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Script: Federal Grant of Inspection Guide |
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Intro:
Welcome to USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service
podcast. Each episode will bring you cutting edge news and information
about how FSIS is working to ensure public health protection
through food safety. While we’re on the job, you can rest assured
that your meat, poultry, and processed egg products are safe,
wholesome, properly labeled, and packaged correctly. So turn
up your volume and listen in.
Host:
Hello and welcome! This is Jeff White from FSIS and today’s topic
covers applying for a Federal Grant of Inspection, which requires
several steps. FSIS has developed the Small and Very
Small Plant Guide –
Applying for a Federal Grant of Inspection for Meat and
Poultry Establishments to help new establishments apply
for a federal grant of inspection. With me today is Pam Ogasawara
who will walk us through the guide and explain the steps that are
needed in order to apply for a federal grant of inspection.
Welcome, Pam.
Guest:
Thank you, Jeff. I’m glad to be here today.
Host:
Pam, tell us about the guide and how it will help the owners of
small and very small plants apply for the grant of inspection.
Guest:
Well, this comprehensive guide describes the seven basic steps
required for obtaining a federal meat and poultry inspection
grant. This includes forms, directions on how to complete the
forms and links to FSIS and regulatory information.
Host:
What’s the first thing a plant owner needs to do to apply for a
grant of inspection?
Guest:
He or she must file an application – FSIS Form 5200.2 which is the
Application for Meat, Poultry or Import Inspection. This form is
then sent to the appropriate District Office that has jurisdiction
over the operations of that plant. Once the District Manager
receives the Application he or she assigns it to a Front Line
Supervisor who has the jurisdiction over the area where the plant
is located. The Front Line Supervisor then reviews the facilities
to see if the establishment meets the agency’s facilities and
regulatory requirements or not and he also or she also provides
them guidance if needed.
Host:
What comes next?
Guest:
The establishment must meet regulatory performance standards that
are outlined in the Federal regulations. This means that the
establishment must operate and be maintained in a way that
prevents insanitary conditions and ensures that the product is not
adulterated.
Host:
Part 416 of the regulations covers sanitation.
Guest:
That’s right. Now, after the application has been filed, an
official establishment number will be reserved for the plant at
the request of the applicant. This number is used to identify the
establishment and the products produced there. That leads us to
the next step, which is obtaining approved labels for each product
produced at the establishment.
Host:
The owner would need to complete the Application for Approval of
Labels, Marking for Devices, FSIS form 7234-1, which is also
covered in the guidelines. The next two steps deal with obtaining
approval letters. What can you tell us about those?
Guest:
There are two approval letters. One is the Approved Water Source
Letter and the other is the Approved Sewage System Letter. These
can be obtained from the municipality and/or state and local
health department. The letters indicate that the water and sewer
systems are acceptable and approved for the establishment.
Host:
I would think at this point the owner of the establishment would
have to develop standard sanitation operating procedures and a
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point or HACCP plan which
becomes a part of this process.
Guest:
You’re right! The next two steps cover just that. A written
standard sanitation operating procedures for sanitation that are
specific to the plant are needed. And the last step requires that
the establishment has a written HACCP plan.
Host:
Pam, is all of this information contained in the guide?
Guest:
Yes, the guide provides samples of forms. It includes an extensive
list of agency contacts, technical resources and regulatory
references, and links to the federal regulations are included
whenever regulations are referenced in the guide.
Host:
How would potential applicants obtain this guide?
Guest:
This guide is available online at www.fsis.usda.gov. Click on the
business and partners page located in the left column under the
pull-down tab for “browse by audience.”
Host:
How can applicants obtain a copy of the guide if they don’t
have access to a computer?
Guest:
No problem. The district office can provide hard copies. And, FSIS
district office personnel are available to assist prospective
plant owners with the application process. They can also contact
1-800-336-3747for assistance.
Host:
This guide sounds like it has everything prospective plant owners
need in order to apply for a federal grant of inspection.
Guest:
FSIS has worked hard to make this guide complete and
user-friendly. We believe it will prove extremely helpful to those
opening a new plant under federal inspection.
Host:
Thank you, Pam, for your time today and thank you all for joining
us on this podcast.
Outro:
Well, that’s all for this episode. We’d like your feedback
on our podcast. Or if you have ideas for future podcasts, send
us an e-mail at podcast@fsis.usda.gov. To learn more about food
safety, try our web site at
www.fsis.usda.gov.
Thanks for tuning in.
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