Constituent Update - January 6, 2023

Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that USDA is investing $9.6 million across the country and taking several other steps to help farmers, ranchers, processors, and rural businesses diversify the nation’s meat supply.

Secretary Vilsack announced 25 new investments to increase independent meat processing capacity in California, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

The Department is awarding 23 Value Added Producer Grant program grants totaling $3.9 million to help producer-owned companies process and market new products. USDA is also providing guarantees for a total of $5.7 million in loans to two companies through the Food Supply Chain Guaranteed Loan Program using American Rescue Plan funding. This program supports new investments in infrastructure for food aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storage, transportation, wholesaling, and distribution.

View the USDA press release for examples on how the funding will be used as well as additional information on USDA’s accomplishments to date to support meat producers, promote competition, and strengthen local and regional food supply chains.

FSIS Posts Quarterly Updates to Establishment-Specific Datasets

Today, FSIS posted quarterly updates to the following establishment-specific datasets on laboratory sampling and inspection tasks.

Establishment-specific Datasets on Laboratory Sampling

Egg Product Sampling Data
Intensified Verification Testing Data
Raw Beef Components Sampling Data
Raw Beef Follow-up Sampling Data
Raw Beef Trim Sampling Data
Raw Ground Beef Sampling Data
Raw Chicken Carcasses Sampling Data
Raw Chicken Parts Sampling Data
Raw Comminuted Chicken Sampling Data
Raw Comminuted Turkey Sampling Data
Raw Turkey Carcasses Sampling Data
Raw Pork Products Sampling Data
Raw Poultry Follow-up Sampling Data
Ready-to-Eat (RTE) Meat and Poultry Sampling Data
Risk-based Listeria monocytogenes Sampling Data
Siluriformes Product Sampling Data

Establishment-specific data on tested product contained in laboratory sampling results datasets are not sufficient to determine an association with human illnesses. Further epidemiologic information is needed to determine if there is an association between the non-clinical isolates and human illnesses.

Establishment-specific Datasets on Inspection Tasks

Livestock Humane Handling Inspection Tasks
Poultry Good Commercial Practices Inspection Tasks

Available for Public Comment

FSIS seeks public comments on proposed rules and notices, which are viewable on the FSIS Federal Register & Rulemaking webpage. FSIS is currently seeking comments on the following:

Until January 19: Uniform Compliance Date for Food Labeling Regulations (2022)
Until January 23: Use of a Non-Destructive Surface Sampling Device to Sample Domestic Beef Manufacturing Trimmings and Bench Trim

Policy Update

FSIS notices and directives on public health and regulatory issues are available on the FSIS Policy webpage. The following policy update was recently issued:

FSIS Notice 70-22 - Public Health Information System Establishment Profile Update – Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point Details

FSIS Notice 01-23 - Raw Pork Products Sampling Program

FSIS Notice 02-23 - 2023 Mileage Reimbursement Rates

Export Requirements Update

The Library of Export Requirements has been updated for products for the following: