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Constituent Update
Friday, May 26 2023

Constituent Update - May 26, 2023

GSA Breaks Ground on New FSIS Midwestern Lab

On May 24, 2023, FSIS and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) participated in a groundbreaking ceremony for the new FSIS Midwestern Laboratory in the St. Louis, Mo., metro region. The new facility will allow the FSIS Midwestern lab to evolve and incorporate advancements in science and technology to meet present and future challenges. Construction of the new lab is expected to begin this summer with an estimated completion date of spring/summer 2025.

Science and data are the foundation of our evolving approach to protect public health from harmful pathogens, chemicals, and allergens. FSIS laboratories operate 365 days a year, analyzing hundreds of product samples each day to identify potential hazards and threats to the food supply. The work FSIS scientists do each day is critical to USDA’s commitment to ensuring a safe food supply for the American people.

FSIS Visualizes Census Tribal Statistical Areas in MPI Directory

Today, FSIS launched a new enhancement to the Meat, Poultry and Egg Product Inspection (MPI) Directory that adds a layer visualizing Census Tribal Statistical Areas. This first-of-its-kind enhancement will help users identify establishments within or near Tribal Statistical Areas to better support local economies as well as FSIS’ outreach and recruitment efforts in these areas.

The MPI Directory is a listing of federally regulated establishments that produce meat, poultry, and/or egg products. The MPI Directory map is interactive, allowing users to zoom in/out and search within defined or custom traced boundaries. Users are also able to filter by location (FSIS district, state, and/or Tribal Statistical Area), establishment size, species slaughtered, production categories, and inspection activities. The directory is updated weekly. For questions, please email FSISDataDriven@usda.gov.

Remember Food Safety on Your Summer Vacation

Millions of Americans will hit the road soon to visit national parks, beaches, and campgrounds. You might pack sunblock, bug spray, and a picnic blanket to ensure a safe and smooth outing, and food safety is just as important. Incorporate USDA food safety tips into your summer plans to prevent illness from putting a damper on the adventure.

For more food safety information, reach out to the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. E.T. Save the number and email as a contact in your phone—1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854), MPHotline@usda.gov—and bookmark ask.usda.gov on your web browser to access the live chat feature.

Tips for Faster Label Approval Process

Labels are currently taking about 3-5 business days to evaluate. 

TIP: Sausages enclosed in casings may be required to declare the casing on the product label.

FSIS regulations 9 CFR 317.8(b)(38) and 381.117(g) require that collagen casings be declared on a product label under certain circumstances. The following three scenarios describe when a collagen casing declaration is necessary and when the declaration may be omitted:

  • Declaration of a collagen casing is not required when the source of the casing is known and is the same species or kind used in the meat block of the product, e.g., use of beef collagen casing on a beef sausage.
  • Declaration of a collagen casing is required when the source is known, and it is a different species or kind than that used in the meat block. For example, a sheep casing used on a pork sausage would require a statement such as “in a sheep collagen casing” on the product label.
  • If the source of the collagen casing is unknown, the casing must be declared, e.g., “packed in a collagen casing.”

Similarly, natural casings must be declared on the product label when the type of meat or poultry from which the casings are derived is different than that of the sausage, in accordance with 9 CFR 317.8(b)(37) and 381.117(f). For example, a turkey sausage stick packed in a natural pork casing would require a statement such as “packed in pork casings.”

A casing declaration should be located on the principal display panel or at the end of the ingredients statement on the product label.

FSIS will continue to provide updates regarding label turnaround time and suggestions to streamline label submissions in the Constituent Update.

Upcoming Events

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:

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 Directive 6100.8 - Instructions for Verification of Immunologically Castrated Hogs During Ante-Mortem Inspection - Revision 2

Export Requirements Update

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

  • European Union
  • Japan
  • French Polynesia (Tahiti)
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Canada
  • New Zealand
  • Kazakhstan
  • Egypt
  • Tunisia
  • Mexico
  • Jamaica
  • Myanmar
  • Vietnam
  • Jordan
  • Western Samoa (Samoa)
  • Qatar
  • India
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Taiwan
  • Kiribati
  • Solomon Islands

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

Last Updated: May 26, 2023