September is National Preparedness Month: A Flooding Checklist

Rivers rise, the ground saturates and levees fail. Floods happen and they happen beside rivers, on the coast, in deserts and in city streets. Flooding might be a fact of nature, but that does not mean you have to lose your business and possessions to flood waters.

September is National Preparedness Month. This year’s theme is “Don’t Wait. Communicate. Make Your Emergency Plan Today.” National Preparedness Month serves as a reminder that everyone must take action to be prepared, now and throughout the year for the types of emergencies that could impact us.

It is never too early to prepare. That is why FSIS has developed tools like “Flooding: A Checklist for Small and Very Small Meat, Poultry and Egg Inspection Processing Plants.” The brochure has simple and inexpensive steps that you can take right now to protect your business and employees from a disaster.

Every state is at risk from a flood and it is critical that every plant is aware of flood hazards no matter where they are located. It is especially vital if your business is in a low-lying area, near water or downstream from a dam.

The brochure covers what you can do to prepare for a flood, respond to a flood that has occurred and the steps your business can take to begin the recovery process if the worst happens. Every page is filled with steps you can take to safeguard your facilities, employees and product you produce. The flooding brochure is available at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/5ac6e4ee-7850-4366-8010-c146c6d56f52/Flooding_Brochure.pdf?MOD=AJPERES.

Updated Sampling Results Are Available

FSIS is announcing the availability of the updated sampling results for FSIS regulated products. Quarterly, FSIS calculates prevalence, volume weighted percent positive or percent positive calculations for microbial pathogens in FSIS regulated products that are currently sampled through existing sampling projects using the prior 12 months of sampling data. Sampling results are available for raw beef, raw pork, raw chicken, raw turkey, processed eggs and ready-to-eat products at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/data-collection-and-reports/microbiology/sampling-project-results/results.

FSIS Posts Industry FAQ on Deleting Requirement to Send Export Certificate to U.S. CBP

FSIS has posted a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document on the elimination of FSIS’ previous requirement that exporters file a copy of the meat export certificate with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The export final rule is available at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/3538b05e-151c-4d82-8664-096452a32778/2009-0026.pdf?MOD=AJPERES and theFAQ document can be found at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/8dd48fdb-33a7-4784-a651-622ceceb8039/CBP-Certificate-Filing.pdf?MOD=AJPERES.

Food Safety Discovery Zone Wraps Up 2016 Tour in Massachusetts

The USDA’s Food Safety Discovery Zone (FSDZ) will be wrapping up its 2016 tour with its largest event of the year in the Big Eastern States Exposition, “The Big E,” from Sept. 16 to Oct. 2, 2016. The schedule is as follows: Sunday to Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. EDT and Friday and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. EDT. The FSDZ will be at 1305 Memorial Ave, West Springfield, Mass.

FSIS uses the FSDZ, a 40-foot interactive vehicle to educate consumers about the four food safety messages: Clean, Separate, Cook and Chill from the Food Safe Families campaign. Some of the features in the vehicle include a hand washing station where visitors can learn the proper techniques to washing hands, and a cooking station to demonstrate how to properly use a food thermometer to verify foods have been cooked to a safe internal temperature. For more information, please visit http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/usda-food-safety-discovery-zone-mobile/food-safety-mobile.

Policy Updates

FSIS notices and directives on public health and regulatory issues are available at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/regulations. The following policy updates were recently issued:
•Notice 66-16 - Requirements for the Disposition of Non-Ambulatory Disabled Veal Calves
•Notice 67-16 - Fiscal Year 2017 Pay Periods and Official Payday Dates
•Notice 68-17 - Further Delay of WEBTA 4.2 Implementation
•Notice 69-16 - Time and Attendance Reporting Procedures for Pay Period 19
•Directive 5030.5 - Review of Egg Products Plants Drawings and Specifications
•Docket No. FSIS-2016-0029 - Codex Alimentarius Commission - Meeting of the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene

Export Requirement Updates

The Library of Export Requirements has been updated for products for the following country:
•Mexico

Complete information can be found at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/international-affairs/exporting-products.

Food Recalls and Alerts

For information regarding recalls, please contact the Congressional and Public Affairs Staff at (202) 720-9113. You can also receive e-mail notifications when public health alerts and recalls are issued by registering at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/subscribe.

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/newsroom/meetings/newsletters/constituent-updates/archive/2016/ConstUpdate091616