Joint Partnership Will Make the Nation's Food Supply More Secure
FSIS, in partnership with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) signed
a cooperative agreement with the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA), on Thursday,
September 23, 2004. The agreement will further develop integrated federal-state response plans, in support of the
National Response Plan, for food and agricultural emergencies.
"Strengthening the food security infrastructure remains a high priority for the Bush Administration," said
Agriculture Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Elsa Murano. "An integrated federal-state response plan will
supplement the nation's strong food safety threat response system with additional measures to improve the ability of
federal, state and local officials to prevent deliberate food contamination."
FSIS, FDA and DHS's Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection are funding the development of an integrated
approach to prepare for and respond to emergencies affecting national agriculture and food infrastructure.
The state departments of agriculture will gain technical expertise from FSIS, FDA and DHS officials through workgroups
and tabletop exercises. Best practices and guidelines for federal and state food regulatory officials will be developed
to address lessons learned from case studies and threat assessments.
Coordination and cooperation among stakeholders in food safety and security continues to be a principal commitment of
the Administration as it continually strives to make greater advances in protecting the nation's food supply from
intentional and unintentional threats.
Additional information about food security is available on the FSIS Web page at
www.fsis.usda.gov/Food_Security_&_Emergency_Preparedness/
and FDA's Web page, www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/fsterr.html.
FSIS Takes a Formal Swipe at Listeria
FSIS is taking another stride in the protection of public health through a new method of data collection to ensure that
establishments processing certain Ready to Eat meat and poultry products are free from Listeria monocytogenes (Lm).
Key to this data collection is the use of FSIS Form 10,240-1, Production Information on Post-Lethality Exposed Ready-to-Eat (RTE)
Products.
Forms are available online at www.fsis.usda.gov/Forms/index.asp. The forms may be completed
on-line, printed and mailed to FSIS/USDA, Data Analysis and Statistical Support Staff, Cotton Annex Building, 300 12th Street,
SW, Room 201, Washington DC, 20250 or faxed to (202) 690-0824.
The form was developed in response to an interim final rule (68 CFR 34207) that amended its regulations to require that official
establishments that produce certain RTE meat and poultry products prevent adulteration by the pathogen Lm. In this
interim final rule, FSIS identified three alternative methods for addressing post-lethality contamination of RTE products by
Lm and required that establishments adopt and implement one of these alternatives.
FSIS will develop its risk based verification testing program for establishments and RTE products based on information collected
from Form 10,240-1. This measure is part of FSIS' continuing mission to develop strategies that address food safety hazards
throughout the entire food production chain.
For further information contact Dr. Arshad Hussain, Director, Analysis and Statistical Support Staff, Food Safety and Inspection
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, phone (202) 720-3219. Please direct questions to the Technical Service Center at
1-800-233-3953.
Codex Committee Public Meeting to Address Residues of Veterinary Drugs In Foods
Codex will hold a public meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 28, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., to provide information and receive comments on
agenda items for the 15th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission's Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods
(CCRVDF) to be held Oct. 26-29 in Alexandria, Virginia.
The public meeting will be held at the Best Western Washington Gateway Hotel, Main Ballroom, 1251 West Montgomery Avenue,
Rockville, Md. The meeting will allow attendees the opportunity to pose questions and offer comments on the issues and draft
U.S. positions that are to be described and discussed at the October session.
Among the agenda items to be discussed are: Maximum Residue Limits for Veterinary Drugs; Code of Practices to Minimize and
Contain Antimicrobial Resistance; and Guidelines to Establish a Regulatory Program for the Control of Veterinary Drug Residues
in Food.
To submit comments or to receive copies of documents on the agenda, contact the FSIS Docket Room, Docket #04-030N, U.S. Department
of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Room 102, Cotton Annex, 300 12th St., SW, Washington, DC 20250-3700.
For further information contact Edith E. Kennard, Staff Officer, U.S. Codex Office, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Room
4861, South Agriculture Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250; phone (202) 205-5261 or
email
edith.kennard@fsis.usda.gov.
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Reminder: FSIS Issues Notice on Humane Handling Requirements
FSIS published a notice encouraging establishments to use a systematic approach to ensure that they are meeting the
requirements of the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act (HMSA) during handling and slaughter.
FSIS recommends establishments identify where and under what circumstances livestock might experience excitement,
discomfort or accidental injury while being handled in connection with the slaughter process. Also, establishments are
encouraged to design facilities and implement practices that will minimize discomfort and injury in accordance with
existing regulations. Plants should periodically evaluate their system for effectiveness and improve or adjust operations
accordingly. FSIS believes implementing these steps will serve to improve product quality and efficiency as well as enhance
worker safety.
The HMSA requires that humane methods for handling and slaughtering be used for all meat inspected by FSIS. This statute seeks
to prevent needless suffering and results in safer and better working conditions. FSIS assigns inspectors to slaughter plants
to ensure compliance with HMSA requirements for humane slaughter and handling methods.
For further information contact Lynn Dickey, Ph.D., Director, Regulations and Petitions Policy Staff, Office of Policy, Program
and Employee Development, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Cotton Annex Building, 300 12th Street, S.W., Room 112, Washington
DC, 20250-3700, phone (202) 720-5627.
Library of Export Requirement Updated
The Library of Export Requirements has been updated to reflect changes in export requirements for Brazil, France, Japan, Moldova, Peru and Saudi Arabia.
Complete information can be found at: www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations/Export_Information
Featured Office of the Week: Office of the Administrator
The Administrator is FSIS' top official, with overall responsibility for all inspection and standard-setting activities.
The Office of the Administrator (OA) oversees FSIS' eight major programs. OA houses the U.S. Office of the Codex Alimentarius
Commission and the Special Assistant for Civil Rights.
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