Reviews of State Programs
This report presents the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service's (FSIS) fiscal year (FY) 2022 audit results for State Meat and Poultry Inspection (MPI) programs that currently operate under cooperative agreements with FSIS.[1] It is a final summary of audit results communicated in four separate reports that were issued earlier in the year to State MPI programs by a multi-disciplinary audit team comprised of Federal-State audit Staff (FSAS), Civil Rights Staff (CRS), Financial Review and Systems Branch (FRSB), and Laboratory Quality Assurance, Response, and Coordination Staff (LQARCS).
FSIS completed annual desk audits of 27 State MPI programs,[2] initial desk audits of the 2 new State MPI programs[3] and conducted routine onsite verification audits of 9 State MPI programs.[4]
In FY 2022, the 29 State MPI programs provided inspection to over 1,500 small and very small establishments. Upon completion of comprehensive audits of the States' self-assessment documents, FSIS determined that each of the 27 States developed laws, administrative rules, regulations, and program policies to administer MPI programs in a manner "at least equal to" the Federal inspection program.
Through the comprehensive reviews, FSIS determines whether each State MPI program is at least equal to the Federal inspection program, and includes evaluation of the following nine components:
- Statutory Authority and Food Safety Regulations
- Inspection
- Sampling Programs
- Staffing, Training, and Supervision
- Humane Handling
- Compliance
- Laboratory Quality Assurance Program and Methods
- Civil Rights
- Financial Accountability
FY2023 Review of State Programs
Read the Report[1] This report does not include egg products, which are also regulated by USDA-FSIS. The Federal Egg Products Inspection Act (EPIA) (21 U.S.C. 1031 et seq.) makes no provisions for State inspections.
[2] The 27 States are Alabama, Arizona, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
[3] The two new MPI programs are Oregon and Arkansas. Oregon submitted documentation in July and Arkansas submitted documentation in October prior to beginning operations.
[4] The 9 onsite States are Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas and Wisconsin.
