1. PURPOSE
   This notice provides instructions for inspection program personnel (IPP) to notify poultry slaughter establishments operating under the New Poultry Inspection System (NPIS) that an updated guideline is now available. This guideline provides information to help poultry establishments train employees to conduct carcass and associated viscera sorting activities that are required under the NPIS.
2. BACKGROUND
   1. The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) published a final rule to establish a new inspection system called the NPIS (79 FR 49566). Under the NPIS establishment personnel are required to sort carcasses and remove unacceptable carcasses and parts before the birds are presented to the FSIS online carcass inspector. Training establishment sorters is vitally important to ensure they can properly perform their duties under the NPIS. FSIS developed guidance to assist establishments in training carcass sorters. This guidance is based on training that FSIS provides to its online IPP who perform post-mortem inspection under other inspection systems.
   2. FSIS updated the guideline to reflect the final rule, "Condemnation of Poultry Carcasses Affected With Any Form of Avian Leukosis Complex; Recission," published on August 17, 2023 (88 FR 55909). Therefore, FSIS updated the guideline to make clear that leukosis is now considered a localized trimmable condition.
3. IPP RESPONSIBILITIES
   1. If an establishment slaughters poultry under the NPIS, IPP are to share the hyperlink to the document and make establishment management aware of this revised guidance document at the next weekly meeting.
   2. IPP are to be aware that this document is guidance for establishments, not requirements. Instructions for IPP on how to perform online and offline post-mortem inspection procedures at poultry slaughter establishments operating under the NPIS may be found in FSIS Directive 6500.1, New Poultry Inspection System: Post-Mortem Inspection and Verification of Ready-To-Cook Requirement.
   3. IPP are to inform establishment management that:
      1. The guideline is available on the FSIS website at: FSIS Guideline for Training Establishment Carcass Sorters in the New Poultry Inspection System (NPIS)
      2. The guidance articulates how establishments can meet FSIS' expectations regarding sorting activities under the NPIS.
      3. IPP are to document this discussion in a Memorandum of Interview (MOI) following the instructions in FSIS Directive 5010.1, Food Safety Related Topics for Discussion During Weekly Meetings with Establishment Management.
4. QUESTIONS
   Refer questions regarding this notice to your supervisor or as needed to the Office of Policy and Program Development through askFSIS or by telephone at 1-800-233-3935. When submitting a question, complete the web form and select Sampling as the Inquiry Type.

NOTE: Refer to FSIS Directive 5,620.1, Using askFSIS, for additional information on submitting questions.