The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has sent its proposed rule to modernize the U.S. poultry inspection system to the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) for review, and will post on the OMB website shortly.
“I commend USDA for taking the next step in an effort to modernize the way the agency inspects chicken,” said NCC President Mike Brown. “In an effort to continue our progress towards reducing foodborne illnesses, we believe, along with food safety experts, that the poultry inspection system should be modernized and transitioned to a model that is more science and risk-based. Not only will this system build on our food safety progress, if fully implemented, it will create jobs.
“We look forward to reviewing the final rule in its entirety. After a successful 15-year pilot program, I urge OIRA to perform an expeditious review.”
At facilities that process chickens for meat, FSIS is the public health agency within USDA that is responsible for inspecting every chicken. The U.S. meat and poultry inspection system complements efforts by chicken processors to ensure that the nation’s supply of poultry products is safe, wholesome and correctly labeled and packaged.
In its risk assessment accompanying the proposed rule, FSIS estimated that if implemented, this modernized system would prevent more than 5,200 foodborne illnesses every year.
OIRA’s review of the rule is the last step before the rule becomes final and published in the Federal Register. The rule was proposed in January 27, 2012, and the comment period closed May 29, 2012.
The National Chicken Council today also announced the launch of a new, informative website – www.ChickenInspectionFacts.com – designed for consumers and the media to help them better understand both the traditional and modernized inspection processes. The website contains: video of a chicken processing line; video testimonials from food safety, veterinary and poultry processing experts; a Myths & Facts section; a timeline; and several infographics and diagrams.
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