WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/USA/1734 
16 November 2007  
 (07-4992) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES  
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   UNITED STATES
 
If applicable, name of local government involved:    
2. Agency responsible:   United States Department of Ag riculture/Food Safety and Inspection 
Service (FSIS) 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where 
applicable):  All livestock products, poultry products  and processed egg products exported 
to the United States from Canada 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected , to the extent relevant or practicable :  
Canada  
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:   
FSIS Directive 5000.2 , Review of Establishment Data  by Inspection Program Personnel 
(available in English, 3 pages)  
FSIS Directive 10,010.1 , Revision 1: Microbiological Testing Program and other 
Verification Actives for Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Raw Ground Beef Products and Raw 
Ground Components and Beef Patty Component s (available in English, 28 pages) 
FSIS Notice 17-07 , Follow-up Sampling of Certain Raw Ground Beef Products After an 
FSIS Verification Sample Tests Positive for E. Coli  O157:H7 (available in English, 
11 pages) 
FSIS Notice 18-07 , Routine Sampling of Beef Manufacturing Trimmings Intended for Use 
in Raw Ground Beef (available in English, 7 pages) 
FSIS Notice 62-07 , Instructions for Verification Sampling Programs for E. coli O157:H7 
in Raw Beef Products (available in English, 3 pages) 
FSIS Notice 64-07 , Scheduling Food Safety Assessme nts and Intensified Verification 
Testing (available in English, 3 pages) 
FSIS Notice 65-07 , Notice of Reassessment for Escherichia coli O157:H7, Control and 
Completion of a Checklist for All Beef Oper ations (available in English, 5 pages) 
FSIS Notice 66-07 , Multiple Follow-up Sampling After FSIS Positive Escherichia coli  (E. 
coli) O157:H7) Results (available in English, 6 pages) 
8 November 2007 letter to Dr. Bill Anderson, Di rector, Meat Programs Division, Canadian 
Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) from Dr. William James, Office of International Affairs, 
FSIS, USDA.  G/SPS/N/USA/1734 
Page 2  
 
  6. Description of content:  The FSIS notices and directives provide information on increased 
sampling and verification activities by the Canadian Competent Authority as a measure of equivalency with the US inspection system for E. coli  O157:H7 in raw ground beef and 
other raw non-intact beef products. 
On 8 November 2007, a letter to the Canadi an Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) notifies 
Canada of the US intention to begin testing on 9 November 2007, for raw beef 
manufacturing trim, boxed beef, and subprimals in tended for use in non-intact (e.g. ground 
or mechanically tenderized) product normally sent for grinding for E. coli  O157:H7.  The 
letter further informs Canada that the United States will increase:  (1) products exams of 
exported Canadian meat, poultry and pasteuri zed egg products at US import houses;  (2) 
testing of raw ground beef for E. coli  O157:H7; and (3) testing for Listeria monocytogenes  
and Salmonella  in ready-to-eat products. 
7. Objective and rationale:  [ X ] food safety, [   ] animal health, [   ] plant protection, 
[ X ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [   ] protect territory from other damage from pests    
8. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action:  The source of a recent 
E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in the United States whic h resulted in more than 30 illnesses was 
definitively traced to a Canadian establishment.  FSIS determined that this establishment 
had inadequate controls as evidenced by thei r practice of repeatedly testing adulterated 
meat until a negative sample result was achie ved.  Product associated with the negative 
sample was then declared unadulterated and shipped to the United States.  The US Food 
Safety and Inspection Service is currently  auditing the Canadian meat and poultry 
inspection system to ensure that this is an isol ated incident and not a pervasive practice.  In 
an effort to gain full confidence in the fu ll Canadian inspection system, FSIS is including 
pasteurized egg products in these incr eased testing and inspection measures. 
The US actions are based on Agency risk assessments that demonstrate that if these 
mitigations are implemented, pathogens can be  controlled and the public health protected. 
9. International standard, guideline or recommendation:  
[ X ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), [   ] International Plant Protection Convention, [   ] None  
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the 
appropriate reference and briefly identify deviations:    
10. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:    
FSIS Directive 5000.2 ; "Review of Establishment Data by Inspection Program Personnel"; 
dated 31 March 2004. Available at:  
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/fsisdirectives/5000.2.pdf  (available in English); 
FSIS Directive 10,010.1 ; Revision 1; "Microbiological Testing Program and Other 
Verification Activities for Escherichia coli  O157:H7 in Raw Ground Beef Products and 
Raw Ground Beef Components and Beef Patty Components"; dated 31 March 2004.  Available at:  http://www.fsis.usda.+gov/OPPDE/ rdad/FSISDirectives/10.010.1.pdf
 
(available in English); 
   G/SPS/N/USA/1734 
 Page 3 
 
 
   
FSIS Notice 17-07 ; "Follow-Up Sampling of Certain Raw Ground Beef Products After an 
FSIS Verification Sample Tests Positive for E. coli  O157:H7'; dated 1 March 2007. 
Available at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FSISNotices/17-07.pdf  (available in 
English); 
FSIS Notice 18-07 ; "Routine Sampling of Beef Manuf acturing Trimmings Intended for 
Use in Raw Ground Beef"; date d 1 March 2007.  Available at: 
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FSISNotices/18-07.pdf  (available in English); 
FSIS Notice 62-07 ; "Instructions for Verification Sampling Programs for E.coli O157:H7 
in Raw Beef  Products"; dated 1 March 2007.  Available at:  
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FSISNotices/62-07.pdf  (available in English); 
FSIS Notice 64-07 ; "Scheduling Food Safety Assessme nts and Intensified Verification 
Testing"; dated 12 October 2007. Available at:  http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FSISNotices/64-07.pdf
 (available in English); 
FSIS Notice 65-07;  "Notice of Reassessment for Escherichia coli  O157:H7 Control and 
Completion of a Checklist for All Beef Operati ons"; dated 12 October 2007. Available at:  
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FSISNotices/65-07.pdf  (available in English);  and, 
FSIS Notice 66-07 ; "Multiple Follow-Up Sampling After FSIS Positive Escherichia Coli 
(E.coli ) O157:H7 Results"; dated 12 October 2007. Available at:  
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FSISNotices/66-07.pdf  (available in English).   
11. Date of entry into force/period of application (as applicable):  9 November 2007    
12. Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [   ] National notification 
authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if 
available) of other body:  
Dr. William James (Acting Assistant Administra tor), Office of International Affairs, Food 
Safety and Inspection Service, Room 314 3-South, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, 
Washington, DC  20250; E-mail:  William.Ja mes@fsis.usda.gov; Tel:  +(1 202) 720-2442  
13. Texts available from: [ X ] National notification authority, [   ] National enquiry point, 
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:  
United States SPS National Notification Authority, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, 
International Regulations and Standards Division (IRSD), Stop 1027, Washington D.C. 
20250;  Tel:  +(1 202) 720-1301;  Fax:  +(1 202) 690-0677;  E-mail:  us.spsenquirypoint@fas.usda.gov