On January 27, 2012, USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) published a proposed rule in the Federal Register that would establish a new poultry slaughter inspection system. The proposed rule would replace the current Streamlined Inspection System (SIS), New Line Speed Inspection System (NELS), and New Turkey Inspection System (NTIS), as well as issue new requirements for all (non-ratite) poultry slaughter establishments, including those operating under traditional inspection. The proposal would eliminate some prescriptive processing requirements, requiring instead that establishments incorporate adequate procedures and sampling into their HACCP plans, sanitation standard operating procedures (SSOPs), or other prerequisite programs. Comments are due by April 26, 2012.
The National Chicken Council has begun to take an in-depth look at the proposed rule and will be filing comments.
A copy of the proposed rule can be found here: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FRPubs/2011-0012.pdf.
