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Food Safety and Inspection
Service United States Department of Agriculture Washington, D.C. 20250-3700 |
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Food Safety and Inspection
Service United States Department of Agriculture Washington, D.C. 20250-3700 |
News and Information
April 18, 2001
| TO: | Ratites and Squabs Industry Representatives and Group Associations |
|---|---|
| FROM: | Philip S. Derfler Deputy Administrator Office of Policy, Program Development and Evaluation |
| SUBJECT: | Ratite and Squab Mandatory Inspection |
Congress, in the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for 2001, provided that ratites and squabs slaughter and processing for distribution in commerce as human food will be, as of April 26, 2001, subject to the antemortem and postmortem inspection, reinspection, and sanitation requirements of the Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA). The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) will not charge establishments for providing ratite or squab inspection services except for overtime and holiday inspection service.
The Agency wishes to make the change from voluntary to mandatory inspection with minimal disruption to ratite and squab processors, State inspection programs, and FSIS inspectors. The Agency envisions that inspection of ratites will change little from inspection as presented in the October 30, 1995 Ratite Slaughter Inspection Guidelines currently used by FSIS for voluntary inspection of ratites. The Agency intends to inspect squabs using the Traditional Inspection procedures.
FSIS plans to publish an Interim Final Rule in the Federal Register prior to the effective date of April 26, 2001. This Interim Final Rule will amend the Poultry Products Inspection Regulations and the Voluntary Poultry Inspection Regulations to include ratites and squabs under the mandatory poultry inspection regulations.
In addition, the Agency is preparing two FSIS Notices for distribution to FSIS inspectors before April 26, 2001, one regarding ratite inspection and another regarding squab inspection, to provide background and general information on FSIS inspection responsibilities when inspecting ratites and squabs. All parts of the PPIA and FSIS regulations will be applicable to ratites and squabs unless otherwise specified in the FSIS Interim Final Rule.
Before being granted Federal inspection, an establishment must have written Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan that the establishment has validated. This is a requirement under the regulations that implement the Poultry Products Inspection Act. Establishments can receive conditional grants of inspection for a period of not more than 90 days while they validate their HACCP plans.
Ratite and squab plants operating in designated states will be required to operate under FSIS inspection on and after April 26, 2001, unless exempted by Federal regulations. A designated state is a state that does not have a poultry inspection program recognized by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as equal to the Federal program. Ratite and squab plants operating in non-designated states under USDA recognized state poultry inspection programs would have the option of remaining under the State program or requesting Federal inspection.
However, ratite or squab products for human consumption must be produced under Federal inspection to be eligible for interstate or foreign commerce.
Operators slaughtering or processing ratites or squabs for transport or sale in commerce under a Federal voluntary inspection program must apply to the appropriate FSIS District Office for a mandatory grant of inspection before April 26, 2001.
We suggest that plants contact the FSIS District Office if they have questions regarding converting from voluntary to mandatory inspection or exemptions from inspection; and the Slaughter Operations Staff at the Technical Service Center, telephone (402) 221-7400, regarding SOPs or HACCP plan questions. Please see the enclosed* list for telephone numbers and locations of District Offices.
For additional information please contact Dr. Arshad Hussain, Director, Inspection and Enforcement Standards Development Staff, Office of Policy, Program Development, and Evaluation, FSIS, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 202, Cotton Annex, 300 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20250-3700, (202) 720-3219.
Enclosure
*Editor's Note: Attachments/enclosures are sent with faxed versions of this report only. Links will be provided to electronic copy, when available.
For Further Information Contact:
FSIS Constituent Affairs Program
Phone: (202) 720-9113
Fax: (202) 720-5704
E-mail:
LisaWallenda.Picard@fsis.usda.gov