2024 Rates for the Basetime, Overtime, Holiday, Laboratory Services, and Export Application Fees

On December 21, 2023, FSIS published a Federal Register notice announcing the 2024 fees it will charge meat, poultry, and egg products establishments, importers, and exporters for providing voluntary, overtime, holiday, identification, certification, and laboratory services. The notice also announces that there will be no change to the fee FSIS assesses to exporters that choose to apply for export certificates electronically through the export component of the agency’s Public Health Information System. The rate changes will be applied on January 14, 2024.

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

On December 20, 2023, FSIS updated 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 posted 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.

Tips for Faster Label Approval

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

TIP: When using a new livestock or poultry supplier in a product bearing approved animal-raising claims on the label, an establishment may submit a letter in lieu of a new label application.

When FSIS approves a label with an animal-raising claim, the documentation in the application must include relevant information regarding the supplier of the livestock or poultry. If an establishment wishes to use a different source of livestock or poultry that is also eligible to bear the same animal-raising claim, the new supplier must also be approved by FSIS. Rather than submitting a new label application to FSIS, the establishment may submit either a signed and dated letter request by email to Animalraising.label@usda.gov or a hard copy letter to the Labeling and Program Delivery Staff. 

PHIS Q&A

Question: I accidently deleted my export certificate; how can I retrieve it? 

Answer: Once deleted, it can’t be retrieved. A new application is warranted.

Visit PHIS Help for Industry for additional resources.

Knowledge Article

askFSIS Public Q&A: If There are Minor Errors on my Label, will it be Modified or Returned?

Whether your label is modified or returned is dependent on the nature of the errors on the application or on the label. The Labeling and Program Delivery Staff (LPDS) staff will often make modifications and return the label “approved as modified.” In some cases, staff may modify formulations or processing procedures, based on information requested, if they are simple and required. For example, if a product is labeled “Hickory Smoked,” and the processing procedures state “smoked,” LPDS staff could stipulate “Hickory Smoked” in the processing procedures, as opposed to returning the label to question if 100% hickory smoke is used. If a chili product has a formula with 39% beef, and the standard requires 40%, LPDS might increase the beef and drop another ingredient, e.g., water, as a matter of efficiency. Sometimes, LPDS staff may contact companies directly before making such changes, or they may return labels for clarification or changes.

Questions? Please submit them through askFSIS by filling out the web form on the FSIS website.