USDA Seeks Nominees for the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking nominees for membership on the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMPI). The committee provides advice and recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture on meat and poultry inspection programs. The full committee consists of 20 members, and each person selected is expected to serve a two-year term. There are 15 available positions. Nominations for membership are being sought from persons representing industry, academia, state and local government, public health organizations, consumers and consumer organizations.

Nomination packages are due Nov. 8, 2018. NACMPI is seeking members with knowledge and interest in meat and poultry food safety and other FSIS policies and welcomes individuals with demonstrated ability to represent minorities, women, and persons with disabilities. The committee will meet at least once annually. For information on how to apply, please visit: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/10/09/2018-21859/national-advisory-committee-on-meat-and-poultry-inspection-nominations-for-membership.

FSIS Posts Updated Dataset on Imports

On Oct. 15, 2018, FSIS will update the publicly posted dataset on import refusals for products regulated by FSIS. Federal law requires every commercial shipment of imported meat, poultry, and egg products to be inspected prior to product entering U.S. commerce. FSIS inspects each shipment to verify labeling, proper certification, general condition, any signs of tampering and to identify product adulterated by transportation damage. FSIS also performs additional activities on a random and for-cause basis such as physical product examination and laboratory sampling for pathogens and chemical residues.

Any product that does not meet FSIS requirements is refused entry, and the importer has up to 45 days (30 days for egg products) to have the product destroyed for use as human food, re-exported/returned to the foreign country, converted to animal food, or brought into compliance with FSIS requirements, if applicable (e.g., relabeled, remarked, replacement certificate). This dataset is updated around the 15th of each month and contains each shipment with product that was refused entry. For more information, please visit: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/science-data/data-sets-visualizations.

Reminder: USDA and FDA Will Hold a Joint Public Meeting on Use of Animal Cell Culture Technology to Develop Products Derived from Livestock and Poultry

On Sept. 10, 2018, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, DVM and U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D. announced a joint public meeting to be held on Oct. 23-24, 2018 to discuss the use of cell culture technology to develop products derived from livestock and poultry.

The joint public meeting, hosted by the FSIS and the FDA, will focus on the potential hazards, oversight considerations, and labeling of cell cultured food products derived from livestock and poultry. The first day of the meeting will focus primarily on the potential hazards that need to be controlled for the safe production of animal cell cultured food products and oversight considerations by regulatory agencies. The second day of the meeting will focus on labeling considerations. Attendees are encouraged to pre-register to attend the meeting. Pre-registration is available at the Meetings and Events page on the FSIS website. The meeting will be held on Oct. 23 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Oct. 24 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Jefferson Auditorium in the U.S. Department of Agriculture South Building, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, D.C. 20250.

To view the meeting agenda, please visit: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media_file/2021-03/USDA-FDA-Cell-Culture-Technology-Agenda.pdf.

 Policy Updates

FSIS notices and directives on public health and regulatory issues are available at: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/policy/directives-notices.  The following policy updates were recently issued:

Notice 56-18 - Performance Management Updates for Fiscal Year 2019 Standards

Docket No. FSIS-2018-0037 - Notice of Request To Renew an Approved Information Collection (Laboratories)

Docket No. FSIS-2018-0038 - Notice of Request To Renew an Approved Information Collection (Records To Be Kept by Official Establishments and Retail Stores That Grind Raw Beef Products)

Docket No. FSIS-2018-0042 - National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection Nominations for Membership

Export Requirements Updates

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

• Japan
• Singapore

For a complete list of countries, visit https://www.fsis.usda.gov/inspection/import-export.