New Timeframe for USDA-FSIS Inspection Decision Appeals
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA’s FSIS) has established a uniform appeals time period requirement for the filing of appeals of certain FSIS inspection decisions or actions. The new final rule also clarifies and simplifies FSIS requirements and procedures concerning appeals of inspection decisions.
The requirement applies to appeals of decisions or actions related to both mandatory federal inspection and voluntary inspection services. The requirement does not apply to appeals of FSIS decisions or actions unrelated to inspection and, therefore, does not include actions related to refusing approval of labels nor the appeals of agency responses to requests made under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).