Dustin Vande Hoef
Communications Director
515/281-3375 or 515/326-1616 (cell)
or Dustin.VandeHoef@IowaAgriculture.gov
DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey is encouraging Iowans concerned about a recent proposal by USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) that could impact the ability of Iowa’s small meat processors to continue to serve our rural communities to submit comments before the June 19 deadline.
Small meat processors have expressed concerns that Draft Guidance issued by USDA could require them to do significantly more microbial testing, which would dramatically increase costs for these businesses and limit their competitiveness while having unclear benefits to food safety.
“I have heard a lot of concerns about the proposed rule changes by USDA from the owners of our state’s small meat processing facilities as well as the livestock producers and rural residents that benefit from having these businesses located in their community,” Northey said. “Recent comments from leaders at USDA indicate that they are moving away from some of the most costly new proposed requirements, but it remains important that concerned citizens continue to make their views known.”
Comments can be submitted to USDA via email at: DraftValidationGuideComments@fsis.usda.gov, or by mail at: Docket Clerk, USDA, FSIS, Room 2-2127, 5601 Sunnyside Avenue, Beltsville, MD 20705.
In March USDA released updated Draft Guidance redefining validation for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) systems. HACCP requires meat processors to identify potential food safety hazards in their processes and then take effective, scientifically proven actions to reduce, control, or eliminate the risk of the hazards and thereby better protecting food safety.
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is responsible for implementing Iowa’s cooperating agreements with USDA FSIS to provide meat and poultry inspection that is “at least equal to” the federal requirements. The major difference is that state inspected products are not allowed interstate commerce.
Northey sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack expressing concerns about the proposal in April. A copy of that letter as well as a response from Vilsack to State Departments of Agriculture can be found by clicking on the links below.
Northey Letter
Vilsack Response
