FSIS to Onboard Additional Countries to PHIS Export Component

Starting March 6, 2023, export certificates for meat and poultry products (excluding casings and egg products) exported to the following 45 additional countries will be generated in FSIS’ Public Health Information System (PHIS):

Albania; Antigua and Barbuda; Armenia; Bahrain; Bonaire; Colombia; Congo, Republic of (Brazzaville); Dominica; Dominican Republic; Ecuador; Egypt; Fiji; Ghana; Guatemala; Haiti; India; Indonesia; Jamaica; Jordan; Kenya; Kuwait; Kyrgyzstan; Kiribati; Lebanon; Malaysia; Mauritius; Moldova; Namibia; Nicaragua; Oman; Pakistan; Paraguay; Saba; Seychelles; Senegal; Sint Maarten; Solomon Islands; St. Eustatius; St. Lucia; Sudan; Suriname; Thailand; Timor-Leste; Trinidad and Tobago; and Uruguay.

All export certificates (FSIS Form 9060-5 series) generated through PHIS will be digitally signed and printed by industry personnel with PHIS access. FSIS inspection program personnel will print only upon request when industry does not have a functional printer or PHIS access (see FSIS Notice 22-22 for more information on printing procedures). All attestations as documented in the FSIS Export Library for the 45 countries added on March 6, 2023, will be captured in the FSIS Form 9060-5 remarks section or the FSIS Form 9060-5B (continuation sheet). 

This expansion is consistent with FSIS’ goal of increasing industry access to establishment data in PHIS. In February 2012, FSIS first opened PHIS to allow industry users the ability to review reports. In June 2018, FSIS enhanced PHIS to begin generating digitally signed export certificates for specified countries, regions, and territories. FSIS will continue to assess which countries, regions, and territories should be included in the next PHIS export implementation phase.

Industry is encouraged to use the Industry Test Environment (ITE) to test application submittals for export to these 45 countries. The ITE will be updated with the countries’ attestations and information for industry to test beginning on January 9, 2023. Please note that Electronic Authorization (eAuth) level 2 is required for all persons that will access PHIS, for both the test environment and the live production environment. Login credentials expire for those who have not used PHIS in 60 days. For those new to PHIS-export or with an expired eAuth level 2, please log in to initiate, update, or complete the eAuth level 2 and PHIS enrollment process.

For further guidance on PHIS export and enrollment, please refer to the following user guides:

• PHIS Industry User Guide
• Editing 9060 Records Quick Reference Guide
• PHIS Quick Reference Guide for Corporate and Establishment Management

Please contact askFSIS with policy questions regarding these changes. Technical questions can be directed to PHISTechnicalQA@usda.gov.

FSIS Posts AAR for Clostridium botulinum (Botulism) Linked to Commercial Canned Soup

FSIS has posted an after-action review (AAR) for a Clostridium botulinum (Botulism) illness potentially associated with commercially canned soup that occurred in 2022.

FSIS conducted the investigation in collaboration with public health officials from Arizona and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Results of the investigation suggest the illness was an isolated incident. FSIS investigation of the establishment, including laboratory results of similar cans tested, did not identify a source of the botulinum.

Additional reports and information about FSIS outbreak investigations are available on the FSIS website.

FSIS to Post Individual Category Status and Aggregate Results for Poultry Carcasses, Chicken Parts, and Comminuted Poultry Tested for Salmonella

On December 20, 2022, FSIS will update the individual establishment Salmonella performance standard category information for raw poultry carcasses, raw chicken parts, and comminuted poultry products on the Salmonella Verification Testing Program Monthly Posting page on the FSIS Website. Additionally, FSIS will post the aggregate sampling results showing the number of establishments in categories 1, 2, or 3 for establishments producing young poultry carcasses, raw chicken parts, or not ready-to-eat (NRTE) comminuted poultry products at the location linked above.

Available for Public Comment

FSIS seeks public comments on proposed rules and notices, which are viewable on the FSIS Federal Register & Rulemaking webpage. FSIS is currently seeking comments on the following:

• Until December 16: Proposed Framework for Controlling Salmonella in Poultry
• Until December 27: Notice of Request To Renew an Approved Information Collection: Specified Risk Materials
• Until December 27: Notice of Request To Renew an Approved Information Collection: Permit To Obtain Specimens of Condemned or Other Inedible Materials From Official Establishments
• Until December 30: NACMCF Report: Enhancing Salmonella Control in Poultry Products
• Until January 23: Use of a Non-Destructive Surface Sampling Device to Sample Domestic Beef Manufacturing Trimmings and Bench Trim

Policy Update

FSIS notices and directives on public health and regulatory issues are available on the FSIS Policy webpage. The following policy update was recently issued:

FSIS Notice 67-22 - Establishing a Uniform Time Period Requirement and Clarifying Related Procedures for the Filing of Appeals of Agency Inspection Decisions or Actions

FSIS Notice 13000.3 - Responding in PHIS to Industry Appeal of a Noncompliance Record - Revision 2

Export Requirements Update

The Library of Export Requirements has been updated for products for the following:

• Vietnam
• Morocco
• Mauritius
• Japan
• New Zealand
• Egypt
• Nicaragua
• India
• Costa Rica
• Ecuador
• Colombia
• United Kingdom
• Qatar
• Jordan
• Myanmar
• Taiwan
• French Polynesia (Tahiti)
• Kiribati
• United Arab Emirates
• Singapore
• Korea
• Hong Kong
• New Caledonia
• Western Samoa (Samoa)
• Solomon Islands

Complete information can be found at the FSIS Import & Export Library.