FSIS

For the first time in 50 years, the USDA is updating its egg product inspection methods. "The last time we did make a change to the egg product inspection act was in 1970 when we last changed the way that we're performing inspection methods, noted Paul Kiecker Food Safety and Inspection Service Administrator ...

One of the current priorities for USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service is reaching out to small-scale meat processors. "At FSIS we have about 6500 regulated establishments throughout the United States and Territories. And as you can see on the slide about 5200 of those or 90% of all federally inspected establishments are either small or very small," said FSIS Assistant Administrator

The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service will host a virtual public meeting on Salmonella next month. Federal agencies included in the meeting will discuss the commitment to reduce pathogen contamination to decrease salmonella infections associated with regulated food items. T ...

Up until the last decade or so, most of made our food choices based on cost, convenience and taste.  But now more and more Americans are making choices based on a slew of different claims put on labels, especially on meat and poultry products. ...

As the government shutdown continues, consumers may be concerned what USDA services are and are not being offered.  Acting Deputy Undersecretary for Food Safety Carmen Rottenberg FSIS inspectors are on-site at every plant for slaughter facilities during all hours of operation." ...

You may have seen a Consumer Reports article recently that alleges the Agricultural Department's Meat Inspection System has been finding trace amounts of drugs residues in meat samples, and not stopping that meat from being marketed.  The magazine based that article on partial screening data received from USDA, however,     "This reliance on a document that contains data that "Consumer R

The Department of Agriculture is accepting public comment on a policy that allows foreign beef to be labeled as “Product of USA” if inspected in the United States. The comment period opened last week following a petition by the American Grassfed Association and the Organization for Competitive Markets. The petiti...

The Trump Administration is planning to put together a government reorganizing report that would include shifting SNAP away from the USDA and into the Department of Health and Human Services.  Several of the proposals in the upcoming report are said to be highly controversial.  The SNA...

A 2014 Government Accountability Office audit of the USDA's food safety and inspection service recommended improving on farm practices to reduce packages that contaminate processed meat and poultry.   "This is an area in which FSIS does not actually have on farm or pre-harvest jurisdiction. We ...

USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service is looking to hire more veterinarians.   “All across the country, we have vacancies and we have approximately 100 vacancies,” said Carmen Rotenberg, USDA Acting Deputy Undersecretary for FSIS.  She said that figure repr...