Posted October 31, 2013
USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) recently released an advance notice for a new guidance on the humane handling of livestock, according to a FSIS news release available here. The Guidance is available here.
The “FSIS Compliance Guide for a Systematic Approach to
the Humane Handling of Livestock” supports the Humane
Methods of Slaughter Act and intends to better ensure the humane treatment
of livestock by establishing a set of practices that will assist establishments
in “minimizing excitement, discomfort and accidental injury.” Agri-Pulse reported on the story here.
The guidance provides a list of voluntary best
practices and includes a sample assessment tool that should help producers pass
FSIS inspections, according to the agency.
“The guidance is one example of our commitment to the
humane treatment of animals. We continue
to implement improvements so that we have the best system possible,” said Al
Almanza, FSIS Administrator.
Dave Warner of the National Pork Producers Council
(NPPC) said that his group is withholding comment until it sees the final
version of the guidance.
An Office of the Inspector General (OIG) report
released in May found that FSIS failed to deter repeat offenders of the Federal
Meat Inspection Act, according to a MeatPoultry.com article available here.
OIG also found that the swine Hazard Analysis
and Critical Control Point (HACCP) – based Inspection Models Project (HIMP)
pilot program lack sufficient oversight, and that three of the 10 plants cited
with the most Noncompliance Records in fiscal years 2008-201 were HIMP plants.
For more information on animal welfare, please visit
the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.
