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Agency Takes the Next Steps for Salmonella Initiative Program
FSIS published a Federal Register notice
on January 28 that announced the Salmonella Initiative Program, an incentive program for
meat and poultry slaughter establishments to control Salmonella in their operations.
Establishments are encouraged to apply for the Salmonella Initiative Program, since
the Agency will soon implement the program for establishments that do not have an existing waiver,
such as provisions under the HACCP-based Inspection Models Project (HIMP) or for On-Line Reprocessing,
and those plants that do not request additional inspection resources.
In addition, the Agency will clarify timelines for establishments to inform FSIS of their
participation in the program and will provide further information to establishments who choose
not to participate in it. FSIS will also explain how the Agency will handle waivers for establishments
that now operate under HIMP or On-Line Reprocessing. If those establishments wish to continue to
operate under such waivers, they may do so as long as they also agree to comply with the program.
Establishments that apply to participate in the program must agree to Salmonella, Campylobacter
(if applicable) and generic Escherichia coli sampling of their product as it is detailed in the
January 28 Federal Register notice. Every establishment that wishes to participate in the
Salmonella Initiative Program must also agree to share its sampling data with FSIS and
make the data available for copy or electronic transfer.
An establishment is not required to be in FSIS performance Category 1 to be eligible for, or
remain in the program. The Agency will review applications for the program as received but will
give priority to those establishments that are in Category 1.
FSIS will publish a follow-up Federal Register notice in which the comment period
will be re-opened on specific Salmonella Initiative Program issues for 60 days.
More information will be made available on FSIS' Web site at
www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations_&_Policies/
Federal_Register_Publications_&_Related_Documents/
index.asp.
Also, be sure to check the future issues of the FSIS Constituent Update as more details develop.
FSIS Updates on Salmonella Performance Results for Establishments
The Agency began publishing results of completed sample sets from its Salmonella Verification
Program for young chicken (broiler) slaughter establishments by their performance category on March 28.
FSIS posts updated results on its Web site around the 15th of each month for young chicken slaughter
establishments and will begin posting Category 2 and 3 establishments that slaughter market hogs and
turkeys. The Agency has decided not to publish Category 2 establishments in a product class if 90 percent
or more of its active or seasonal establishments are in Category 1 and none of its establishments is in
Category 3.
Publication of Salmonella sample set results for young chicken establishments was first presented
in a Federal Register notice
of February 27, 2006, and was recently described in detail within the January 28 Federal Register notice.
For more information and to access the reports go to
www.fsis.usda.gov/Science/
Salmonella_Verification_Testing_Program/index.asp.
Export Requirement Updates
The Library of Export Requirements has been updated to reflect changes in export requirements for the following:
- China
- Colombia
- New Zealand
Complete information can be found at www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations_&_Policies/
Export_Information/index.asp.
FSIS Issues Notices
FSIS issued Notice 37-08 on May 15 titled Consumer Complaint Monitoring System (CCMS) 2.0 (PDF Only).
This notice announces the launch of a modified Consumer Complaint Monitoring System. Since 2001, FSIS has
captured consumer complaints in an electronic database used to record, triage and track complaints
regarding FSIS-regulated meat, poultry, and processed egg products. CCMS helps to identify and trace
adulterated product in commerce and allows the Agency to respond to, and mitigate, possible food safety hazards.
This modification was developed to address limitations of the original system and to improve the Agency's
detection, analysis and response capabilities to consumer complaints.
The agency also issued Notice 38-08 titled: In-Commerce System and Administrative Enforcement Report System (PDF Only)
on May 15.
The purpose of this notice is to announce the release of the In-Commerce System and describe its features/uses.
This new Web-based system will be used by the Office of Program Evaluation, Enforcement and Review, Office of
Field Operations and Office of International Affairs to document and report compliance and enforcement activities.
Notices 37-08 and 38-08 are available on FSIS' Web site at
www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations_&_Policies/
FSIS_Notices_Index/index.asp.
Food Defense Plan
FSIS will conduct a survey on August 1, to determine how many FSIS-regulated slaughter and processing plants
have voluntarily adopted functional food defense plans.
A documented set of procedures will improve an establishment's ability to respond quickly. A food defense
plan also helps to maintain a safe working environment for employees, provide a quality product to customers,
and be particularly helpful during emergencies.
Look to future issues of the FSIS Constituent Update and visit FSIS' Web site at
www.fsis.usda.gov/Food_Defense_&_Emergency_Response/
Guidance_Materials/index.asp
to review guidelines for completing a functional defense plan.
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Last Modified:
May 16, 2008 |
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