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Deputy Secretary Merrigan Announces New Opportunities for Small Meat and Poultry Processors
Ohio First to Participate in USDA's Cooperative Interstate Shipment Program
Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan yesterday announced that Ohio will be the first state to participate
in USDA's Cooperative Interstate Shipment Program, allowing small, state-inspected meat processers to ship their
products across state lines. This action expands economic opportunities for America's small meat processers,
strengthens state and local economies as well as increases consumer access to safe, locally produced food.
"This agreement allows a small processor in Ohio to sell products to neighbors in Pennsylvania, West Virginia,
Indiana and beyond," said Deputy Secretary Merrigan. "Expanding market opportunities for meat from local
processors makes these small businesses more viable, while also ensuring that participating establishments have
robust food safety systems in place to produce safe food for consumers."
Under the cooperative agreement, small, state-inspected businesses with 25 or fewer employees will be allowed to
sell meat and poultry products across state lines. Meat and poultry products produced in selected establishments
will be subject to the same regulatory sampling programs as those established in the Federal inspection program.
To view the press release in detail, go to www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/
usdahome?navid=LATEST_RELEASES.
Food Defense Plan Survey Ends Today
FSIS is concluding its 7th annual Food Defense Plan Survey today, Aug. 10, 2012, to determine how many
FSIS-regulated processing and slaughter establishments, as well as official import inspection establishments have
voluntarily adopted a functional food defense plan.
FSIS established an agency performance goal for 2015 to have at least 90 percent of establishments with a functional
plan. Results from the July 2011 survey indicated that approximately 75 percent of all plants have adopted plans.
In addition, this year is the first year FSIS had the ability to conduct the survey through PHIS.
For guidance and documents related to food defense, go to
www.fsis.usda.gov/Food_Defense_&_Emergency_Response/
index.asp.
For questions and additional assistance, contact the Small Plant Help Desk at (877) FSIS-HELP, (877-374-7435).
Any policy-related questions can also be addressed through the Policy Development Division at
http://askfsis.custhelp.com or (800) 233-3935.
FSIS Posts New Resources
The agency recently posted to its website, a table of newly approved substances determined to be safe and suitable
by FDA and FSIS for use in meat, poultry and processed egg products.
The table, which is in Excel format, is a quick reference to new substances highlighted in Directive 7120.1, Rev. 12,
which published on July 5.
The directive is updated on a quarterly basis and includes information added since April 6. For questions about the
directive go to the agency's question and answer forum askFSIS at http://askfsis.custhelp.com.
To access the table and other related documents, visit www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations/RD_7120_1/index.asp.
Updates on FSIS Testing for E. coli
FSIS posts bi-weekly updates for the agency's raw ground beef E. coli sampling program. Included are
testing results of raw ground beef component samples for E. coli O157:H7 and STECs from FSIS routine
and follow-up sampling programs. Also featured is data for non-O157 STECs by each non-O157 STEC serogroup.
To review testing results, go to www.fsis.usda.gov/Science/
Ground_Beef_E.Coli_Testing_Results/index.asp.
Export Requirement Updates
The Library of Export Requirements has been updated to reflect changes in export requirements for the following countries:
Complete information can be found at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations_&_Policies/
Export_Information/index.asp.
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Last Modified:
August 13, 2012 |
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