Manager, to you, Mr. 

Azme Taha, Owner, at approximately 12:30 PM CST on March 8, 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 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 

handling and slaughtering livestock, as required by 9 CFR Part 313. FSIS has also developed the Rules of 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mr. Azme Taha, Owner Notice of Suspension 

Herscher Halal Meat Locker, Est. M47553 March 9, 2024 

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 8, 2024, at approximately 1030 hours CST, the Food Inspector (FI) observed establishment 

employees bring a veal calf into the knock box for slaughter. The employees were having difficulty getting 

the animal to walk all the way into the restrainer so that the head could be secured for ritual slaughter. The 

establishment employees decided to get the hand-held captive bolt gun to use on the animal while it was 

freestanding in the knock box. Their first stunning attempt was placed on the side of the head by the horn 

and was ineffective at rendering the animal insensible. The veal calf went down and then stood back up, 

walked back and forth a bit, was looking around, and was rhythmically breathing. The FI then observed 

establishment personnel not responding appropriately with any corrective action attempt to render the 

animal insensible. It was only after the FI informed the plant manager and the establishment employee that 

the animal was still conscious and the establishment needed to implement corrective actions that 

establishment personnel reloaded the captive bolt gun and implemented a second stunning attempt, which 

rendered the animal insensible. Regulatory control was taken at the knock box and the ritual shackling pen, 

and U.S. Retained tags B40538140 and B40538134 were applied, respectively. Mr. Azme Taha, Owner, 

was informed of the observations. 

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 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 humane handing 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 handling and/or slaughter 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 313.15(a)(1) and 313.15(b)(1)(iv), 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. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mr. Azme Taha, Owner Notice of Suspension 

Herscher Halal Meat Locker, Est. M47553 March 9, 2024 

Please provide a written response to the Chicago District Office which address the following: 

• Evaluate and identify the nature and 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 preventive 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 our initiating 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: 

Ms. Karen Hunter 

Executive Associate for Regulatory Operations 

Office of Field Operations 

Food Safety and Inspection Service 

United States Department of Agriculture 

SB, Room 3129 

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 determination. 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 hearing regarding this determination, please contact: 

Scott C. Safian, Director 

Enforcement Operations Staff (EOS) 

Office of Investigation, Enforcement and Audit (OIEA) 

Food Safety and Inspection Service 

United States Department of Agriculture 

Stop Code 3753, SB - Room 2148 

1400 Independence Avenue, SW 

Washington, DC 20250 

Telephone: (202) 418-8872 

Facsimile: (202) 245-5097 

E-mail: AEBCorrespondence@usda.gov 
Mr. Azme Taha, Owner Notice ofSuspension 

Herscher Halal Meat Locker, Est. M47553 March 9, 2024 

If~1estions, please contact , District Veterinaiy Medical Specialist (DVMS), 

at-or electronic mail at @usda.gov. Additionally, you may contact the Chicago 

District Office at (630) 317-1293. 

Sincerely, 

Digitallysjgned by DONALD DONALD FICKEY 

Date: 2024.0 3.09 FICKEY 05:32:35 -0600 

Dr. Donald B. Fickey 

District Manager 

FSIS Chicago District 
--

Mr. Azme Taha, Owner Notice ofSuspension 

Herscher Halal Meat Locker, Est. M47553 March 9, 2024 

cc: K. Hunter, EARO 

F. k DM 

, Humane Handling Enforcement Coordinator 

g or 

T. Davis, DDM 

B. Cranford, DDM 

G. Welcher, DDM 

, SEIAO 

,DCS 

, DVMS 

FLS 

, IIC at Est. M47553 

PO/Quarterly Repo11s