February 9, 2018
In This Issue
1 Comment Period Extended for the 
Modernization of Swine Slaughter Inspection 
Proposed Rule
2 FSIS Posts Next Set of Establishment 
Specific Datasets
2 Industry Testing of PHIS Export Module 
Continues
3 FSIS Announces askFSIS  Questions and 
Answers Posted with Directives and Notices
4 FSIS Announces Webinar for Trading 
Partners, Foreign Establishments and 
Importers
4 Policy UpdatesFood Safety and  
Inspection Service
Volume  
 21Number   
 17
FSISConstituent Update  United States Department of Agriculture
FSIS Constituent Update  . February 9, 2018  . Protecting Public Health Through Food Safety and Food Defense            1                                         Comment Period Extended for the 
Modernization of Swine Slaughter 
Inspection Proposed Rule
In response to requests from industry and consumer groups, FSIS is extending the comment period 
by 30 days for the Federal Register proposed rule, “Modernization of Swine Slaughter Inspection” 
(83 FR 4780, Feb. 1, 2018). The original deadline to submit comments was April 2, 2018; the new 
deadline to submit comments is May 2.
As FSIS explained in the proposed rule, FSIS has proposed to amend the Federal meat inspection 
regulations to establish a new inspection system for market hog slaughter establishments that 
provides public health protection at least equivalent to the existing inspection system. Market hog 
slaughter establishments that do not choose to operate under the new swine inspection system may 
continue to operate under their existing inspection system. The Agency also proposed several 
changes to the regulations that would affect all establishments that slaughter swine, regardless of 
the inspection system under which they operate or the age, size, or class of swine. These proposed 
changes would allow all swine slaughter establishments to develop sampling plans that are more 
tailored to their specific operations and thus be more effective in monitoring their specific process 
control. These proposed changes also would ensure that before the start of slaughter operations, 
food-contact surfaces are sanitary and free of enteric pathogens.
The proposed rule can be found at https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/c17775a2-fd1f-
4c11-b9d2-5992741b0e94/2016-0017.pdf?MOD=AJPERES . Comments on the rule may be 
submitted online via the Federal eRulemaking Portal, available at http://www.regulations.gov ; by 
mail sent to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, 
Patriots Plaza III, Mailstop 3782, Room 8-163A, Washington, D.C. 20250-3700; or by hand or 
courier delivery to Patriots Plaza III, 355 E St. SW., Room 8-163A, Washington, D.C. 20250-3700. 
All items submitted by mail or electronic mail must include the Agency name and docket number 
FSIS-2016-0017.
  
                                                                                                                      FSIS Constituent Update  . February 9, 2018  . Protecting Public Health Through Food Safety and Food Defense
FSIS Constituent 
Update is prepared by 
the Congressional and 
Public Affairs Staff, Office 
of Public Affairs and 
Consumer Education
Assistant Administrator
Carol Blake
Deputy Assistant 
Administrator
Aaron Lavallee
Director
Roxanne Smith
Editor
Veronika Medina
Content and Technical 
Review Committee
Kristen Booze
Autumn Canaday
Cody Kahlig
Selena Kremer 
Maria Machuca
 2                                 FSIS Posts Next Set of Establishment 
Specific Datasets
FSIS is preparing to publish the next set of establishment specific datasets as announced in the Federal 
Register on July 14, 2016 (Docket No. FSIS-2014-0032). Prior to publishing these datasets, FSIS is making 
sample datasets available. The sample dataset and corresponding data dictionary on raw chicken 
carcasses sampling results can be found at: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/data-
collection-and-reports/data/datasets-laboratory-sampling . Please visit http://www.regulations.gov/  and 
follow the online instructions at that site for submitting comments to Docket FSIS-2014-0032 by March 
23, 2018. FSIS intends to publish the final dataset on April 6, 2018. Additional details can be found at: 
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/0803f8a0-a3cc-4945-87b6-f992acdcfa9b/Establishment-
Specific-Data-Plan-Final.pdf?MOD=AJPERES .
Industry Testing of PHIS Export
Module Continues
FSIS announced its plan to provide industry access to the Public Health Information System (PHIS) Export 
Component (Export) for testing purposes prior to the June 28, 2018 implementation date. FSIS intends 
to provide automated export documentation in phase one of implementation to Afghanistan, Andorra, 
Bahamas, Bolivia, Burundi, Cape Verde, Cook Islands, Ethiopia, French Guiana, Gambia, Guinea, Liberia, 
Mozambique, San Marino, Tanzania and Uganda. Industry testing is limited to those establishments that 
export to at least one of these and only these 16 countries.
The Agency made available a test environment to industry to begin developing and testing individual 
XML schema designs for those establishments that had an interest in batching export applications and 
export to the above 16 countries. That environment was available from Sept. 20, 2017 to Jan. 5, 2018.   
We are now moving to the next phase of testing, starting with a live demo webinar on Feb. 28, 2018 
from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET. This demo will walk participants through how testing will be done 
and cover the features in the new PHIS Export module. 
The test environment will be reopened and made available to industry to begin testing March 5 through 
April 30, 2018. Participants will be able to submit export applications through the PHIS user interface as 
well as web services/batch applications, and start or continue developing individual XML schema designs.   
Please register for the webinar by sending an e-mail of the names of your testers, their contact
information and the countries to which you export to PHISTechnicalQA@fsis.usda.gov no later than 
Feb. 20, 2018. FSIS Constituent Update  . February 9, 2018  . Protecting Public Health Through Food Safety and Food Defense
 3                                 FSIS Announces askFSIS  Questions 
and Answers Posted with Directives 
and Notices
FSIS is announcing the posting of links to askFSIS  questions and answers (Qs and As) that will be posted 
online with FSIS directives and notices. AskFSIS  is a web-based technology and policy question and 
answer forum on topics such as exporting, labeling, inspection, programs, procedures and fish of the 
order Siluriformes. The available Qs and As associated with directives or notices will be available through 
a pre-loaded simple search focused on a specific topic. The user will click on the link “ askFSIS  about 
(topic)” and be directed to an askFSIS search of posted questions and answers related to that topic. FSIS 
is starting by posting links to Qs and As for FSIS Directive 7020.1, Verifying Donation of Misbranded and 
Economically Adulterated Meat and Poultry Products to Non-Profit Organizations .
FSIS intends to expand links to askFSIS  Qs and As related to other directives notices, compliance guides 
and other FSIS issuances in the future and may announce additional links in future Constituent Updates .  
Upcoming postings include the searches provided below.   
FSIS Directive 5000.1, Verifying an Establishment’s Food Safety System
askFSIS about food safety noncompliance records
askFSIS about Sanitation SOPs 
askFSIS about HACCP records  or askFSIS about HACCP recordkeeping
askFSIS about HACCP monitoring
askFSIS about HACCP supporting documentation not related to O157 E. coli
askFSIS about HACCP verification
askFSIS about HACCP or Sanitation SOP corrective actions
FSIS Directive 10,010.1, Sampling Verification Activities for Shiga Toxin-Producing E. coli (STEC) in Raw 
Beef Products
askFSIS about STECs
FSIS Directive 7111.1, Verification Procedures for Lethality and Stabilization
askFSIS about Lethality and Stabilization
If the user still has questions after reviewing the simple search, the search criteria can be updated or an 
individual question can be submitted to an askFSIS  subject matter expert for a response. To submit a 
question to askFSIS , please visit: http://askfsis.custhelp.com/  or call 1-800-233-3935.    FSIS Constituent Update  . February 9, 2018  . Protecting Public Health Through Food Safety and Food Defense
 4                                 FSIS Announces Webinar for 
Trading Partners, Foreign 
Establishments and Importers 
FSIS will host a conference with a simultaneous webinar for our trading partners, foreign establishments 
and importers on Feb. 20, 2018 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET in Washington, D.C. The conference 
will provide an overview of the Label Submission and Approval System (LSAS) and generic labeling 
regulations, including additional information related to generic label approval. FSIS will also discuss the 
amenability issues, nutrition labeling, animal raising claims and common problems seen at port-of-entry. 
The conference will be held at Patriot’s Plaza III at 355 E St., SW in Washington, D.C. in the first level 
auditorium. Advance notification of participation is required. If you wish to attend, please send a 
confirmation e-mail with your full name, title, entity that you represent and country to: 
internationalcoordination@fsis.usda.gov. Upon receipt of your registration, FSIS will provide additional 
logistical information for those unable to attend in person. FSIS intends to provide access via webinar 
for those that cannot join the conference.  
Additionally, for those that cannot participate in person or via webinar, FSIS wishes to inform everyone 
about the availability of labeling guidance on our webpage. It can be accessed by visiting: 
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/regulatory-compliance/labeling . 
     Policy Updates 
FSIS notices and directives on public health and regulatory issues are available at:
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/regulations . The following policy updates were
recently issued:
Notice 09-18 - Requirements for the Disposition of Non-Ambulatory Disabled Veal Calves
Notice 10-18 - Mandatory Equal Employment Opportunity and Civil Rights Training for all FSIS 
Employees