Download Locations

• National Agricultural Law Center

Summary

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) must inspect most meat, poultry, and processed egg products for safety, wholesomeness, and labeling. Federal inspectors or their state counterparts are present at all times in virtually all slaughter plants and for at least part of each day in establishments that further process meat and poultry products. Debate has ensued for decades over whether this system, designed in the early 1900s, has kept pace with changes in the food production and marketing industries. Current issues include: Is enough being done to address longstanding concerns about naturally occurring microbiological contamination? In 1996, FSIS added a sweeping new system known as Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) -- essentially plant-specific contamination prevention plans -- on top of the traditional "sight-, smell-, and touch-based" inspection system. Proposals to delineate pathogen performance standards are part of H.R. 1148 and S. 654. Does FSIS have adequate funding and resources, and/or should industry pay more for inspection? FSIS inspection is mainly funded through USDA's annual appropriation. Congress has denied successive Administrations' proposals to impose new user fees. Separately, Congress recently included an amendment to H.R. 2206 (P.L. 110-28, the Iraq war funding measure) delaying implementation of a controversial new "risk based inspection system" aimed at shifting some existing resources from processing plants and products that pose relatively lower safety risks to others posing relatively higher risks. Should state-inspected meat and poultry products be allowed in interstate commerce? H.R. 1760/ S. 1149 would lift the longstanding ban on such shipments; other related bills are H.R. 2315 and S. 1150. Should USDA be given more authority to recall suspect meat and poultry products? Recall provisions are in H.R. 1148/S. 654 and H.R. 2108/S. 1274. Is legislation needed to improve the ability to trace animals, meat, and poultry products? One bill (H.R. 1018) would prohibit a mandatory animal ID system; another (H.R. 2301) would set up a producer-run program. S. 1292 would require a more extensive farm-to-fork traceability system. Should Congress further address animal welfare? Proposed bills (H.R. 661; S. 394) are pending that would require the immediate euthanization of nonambulatory livestock and that would ban their use for human food. Separately, H.R. 503 and S. 311 would ban horse slaughter for human consumption. Should U.S. food safety responsibilities be consolidated under a single agency? Companion bills did not advance in the 109th Congress, but there is continued interest in them in the 110th Congress, where H.R. 1148 and S. 654, to create a single food agency, have been introduced.

Related Legislation:
• H.R.1148
• S.654
• H.R.2206
• H.R.1760
• S.1149
• H.R.2315
• S.1150
• H.R.2108
• S.1274
• H.R.1018
• H.R.2301
• S.1292
• H.R.661
• S.394
• H.R.503
• S.311

XML