USDA-FSIS

FSS 2022: Regulators Highlight Policy, Technology Advances at Town Hall

BlumeA@bnpmedia.com (Adrienne Blume, M.A.) — Fri, 13 May 2022 11:49:00 -0400

During the Thursday morning Town Hall at the 2022 Food Safety Summit, top food safety regulators from FDA, USDA, CDC, and AFDO discussed initiatives and advances in food traceability, food safety policy, recalls, pathogen monitoring, food safety culture, and a number of other timely areas.

FSIS corrects egg products plants final rule

Mon, 21 Dec 2020 16:05:00 -0500

FSIS has corrected a final rule that published on October 29, 2020, which requires official plants that process egg products to develop and implement Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Systems and Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (Sanitation SOPs) and to meet other sanitation requirements consistent with the agency’s meat and poultry regulations.

FSIS posts annual foodborne illness outbreak investigation summary reports

Mon, 02 Nov 2020 00:00:00 -0500

FSIS has posted on its website an outbreak investigations overview and summaries of outbreaks investigated during fiscal years 2017, 2018, and 2019.

Meat Institute and AMPS Innovation send joint letter to USDA on mandatory labeling for cell-based/cultured meat & poultry products

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 00:00:00 -0400

Organizations call on agency to support mandatory labeling of cell-based/cultured meat and poultry products and to solicit input on what that labeling should look like.

USDA releases plan to decrease Salmonella in meat, poultry, eggs

spielmans@bnpmedia.com (Sharon Spielman) — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 09:00:00 -0400

The USDA releases a plan to reduce Salmonella infections from meat, poultry and eggs.

The state of food safety 2020: making sense of the chaos

andrew@werfoodsafety.com (Andrew Lorenz) — Mon, 12 Oct 2020 15:00:00 -0400

COVID-19 has been brutal on the industry. We have seen major producers temporarily shut down, entire segments put out of business, regional disruptions and politicians getting involved in the manufacture and distribution of meat and poultry.

USDA seeks nominations for membership on Food Safety Advisory Committee

Thu, 08 Oct 2020 15:13:13 -0400

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is soliciting nominations for membership to the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF).

USDA completes appointments to Food Safety Advisory Committee

Mon, 21 Sep 2020 10:54:11 -0400

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the appointment of 10 members to the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMPI).

USDA releases roadmap to address Salmonella

Mon, 21 Sep 2020 10:49:46 -0400

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Food Safety (OFS) and the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) have released a plan to decrease Salmonella, one of the leading causes of foodborne illnesses.

FSIS announces proposal to expand generic label approval

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 00:00:00 -0400

FSIS is proposing to amend its inspection regulations pertaining to the generic approval of meat, poultry, and egg product labels.

USDA modernizes egg products inspection

Wed, 09 Sep 2020 15:56:14 -0400

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) today announced that it is modernizing egg products inspection methods for the first time since Congress passed the Egg Products Inspection Act (EPIA) in 1970.

FSIS to hold public meeting on the future of consumer food safety education

Thu, 03 Sep 2020 11:44:10 -0400

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is holding a virtual public meeting on Oct. 6 to discuss the state of consumer food safety education, current research, and future studies and engagement to close the gap between food safety messages and consumer action.

FSIS recognizes September as Food Safety Education Month

Mon, 31 Aug 2020 12:10:19 -0400

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is reminding the public to think about health and safety in the kitchen for National Food Safety Education Month this September.

USCA joins letter to Secretary Perdue on U.S. Beef

Wed, 26 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0400

U.S. Cattleman’s Assn. joined 11 other groups in requesting that U.S. meat and meat processors be prioritized within the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box Program.

USDA announces public meeting on Salmonella: State of the Science

Fri, 21 Aug 2020 10:18:00 -0400

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Food Safety (OFS) and the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) are hosting a virtual public meeting on Salmonella with participation from the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

USDA appoints new members to Food Safety Advisory Committees

Wed, 19 Aug 2020 12:58:35 -0400

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the appointment of 10 new members to the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMPI) and an additional new member to the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF).

FSIS and Vermont sign Cooperative Interstate Shipment Agreement

Tue, 11 Aug 2020 11:42:07 -0400

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and the State of Vermont have finalized a Cooperative Interstate Shipment (CIS) agreement.

Union files lawsuit against USDA over line speed waivers

Thu, 30 Jul 2020 15:00:00 -0400

The plaintiffs argue that the FSIS waiver program should be set aside and 10 currently active waivers should be voided.

FDA, USDA issue recommendations for PPE shortage during COVID-19 pandemic

spielmans@bnpmedia.com (Sharon Spielman) — Tue, 14 Jul 2020 09:00:00 -0400

The FDA and USDA have released recommendations to help address shortages of personal protective equipment, cloth face coverings, disinfectants and sanitation supplies in the food and agriculture industry during the COVID-19 pandemic.

FSIS-sponsored study published in the Journal of Food Protection

Wed, 08 Jul 2020 12:50:42 -0400

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing the publication of “An Observational Study of Thermometer Use by Consumers When Preparing Ground Turkey Patties” in the July 2020 Journal of Food Protection.

Will expanded E. coli sampling be good for consumers?

stevens@foodindustrycounsel.com (Shawn Stevens) — Fri, 03 Jul 2020 00:00:00 -0400

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) recently announced plans to plans to significantly expand its routine verification testing for Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STECs), which includes the six non-O157 strains O26, O45, O103, O111, O121 and O145.

FSIS to expand STEC testing to additional raw beef products

Wed, 10 Jun 2020 00:00:00 -0400

FSIS is expanding its routine verification testing for six non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) to ground beef, bench trim, and other raw ground beef components.

FSIS and Iowa sign cooperative Interstate Shipment Agreement

Wed, 27 May 2020 11:00:00 -0400

The CIS program promotes the expansion of business opportunities for state-inspected meat and poultry establishments.

USDA, FDA strengthen U.S. food supply chain protections during COVID-19 pandemic

Wed, 20 May 2020 10:42:58 -0400

As the COVID-19 pandemic response continues, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have been working around the clock on many fronts to support the U.S. food and agriculture sector so that Americans continue to have access to a safe and robust food supply.

About 145 FSIS inspectors diagnosed with COVID-19, 3 have died

Fri, 08 May 2020 11:00:00 -0400

Union that represents federal inspector gives USDA an “F” for failure to protect its employees.

Proposed rule to increase onion assessment rate

spielmans@bnpmedia.com (Sharon Spielman) — Mon, 04 May 2020 08:30:00 -0400

The USDA has issued a proposed rule which would increase the assessment rate from $0.10 per 50-pound bag or equivalent of Walla Walla sweet onions handled to $0.15 per 50-pound bag or equivalent of Walla Walla sweet onions handled for the 2020 and subsequent fiscal periods.

Operations during COVID-19

Thu, 09 Apr 2020 00:00:00 -0400

Although much of the United States had been shut down at presstime, to slow the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), the country is depending on food manufacturers, distributors and grocery stores to stay in operation.

Senate confirms Dr. Mindy Brashears to FSIS post

Fri, 27 Mar 2020 00:00:00 -0400

She has been serving as the Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety.

Secretary Perdue announces new FSIS leadership

Tue, 25 Feb 2020 12:28:27 -0500

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced the appointment of Paul Kiecker to serve as administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

FSIS proposes updated and new Salmonella performance standards for ground beef and beef manufacturing trimmings

bail@nsf.org (NSF International) — Thu, 31 Oct 2019 11:40:00 -0400

FSIS is proposing updated Salmonella performance standards for raw ground beef and new Salmonella performance standards for beef manufacturing trimmings.