Constituent Update - February 10, 2023

On February 6, 2023, FSIS highlighted its key achievements in 2022 that further protected public health through food safety; created more and better market opportunities; and advanced racial justice, equity, and opportunity.

After announcing it would reevaluate its approach to controlling Salmonella in poultry last year, FSIS developed a proposed regulatory framework to reduce Salmonella infections linked to poultry products. In 2022, in addition to proposing a new framework, FSIS announced its intention to declare Salmonella an adulterant in not ready-to-eat breaded and stuffed chicken products; developed a risk profile and two quantitative risk assessments; sought guidance from one of the agency’s advisory committees; and held a public meeting to discuss the proposed strategy and take comments from stakeholders.
Since the enactment of the American Rescue Plan in 2021, FSIS has issued credits and refunds to more than 2,800 small and very small establishments, providing more than $33 million in savings. FSIS will continue to offer the reduced fees until the funds are exhausted.
In February 2022, FSIS commissioned a survey to analyze U.S. consumers’ understanding of the “Product of USA” voluntary labeling claim. The results will inform planned rulemaking on this topic to ensure that the “Product of USA” label is truthful and not misleading.
In 2022, FSIS continued to offer recruitment incentives to inspection personnel and expanded recruitment methods by prioritizing equity, coordinating local hiring events, and implementing process improvements.
Arkansas and Oregon joined the State Meat and Poultry Inspection (MPI) program, and FSIS finalized a Cooperative Interstate Shipment (CIS) agreement with Montana in 2022. (MPI) programs are an integral part of the Nation’s food safety system; they help prevent supply chain bottlenecks within a state, ensuring American families have access to safe food. Product produced under state inspection programs is limited to intrastate commerce unless a state opts into an additional program, the CIS Program.
In 2022, FSIS and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention signed a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) to enhance data sharing and coordinating critically important public health activities. FSIS also updated its MOUs with the Food and Drug Administration—to improve coordination on regulatory efforts with dual jurisdiction establishments—as well as with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration regarding worker safety.

For more details, please read the full press release.

FSIS Releases NARMS Multi-Year Data Report

Today, FSIS released the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) Multi-Year Report, which describes trends in Salmonella serotypes and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in select food animal species and products from 2014-2019. The report highlights changes in Salmonella serotypes and AMR in raw products derived from chicken, turkey, cattle, and swine, and the intestinal (cecal) contents of these animals. Observations from both cecal and product samples highlight the importance of understanding Salmonella from farm to slaughter.

Read FSIS’ blog for a snapshot of multi-year trends for Salmonella AMR that are detailed in the multi-year data report, and view the FSIS NARMS webpage to view additional blogs, related information, and up-to-date quarterly sampling reports.

NARMS is a national public health surveillance system through which FSIS partners with state and local public health departments, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to track changes in antimicrobial susceptibility of select foodborne bacteria found in ill people (CDC), retail meats (FDA), and food animals (FSIS).

FSIS to Post Updated Datasets on Import Refusals

On February 15, 2023, FSIS will update the publicly posted dataset on import refusals for products that the agency regulates. Federal law requires every commercial shipment of imported meat, poultry, and egg products to be reinspected prior to product entering U.S. commerce. FSIS reinspects each shipment to verify labeling, proper certification, general condition, and any signs of tampering and to identify product adulterated by transportation damage. FSIS also performs additional activities on a random and/or for-cause basis, such as physical product examination and laboratory sampling for pathogens and chemical residues.

Any product that does not meet FSIS requirements is refused entry, and the importer has up to 45 days (30 days for egg products) to have the product destroyed for use as human food, re-exported/returned to the country of origin, converted to animal food, or brought into compliance with FSIS requirements, if applicable (e.g., relabeled, remarked, or issued a replacement certificate).

The current import refusals dataset is updated around the 15th of each month and the archived dataset is updated around the 15th of the first month of each quarter. The datasets contain each shipment with product that was refused entry. To access these datasets or view more information about them, please visit the Import and Export Data page.

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: