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Food Safety and 

Inspection Service

FY 2013 

Annual Performance Plan
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Messagefrom the

Administrator

I AM PROUD to present the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) FY 2013

Annual Performance Plan (APP). This is our second APP under the FSIS FY 2011-

16 Strategic Plan. 

FSIS is the public health regulatory agency responsible for the safety of the U.S. 

meat, poultry, and processed egg products supply. For over a century, the 

Agency and its employees have helped to ensure that America’s food is safe from 

contamination. The vital services of FSIS have and continue to touch the lives of 

almost every citizen, every day in America. FSIS is accountable for protecting 

food for over 300 million American people and millions more around the world.

This APP provides the American public and FSIS employees with a clear list of 

Agency priorities and a detailed roadmap of the steps we intend to take this year 

to achieve our mission. The document outlines an operational plan that I intend 

to use to steer the Agency in the coming months, as we work to prevent 

foodborne illness and protect public health. 

Importantly, this Plan also serves as a link between the FSIS FY 2011-16 Strategic 

Plan and FSIS senior manager’s individual performance standards. It provides 

managers and stakeholders with a wide range of Agency actions and activities 

designed to achieve the Agency’s key results. Doing so will move the Agency 

closer to realizing the goals set out in its Strategic Plan.

This APP is divided into two main sections. The first section showcases the range 

of FSIS work as it applies to the eight FSIS Strategic Plan goals. FSIS Program Area

top three ‘results’ are presented by each of the Strategic Plan goals. Readers can 

see how Agency activities contribute to the many functions of food processing and distribution; the inspection 

of domestic product, imports and exports; conducting risk assessments; and educating the public among other 

activities. The second section of the APP presents ‘key’ results that each individual FSIS Program Area is 

working toward achieving in FY 2013 and corresponding actions that they expect to undertake. 

This FY 2013 APP reveals that the Agency is working across a wide range of issues to continuously improve its 

ability to protect consumers from harm. We are one team, with only one purpose. And that is to protect public 

health. 

Alfred Almanza

Administrator

Alfred V. Almanza was appointed as the 

Administrator of the U.S. Department of 

Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection 

Service on May 6, 2010. In this position, he 

leads FSIS and its employees in their 

mission of protecting public health through 

food safety and food defense.
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Contents

Part I: Key Program Area Results to be Achieved by the End of FY 2013

Presented by FSIS FY 2011-16 Strategic Plan Goal

Goal 1 Ensure that Food Safety Inspection Aligns with Existing and Emerging Risks 6 

Goal 2 Maximize Domestic and International Compliance with Food Safety Policies 8 

Goal 3 Enhance Public Education and Outreach to Improve Food-Handling Practices 9 

Goal 4 Strengthen Collaboration Among Internal and External Stakeholders to Prevent 

Foodborne Illness 10 

Goal 5 Effectively Use Science to Understand Foodborne Illness and Emerging Trends 11 

Goal 6 Implement Effective Policies to Respond to Existing and Emerging Risks 12 

Goal 7 Empower Employees with the Training, Resources, and Tools to Enable Success 

 in Protecting Public Health 13 

Goal 8 Based on the Defined Agency Business Needs, Develop, Maintain, and Use 

Innovative Methodologies, Processes, and Tools, including PHIS, to Protect Public 

Health Efficiently and Effectively and to Support Defined Public Health Needs and 

Goals 14

Part II: Key Program Area Results to be Achieved and Actions Undertaken 

by the End of FY 2013 Presented by Individual Program Area

 Off ice of the Administrator, Civil Right Division (CRD) 16

 Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO) 19

 Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) 22

 Office of Data Integration and Food Protection (ODIFP) 25

 Office of Field Operations (OFO) 28

 Office of International Affairs (OIA) 30

 Office of Management (OM) 32

 Office of Outreach, Employment, Education and Training (OOEET) 37

 Office of Policy and Program Development (OPPD) 39

 Office of Program Evaluation, Enforcement and Review (OPEER) 42

 Office of Public Affairs and Consumer Education (OPACE) 44

 Office of Public Health Science (OPHS) 47
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Part One

Key Program Area 

Results to be Achieved 

by the End of FY 2013

Presented by FSIS FY 2011-16 Strategic Plan Goal
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FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE

FY 2013 ANNUAL PERFORMANCE PLAN

STRATEGIC THEME

Prevent Foodborne Illness

Goal 1: Ensure that Food Safety 

Inspection Aligns with Existing and 

Emerging Risks

Intended ‘Key’ Results

Outcome 1.1 PHIS

Minimize existing and 

emerging food safety 

hazards through the

most effective means 

 Pathogens

Outcome 1.2 Inspections

Resources are targeted

to existing and emerging risks

 Imports

 Data 

 

• THE FRAMEWORK APPLICATION DESCRIBED IN Data Driven Inspection for Processing and 

Slaughter Establishments--Public Health Decision Criteria, September 2010, AS WELL AS THE 

“EQUAL TO” STATE AND INDUSTRY REPORTING MODULES WILL BE FULLY-IMPLEMENTED IN 

THE FSIS’ PUBLIC HEALTH INFORMATION SYSTEM (PHIS) BY THE END OF FY2013 

(OPEER Result 1 and OCIO Result 2).

• FSIS WILL ADDRESS THREE MAJOR QUESTIONS CONCERNING SALMONELLA, AND ON THE 

BASIS OF THE ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS, THE AGENCY WILL BE BETTER ABLE TO TAKE 

ACTIONS THAT WILL HELP TO REDUCE THE ILLNESSES FROM THIS PATHOGEN ATTRIBUTABLE 

TO FSIS REGULATED PRODUCTS (OPPD Result 1).

• FSIS WILL COMPLETE ACTIONS TO IMPROVE UNDERSTANDING OF THE RISK OF PATHOGENS 

FROM ‘FARM-TO-TABLE’, SO THAT, AS A RESULT OF THAT IMPROVED UNDERSTANDING, 

THE AGENCY WILL BE ABLE TO INSTITUTE CHANGES TO REDUCE CONSUMER EXPOSURE TO 

FOODBORNE HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH MEAT, POULTRY, AND PROCESSED EGG 

PRODUCTS (OPHS Result 1).

• FSIS WILL CONTRIBUTE TO ACHIEVING, IN FY2013, CONCEPTUAL AGREEEMENT WITH FDA 

AND CDC ON A ROBUST, HARMONIZED METHOD FOR ATTRIBUTING FOODBORNE ILLNESS, 

AND A NUMERICAL ATTRIBUTION ESTIMATE, AND WILL COLLABORATE ON OUTBREAK 

PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE (ODIFP Result 2).

• FSIS WILL WORK TO REDUCE ILLNESSES IN RAW GROUND BEEF AND OTHER PRODUCTS BY 

UNDERTAKING THREE KEY REVIEWS OF FSIS TESTS, INSTRUCTIONS AND NOTICES. 

SPECIFICALLY, FSIS WILL ASSESS WHETHER ITS PROGRAM FOR NON-O157 STEC AND O157 

ARE BEING EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENTED AND MAKE NECESSARY CHANGES BASED ON THE 

REVIEWS. (OPPD Result 2). 

• FSIS’ OPEER WILL CONTRIBUTE TO ACHIEVING THE CORPORATE TARGET OF A MAXIMUM OF 

394,770 ILLNESSES ATTRIBUTED TO SALMONELLA, LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES, AND E.COLI

0157H:7 THROUGH ITS SURVEILLANCE, INVESTIGATIVE, AND ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES 

WITH RESPECT TO MEAT, POULTRY AND PROCESSED EGG PRODUCTS DISTRIBUTED, 

TRANSPORTED, STORED, AND OTHERWISE HANDLED IN COMMERCE (OPEER Result 2).

• FSIS WILL DEVELOP NEW SALMONELLA PERFORMANCE STANDARDS/GUIDANCE IN NONPASTEURIZED EGGS, RAW CHICKEN PARTS, GROUND POULTRY AND COMMINUTED 

POULTRY PRODUCTS, AND OTHER COMMODITIES (OPHS Result 2).

• OFO WILL CONDUCT AN FSA TO ASSESS SALMONELLA CONTROL AT 75% OF 

ESTABLISHMENTS THAT PRODUCE RAW OR COMMINUTED POULTRY. THIS WORK WILL 

CONTRIBUTE TO THE AGENCY’S EFFORT TO REDUCE SALMONELLA PREVALENCE IN RAW 

GROUND POULTRY (OFO Result 1).

• FSIS WILL FOCUS ITS REGULATION DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS ON (i) MODERNIZING POULTRY 

AND BEEF SLAUGHTER OPERATIONS, (ii) REDUCING ADULTERANTS IN FSIS PRODUCT, AND 

(iii) REDUCING E.COLI O157:H7 and LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES WITH A GOAL OF 

COMPLETING AT LEAST NINE HIGH PRIORITY DOCUMENTS (OPPD Result 3). 

• FSIS WILL WORK WITH FOOD EXPORTING COUNTRIES THAT HAVE REPEATEDLY HAD 

SHIPMENTS REJECTED BY THE U.S. FOR FOOD SAFETY VIOLATIONS TO HELP THE COUNTRIES 

MAINTAIN THEIR EQUIVALENT STATUS (OIA Result 1).

• FSIS WILL IMPLEMENT A SYSTEM TO FOCUS ITS AUDIT RESOURCES ON COUNTRIES WHOSE 

PRODUCTS APPEAR TO PRESENT THE GREATEST RISK OF CAUSING A FOOD SAFETY 

PROBLEM (OIA Result 2).

• FSIS WILL COMPLETE ITS ANALYSIS OF ALL PENDING EQUIVALENCE REQUESTS (9 AT THE 

BEGINNING OF FY 2013) AND AT LEAST TWO ADDITIONAL REQUESTS FROM THOSE 

RECEIVED SINCE THE START OF THE FISCAL YEAR (BY THE END OF THE SECOND QUARTER FY 

2013). (OIA Result 3). 

• FSIS WILL IMPROVE ITS ABILITY TO USE ITS DATA, INCLUDING PHIS DATA 

(ODIFP Result 3).

• 85% OF FSIS’ OPEER SURVEILLANCE ACTIVITIES WILL FOCUS ON ENSURING THAT THE 

HIGHEST RISK FACILITIES OPERATE IN A MANNER THAT MAINTAINS THE SAFETY OF THE 

PRODUCTS THAT THE FACILITIES RECEIVE, AND THAT PROTECTS THOSE PRODUCTS FROM 
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Outcome 1.3

Surveillance, 

investigation, and

enforcement are 

effectively implemented 

across the Farm-to-Table

Continuum

INTENTIONAL CONTAMINATION (OPEER Result 3).

• FSIS’ OPEER FOLLOW-UP SURVEILLANCES WILL PRODUCE COMPLIANCE WITH ALL FOOD 

SAFETY REQUIREMENTS SUCH THAT 82% OF FOOD SAFETY VIOLATIONS DOCUMENTED 

DURING INITIAL SURVEILLANCES ARE CORRECTED BEFORE FOLLOW-UP (OPEER Result 4).
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Goal 2: Maximize Domestic and 

International Compliance with 

Food Safety Policies

Intended ‘Key’ Results

Outcome 2.1

Domestic and foreignproduced products 

meet food safety

performance standards

Outcome 2.2

Humane handling and

slaughter practices are a

Central focus of 

Establishment employees as 

evidenced by the awareness

of proper procedures and

the implementation of a 

systematic approach to 

humane handling

Outcome 2.3

Food protection and 

handling systems 

ensure protection 

against intentional 

contamination

• FSIS WILL ADDRESS THREE MAJOR QUESTIONS CONCERNING SALMONELLA, AND ON THE 

BASIS OF THE ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS, THE AGENCY WILL BE BETTER ABLE TO TAKE 

ACTIONS THAT WILL HELP TO REDUCE THE ILLNESSES FROM THIS PATHOGEN ATTRIBUTABLE 

TO FSIS REGULATED PRODUCTS (OPPD Result 1).

• FSIS WILL IMPROVE ITS ABILITY TO USE ITS DATA, INCLUDING PHIS DATA 

(ODIFP Result 3).

• OFO WILL ENSURE ESTABLISHMENTS INCREASINGLY UTILIZE A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO 

HUMANE HANDLING TO MEET STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS FOR HANDLING AND 

SLAUGHTER OF LIVESTOCK (OFO Result 3).

• FSIS WILL INCREASE AWARENESS AND VOLUNTARY ADOPTION OF FOOD DEFENSE 

PROGRAMS BY INDUSTRY AND GOVERNMENT, DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL 

(ODIFP Result 1).
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Goal 3: Enhance Public Education 

and Outreach to Improve FoodHandling Practices

Intended ‘Key’ Results

Outcome 3.1

Consumers, including 

vulnerable and 

underserved 

populations, adopt 

food safety best practices

Outcome 3.2

Consumers have 

effective tools and 

information to keep “inhome” food safe

• FSIS WILL EDUCATE AND PROMOTE CONSUMER KNOWLEDGE AND ACCEPTANCE OF THE 

FOUR KEY FOOD SAFETY BEST PRACTICES AND THERMOMETER USE TO PROACTIVELY 

INFLUENCE CONSUMER BEHAVIOR CHANGE (OPACE Result 1). 

• FSIS WILL COMPLETE ITS MODERNIZATION OF THE PUBLIC WEBSITE BEFORE THE END OF 

SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, AND MAKE OTHER ENHANCEMENTS OF ITS COMMUNICATION 

MECHANISMS TO INCREASE BY 10% THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE AGENCY’S CUSTOMERS, 

ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE AND UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS, USE THESE TOOLS 

(OPACE Result 2).
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Goal 4: Strengthen Collaboration 

Among Internal and External 

Stakeholders to Prevent 

Foodborne Illness

Intended ‘Key’ Results

Outcome 4.1

FSIS maximizes 

relationships with 

public health and food 

safety partners to 

enhance the food 

safety system

• FSIS WILL COMPLETE ACTIONS TO IMPROVE UNDERSTANDING OF THE RISK OF PATHOGENS 

FROM ‘FARM-TO-TABLE’, SO THAT, AS A RESULT OF THAT IMPROVED UNDERSTANDING, 

THE AGENCY WILL BE ABLE TO INSTITUTE CHANGES TO REDUCE CONSUMER EXPOSURE TO 

FOODBORNE HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH MEAT, POULTRY, AND PROCESSED EGG 

PRODUCTS (OPHS Result 1).

• FSIS WILL CONTRIBUTE TO ACHIEVING, IN FY2013, CONCEPTUAL AGREEEMENT WITH FDA 

AND CDC ON A ROBUST, HARMONIZED METHOD FOR ATTRIBUTING FOODBORNE ILLNESS, 

AND A NUMERICAL ATTRIBUTION ESTIMATE, AND WILL COLLABORATE ON OUTBREAK 

PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE (ODIFP Result 2).

• FSIS WILL PROVIDE OUTREACH AND SUPPORT TO AT LEAST TWO STATE MEAT AND 

POULTRY INSPECTION PROGRAMS SO THAT THESE STATES CAN SUCCESSFULLY ENTER, AND 

REMAIN IN, THE VOLUNTARY COOPERATIVE INTERSTATE SHIPMENT PROGRAM 

(OOEET Result 2). 

• FSIS WILL INCREASE BY 75% OVER THE 2012 BASELINE OPPORTUNITIES FOR IT TO DELIVER 

OUTREACH TO SMALL AND VERY SMALL ESTABLISHMENTS (OOEET Result 3).
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STRATEGIC THEME

Understand and Influence 

the Farm-to-Table 

Continuum

Goal 5: Effectively Use Science to 

Understand Foodborne Illness 

and Emerging Trends

Intended ‘Key’ Results

Outcome 5.1

FSIS continually 

improves its capacity 

for and use of cuttingedge science in policy 

development to better 

defend against public 

health risks

Outcome 5.2

FSIS increases the 

application of cuttingedge science across the 

Farm-to-Table supply 

chain to improve public

health

• FSIS WILL ADDRESS THREE MAJOR QUESTIONS CONCERNING SALMONELLA, AND ON THE 

BASIS OF THE ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS, THE AGENCY WILL BE BETTER ABLE TO TAKE 

ACTIONS THAT WILL HELP TO REDUCE THE ILLNESSES FROM THIS PATHOGEN ATTRIBUTABLE 

TO FSIS REGULATED PRODUCTS (OPPD Result 1).

• FSIS WILL COMPLETE ACTIONS TO IMPROVE UNDERSTANDING OF THE RISK OF PATHOGENS 

FROM ‘FARM-TO-TABLE’, SO THAT, AS A RESULT OF THAT IMPROVED UNDERSTANDING, 

THE AGENCY WILL BE ABLE TO INSTITUTE CHANGES TO REDUCE CONSUMER EXPOSURE TO 

FOODBORNE HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH MEAT, POULTRY, AND PROCESSED EGG 

PRODUCTS (OPHS Result 1). 

• FSIS WILL DEVELOP NEW SALMONELLA PERFORMANCE STANDARDS/GUIDANCE IN NONPASTEURIZED EGGS, RAW CHICKEN PARTS, GROUND POULTRY AND COMMINUTED 

POULTRY PRODUCTS, AND OTHER COMMODITIES (OPHS Result 2).

• FSIS WILL WORK TO REDUCE ILLNESSES IN RAW GROUND BEEF AND OTHER PRODUCTS BY 

UNDERTAKING THREE KEY REVIEWS OF FSIS TESTS, INSTRUCTIONS AND NOTICES. 

SPECIFICALLY, FSIS WILL ASSESS WHETHER ITS PROGRAM FOR NON-O157 STEC AND O157 

ARE BEING EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENTED AND MAKE NECESSARY CHANGES BASED ON THE 

REVIEWS (OPPD Result 2).

• FSIS WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS TO THE NATIONAL RESIDUE 

PROGRAM THROUGH FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF OPERATIONAL CHANGES TO THE 

SAMPLING PROGRAM AND BY RESTRUCTURING THE CHEMICAL HAZARD IDENTIFICATION 

AND RANKING FRAMEWORK (OPHS Result 3).
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Goal 6: Implement Effective 

Policies to Respond to Existing 

and Emerging Risks

Intended ‘Key’ Results

Outcome 6.1

Public health risks are 

mitigated through 

effective strategies 

based on the best 

available information

• FSIS WILL ADDRESS THREE MAJOR QUESTIONS CONCERNING SALMONELLA, AND ON THE 

BASIS OF THE ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS, THE AGENCY WILL BE BETTER ABLE TO TAKE 

ACTIONS THAT WILL HELP TO REDUCE THE ILLNESSES FROM THIS PATHOGEN ATTRIBUTABLE 

TO FSIS REGULATED PRODUCTS (OPPD Result 1).

• FSIS WILL COMPLETE ACTIONS TO IMPROVE UNDERSTANDING OF THE RISK OF PATHOGENS 

FROM ‘FARM-TO-TABLE’, SO THAT, AS A RESULT OF THAT IMPROVED UNDERSTANDING, 

THE AGENCY WILL BE ABLE TO INSTITUTE CHANGES TO REDUCE CONSUMER EXPOSURE TO 

FOODBORNE HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH MEAT, POULTRY, AND PROCESSED EGG 

PRODUCTS (OPHS Result 1).

• PUBLIC HEALTH RISKS ARE MITIGATED THROUGH EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES BASED ON THE 

BEST AVAILABLE INFORMATION (OFO Result 2).

• FSIS WILL WORK TO REDUCE ILLNESSES IN RAW GROUND BEEF AND OTHER PRODUCTS BY 

UNDERTAKING THREE KEY REVIEWS OF FSIS TESTS, INSTRUCTIONS AND NOTICES. 

SPECIFICALLY, FSIS WILL ASSESS WHETHER ITS PROGRAM FOR NON-O157 STEC AND O157 

ARE BEING EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENTED AND MAKE NECESSARY CHANGES BASED ON THE 

REVIEWS. (OPPD Result 2). 

• FSIS WILL DEVELOP NEW SALMONELLA PERFORMANCE STANDARDS/GUIDANCE IN NONPASTEURIZED EGGS, RAW CHICKEN PARTS, GROUND POULTRY AND COMMINUTED 

POULTRY PRODUCTS, AND OTHER COMMODITIES (OPHS Result 2).

• FSIS WILL IMPROVE ITS ABILITY TO USE ITS DATA, INCLUDING PHIS DATA 

(ODIFP Result 3).

• FSIS WILL FOCUS ITS REGULATION DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS ON (i) MODERNIZING POULTRY 

AND BEEF SLAUGHTER OPERATIONS, (ii) REDUCING ADULTERANTS IN FSIS PRODUCT, AND 

(iii) REDUCING E.COLI O157:H7 and LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES WITH A GOAL OF 

COMPLETING NINE HIGH PRIORITY DOCUMENTS. (OPPD Result 3). 
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STRATEGIC THEME

Empower People and 

Strengthen Infrastructure

Goal 7: Empower Employees with 

the Training, Resources, and 

Tools to Enable Success in 

Protecting Public Health

Intended ‘Key’ Results

Outcome 7.1

Each employee 

understands how he/she 

impacts public health

Outcome 7.2

All employees have the 

knowledge, tools, and 

resources to accomplish 

the FSIS mission

Outcome 7.3

FSIS has a diverse, 

engaged, highperforming, and 

satisfied workforce

• FSIS WILL IMPLEMENT AND SUPPORT THE SECRETARY’S INITIATIVE FOR THE 

ADMINISTRATIVE SOLUTIONS PROJECT TO IMPROVE EFFECIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS 

ACROSS THE DEPARTMENT THROUGH THE AGENCY’S DESIGNATION AS A NATIONAL SERVICE 

CENTER FOR HUMAN RESOURCES AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES (OM Result 1).

• FSIS WILL STRENGTHEN THE CONNECTION OF FIELD EMPLOYEES WITH THE AGENCY'S 

MISSION TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH, INCLUDING USE OF THE 'ONE TEAM, ONE PURPOSE' 

CAMPAIGN (OPACE Result 3).

• FSIS WILL ENHANCE ITS CURRENT EEO, CIVIL RIGHTS, AND DIVERSITY TRAINING PROGRAM 

TO ENSURE THAT IT PROVIDES TIMELY, EFFECTIVE, AND QUALITY LEARNING EXPERIENCES

(CRD Result 1). 

• FSIS WILL CONTINUE TO PROMOTE EFFICIENT SPENDING THROUGH INCREASED 

TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND ONGOING COST-CUTTING MEASURES 

(OCFO Result 1).

• FSIS WILL STRENGTHEN THE PUBLIC HEALTH, SCIENTIFIC, AND TECHNICAL SKILLS OF THE 

WORKFORCE (OOEET Result 1).

• FSIS WILL MAXIMIZE FOOD SAFETY WITH EACH DOLLAR OF TAXPAYER RESOURCES 

THROUGH BUSINESS PROCESS REENGINEERING (BPR) AND CONTINUOUS PROCESS 

IMPROVEMENT (CPI) ACROSS THE FULL RANGE OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES

(OCFO Result 2).

• FSIS WILL IMPLEMENT TWO KEY ACTIONS THAT WILL ESTABLISH INTERNAL CONTROLS AS A 

FUNDAMENTAL COMPONENT OF HOW OCFO PERFORMS ITS WORK FOR FSIS 

(OCFO Result 3). 

• FSIS WILL PROMOTE THE BENEFITS OF AND FACILITATE AN INCREASINGLY DIVERSE 

WORKFORCE THAT IS INCLUSIVE OF PEOPLE FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS (CRD Result 2). 

• FSIS WILL REDUCE INJURIES AND ILLNESSES AS A RESULT OF ESTABLISHING THE FSIS HEALTH 

AND SAFETY COMMITTIEE, TO ANALYZE PROBLEMS, RECOMMEND SOLUTIONS AND 

IMPLEMENT NEW IDEAS FOR INCREASING EMPLOYEE SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE 

(OM Result 2).

• FSIS WILL REVITALIZE ITS ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION (ADR) PROGRAM TO 

FACILITATE EARLY, EFFECTIVE, AND EFFICIENT RESOLUTION OF EEO COMPLAINTS 

(CRD Result 3).

• FSIS WILL ACCOMPLISH MISSION WORK BY EFFICIENTLY ALIGNING PROGRAM 

REQUIREMENTS WITH HUMAN RESOURCES BUSINESS PROCESS REENGINERING AND HIRING 

REFORM (OM Result 3).

• FSIS WILL ADVANCE THE CULTURAL TRANSFORMATION INITIATIVE BY BUILDING AND 

CONTINUOUSLY FACILITATING A COOPERATIVE, RESPECTFUL AND COMMUNICATIVE 

WORKPLACE IN WHICH EMPLOYEES FEEL VALUED, ARE FULLY DEVELOPED AND UTILIZED, 

AND KNOWLEDGABLY CONTRIBUTE TO AGENCY SUCCESS (OM Result 4).
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Goal 8: Based on the Defined 

Agency Business Needs, Develop, 

Maintain, and Use Innovative 

Methodologies, Processes, and 

Tools, including PHIS, to Protect 

Public Health Efficiently and 

Effectively and to Support 

Defined Public Health Needs and 

Goals

Intended ‘Key’ Results

Outcome 8.1

Continuously evaluate 

and seek to understand 

and employ new or 

innovative missionsupporting processes, 

methodologies, and 

technologies

Outcome 8.2

Implement value-added 

business processes, 

methodologies, or 

technologies that 

contribute to serving the 

FSIS mission and are 

applied in the appropriate 

areas within FSIS

• FSIS WILL COMPLETE A BASELINE TO ALLOW THE AGENCY TO ASSESS THE IMPACTS OF 

MAJOR INNOVATIONS ON ITS OPERATIONS AND PERFORMANCE (OCIO Result 1). 

• FSIS WILL IMPLEMENT A MOBILE STRATEGY THAT PROVIDES CUSTOMERS AND EMPLOYEES 

WITH THE GREATER ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND IMPROVE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY 

AND EFFECTIVENESS THROUGH MOBILE APPS, SITES, AND DEVICES (OCIO Result 3). 

• FSIS WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS TO THE NATIONAL RESIDUE 

PROGRAM THROUGH FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF OPERATIONAL CHANGES TO THE 

SAMPLING PROGRAM AND BY RESTRUCTURING THE CHEMICAL HAZARD IDENTIFICATION 

AND RANKING FRAMEWORK (OPHS Result 3).

• FSIS WILL CONTINUE TO PROMOTE EFFICIENT SPENDING THROUGH INCREASED 

TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND ONGOING COST-CUTTING MEASURES 

(OCFO Result 1).

• FSIS WILL DEPLOY THE PHIS STATE AND INDUSTRY RELEASES (OCIO Result 2).

• FSIS WILL MAXIMIZE FOOD SAFETY WITH EACH DOLLAR OF TAXPAYER RESOURCES 

THROUGH BUSINESS PROCESS REENGINEERING (BPR) AND CONTINUOUS PROCESS 

IMPROVEMENT (CPI) ACROSS THE FULL RANGE OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES

(OCFO Result 2). 

• FSIS WILL IMPLEMENT TWO KEY ACTIONS THAT WILL ESTABLISH INTERNAL CONTROLS AS A 

FUNDAMENTAL COMPONENT OF HOW OCFO PERFORMS ITS WORK FOR FSIS 

(OCFO Result 3). 

• FSIS WILL IMPLEMENT A MOBILE STRATEGY THAT PROVIDES CUSTOMERS AND EMPLOYEES 

WITH THE GREATER ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND IMPROVE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY 

AND EFFECTIVENESS THROUGH MOBILE APPS, SITES AND DEVICES (OCIO Result 3). 
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Part Two

Key Program Area 

Results to be Achieved 

and Actions Undertaken 

by the End of FY 2013

Presented by Individual Program Area
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Civil Rights Division

Work Contributes to Strategic 

Plan Goal(s), Outcome(s) & 

Measure(s): 

Goal 7

Empower employees with the 

training, resources, and tools to 

enable success in protecting public 

health

Outcome 7.2

All employees have the knowledge, 

tools, and resources to accomplish 

the FSIS mission

Performance Measure 7.2.3

Percentage of all managers/ 

supervisors that complete three (3) 

hours of EEO training—annually 

(FY 2013 Target 60%)

Performance Measure 7.2.4

Percentage of all nonmanagers/non-supervisors that 

complete two (2) hours of EEO 

training—annually 

(FY 2013 Target 40%) 

Key RESULTS to be Achieved and ACTIONS 

undertaken by End of FY 2013

Result 1:

FSIS WILL ENHANCE ITS CURRENT EEO, CIVIL RIGHTS, AND DIVERSITY 

TRAINING PROGRAM TO ENSURE THAT IT PROVIDES TIMELY, EFFECTIVE, 

AND QUALITY LEARNING EXPERIENCES. Enhancing the current EEO, Civil 

Rights, and Diversity training program will allow the Agency to educate a larger 

percentage of its workforce. Employee training needs will be identified using a 

variety of methods, which will allow for more relevant and effective training to 

be provided to the broadest possible audience in FSIS. Through thorough 

planning, consideration of Agency culture, and best practices, the Agency will 

identify and utilize the most appropriate methods to deliver training. By 

identifying and utilizing these methods, 60% of managers/supervisors will 

complete three (3) hours of EEO, Civil Rights, and Diversity training, and 40% of 

non-managers/non-supervisors will complete two (2) hours of EEO, Civil Rights, 

and Diversity training. 

Actions: 

• Determine training needs for the FSIS workforce using a variety of methods 

such as conducting a training needs assessment and analysis, MD-715 

analysis, complaint data analysis, and a compliance review analysis.

• Collaborate with the Center for Learning (CFL) by December 1, 2012, to 

utilize the AgLearn system for the purposes of delivering online EEO, Civil 

Rights, and Diversity training to the FSIS workforce. Two training modules 

that are conducive to learning in an online environment will be developed 

by March 1, 2013. 

• Develop a training schedule by December 1, 2012, that will enable Division 

personnel to deliver in-person training at various times throughout FY 

2013. Times include, but will not be limited to: work unit meetings, Front

Line Supervisor meetings, Basic/New Supervisors Training, and, as 

requested by customers. 

• Host five (5) Special Emphasis Program (SEP) observances in headquarters 

by September 30, 2013. The observances will focus on educating the FSIS 

workforce through activities and events such as workshops (resume 

writing, interviewing skills, effective communication, etc.). Observances 

will be made available to field employees via webcast. Participation in SEP 

observances/events will be tracked through AgLearn and will be the 

equivalent of no more than one (1) hour of EEO, Civil Rights, and Diversity 

training, regardless of the number of SEP observances/events/activities a 

manager, supervisor, or employee attends. 

• Host two (2) SEP observances/activities/events in field locations by 

September 30, 2013, to ensure that the diverse workforce in the field is 

provided the same opportunities to participate in activities similar to those 

of their headquarters counterparts. 

• Conduct two (2) train-the-trainer modules by March 31, 2013, to ensure 

that CRD personnel are well-versed on all training material and able are to 

deliver training to the workforce efficiently and effectively. 

• Track the effectiveness of training delivered to the workforce through post 

evaluations. Customers will be asked to provide feedback regarding 

training content, delivery, and method. CRD will use this information to 

modify/update training modules and provide additional training to staff, as 

necessary. Eighty-five percent (85%) of the training conducted will “Meet” 
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or “Exceed” expectations. 

Data Sources:

iComplaints, compliance reports, training needs assessment and analysis, 

AgLearn, MD-715.

Goal 7

Empower employees with the 

training, resources, and tools to 

enable success in protecting public 

health

Outcome 7.3

FSIS has a diverse, engaged, highperforming, and satisfied 

workforce.

Performance Measure 7.3.4

Increase the workforce for Persons 

with Targeted Disabilities 

(FY 2013 Target 1.5%)

Result 2:

FSIS WILL PROMOTE THE BENEFITS OF AND FACILITATE AN 

INCREASINGLY DIVERSE WORKFORCE THAT IS INCLUSIVE OF PEOPLE 

FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS. By promoting the benefits of a diverse 

workforce to internal and external stakeholders, the Agency will see an 

increase in the number of talented candidates it attracts, develops, and 

retains, thereby increasing FSIS’s workforce for Persons with Targeted

Disabilities (PWTD) to 1.5%. 

Actions:

• Collaborate with the Human Resources Division, OM, to identify and attend 

three (3) recruitment events geared toward PWTD in order to attract 

candidates from a larger applicant pool. Attendance at recruitment events 

will occur before June 30, 2013.

• Develop and launch a comprehensive training module by December 31, 

2012, that focuses on the benefits of Diversity and Inclusion. The training 

module will be geared toward managers and supervisors and will highlight 

the benefits of a diverse workforce that includes PWTD. Eighty-five 

percent (85%) of attendees receiving the training will rate the course as 

having “Met” or “Exceeded” expectations. 

• Host one roundtable discussion by June 30, 2013, that will include internal 

and external stakeholders (i.e., HR representatives, SEPs, EEOACs, and 

affinity groups). The discussion will develop new strategies to improve the 

Agency’s ability to hire and retain PWTD. 

• Update EEO policy statements to ensure consistency with the six essential 

elements of the Model EEO Program.

• Conduct a comprehensive barrier analysis by June 1, 2013, to systematically 

examine best employment practices and those that serve as barriers to 

equal employment opportunity. Once identified, by September 30, 2013, 

the Agency will develop a plan to address these barriers by developing new 

policies or adjusting existing policies and procedures. 

Data Sources:

iComplaints, NFC Reporting Center, and HR’s Monster Database (Applicant Flow 

Data).
18

Goal 7

Empower employees with the 

training, resources, and tools to 

enable success in protecting public 

health

Outcome 7.3

FSIS has a diverse, engaged, highperforming, and satisfied 

workforce.

Performance Measure 7.3.3

Ranking in the Partnership for 

Public Service’s Annual Report, Best 

Places to Work in the Federal 

Government

(FY 2013 target – 83rd of 224)

Result 3:

FSIS WILL REVITALIZE ITS ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION (ADR) 

PROGRAM TO FACILITATE EARLY, EFFECTIVE, AND EFFICIENT RESOLUTION 

OF EEO COMPLAINTS. As the EEO complaint process has become increasingly 

more adversarial and lengthy, FSIS will strongly promote and encourage the use of 

the Agency’s ADR program as a means of resolving EEO complaints at the lowest 

level possible. The ADR process will provide fast and cost-effective results, while 

improving communication, relationships, and morale in the workplace. The 

Agency will increase the ADR offer rate to 100% and participation rate to 45%. In 

addition, 98% of all EEO mediations will be completed within 90 calendar days. 

Actions:

• Appoint Civil Rights Director as lead of ADR Program, by January 3, 2013.

• Educate 60% of supervisors/managers and 40% of non 

managers/supervisors on the availability and benefits of the Agency’s ADR 

Program as a means of resolving disputes at the lowest level possible level 

by September 30, 2013. 

• Provide resolving official training to all FSIS supervisors and managers by 

September 30, 2013. 

• Deliver training using a variety of methods and venues, including but not 

limited to work unit meetings, new employee orientation, Basic Supervisory 

Training, New Supervisory Training, and the EEO counseling process. 

Training will be also delivered in person, through AgLearn, and through 

other available means. The Civil Rights Division will begin managing this 

training by January 3, 2013.

• Identify and disseminate best workplace practices for conflict resolution 

through Agency publications and all-user notices, beginning in January 3, 

2013. 

Data Sources:

iComplaints, MWSD.
19

Office of the Chief Financial Officer

Work Contributes to Strategic 

Plan Goal(s), Outcome(s) & 

Measure(s):

Goal 7

Empower employees with the 

training, resources, and tools to 

enable success in protecting public 

health

Outcome 7.2

All employees have the knowledge, 

tools, and resources to accomplish 

the FSIS mission

AND

Goal 8

Based on the defined Agency 

business needs, develop, maintain, 

and use innovative methodologies, 

processes, and tools, including PHIS, 

to protect public health efficiently 

and effectively and to support 

defined public health needs and 

goals

Outcome 8.2

Implement value-added business 

processes, methodologies, or 

technologies that contribute to 

serving the FSIS mission and are 

applied in the appropriate areas 

within FSIS

Performance Measure 8.2.1

% of documented implemented 

processes, methodologies, or 

technologies, including those 

adopted in accordance with 

formally accepted requirements or 

criteria, that are evaluated to assess 

whether they meet the intended 

outcomes or otherwise contribute to 

the Agency’s efforts to perform its 

mission (FY 2016 Target 80%)

Key RESULTS to be Achieved and ACTIONS 

undertaken by End of FY 2013

Result 1:

FSIS WILL CONTINUE TO PROMOTE EFFICIENT SPENDING THROUGH 

INCREASED TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND ONGOING COSTCUTTING MEASURES. Executive Order 13576 – Delivering an Efficient, 

Effective, and Accountable Government states that the Chief Financial Officers 

(CFOs) at all agencies shall be responsible for achieving Agency cost savings. 

However, a collaborative effort with the Office of Chief Information Officer, the 

Office of Management, Program Offices, and all Agency employees is required to 

maximize our limited resources. 

Actions: 

• Develop dashboards and tools that provide transparency of Agency and 

Program spending in categories such as staffing, operating costs, contracts, 

Interagency Agreements, and travel.

• Transform Enterprise Investment Board (EIB) focus from expenditure 

based to more of a Return-on-Investment (ROI) approach.

• Establish an Investment Fund to be used for Strategic Plan goal 

achievement sourced by savings in efficiencies and cross-cutting measures.

• Continue to leverage the Resource Management Advisory Committee 

(RMAC) and working groups for special studies and research on ways to 

seek cost savings in such areas as laboratory operations, working capital 

fund charges, and cross-cutting activities, including information technology.

• Implement the Relocation Working Group’s recommendations to reduce 

funds allocated for relocations and improve accounting practices.

• Promote use of restricted airfares to save on commercial airline travel costs

with a goal of achieving at least $50,000 in savings for FY 2013.

• Partner with OM to institutionalize annual review of Interagency 

Agreements and contracts exceeding $250K (eliminate review of “pass 

through” IAs with other agencies that are only used for contract 

acquisition).

• Relook how unfunded requirements are initially vetted to allow for greater 

total cost visibility before reaching Governance reviews.

• Partner with the Office of Public Affairs and Consumer Education (OPACE) 

to seek cost-saving initiatives from individuals across the Agency by 

establishing the FSIS SAVE incentive award program.

Data Sources:

Primarily collected from financial databases; in some cases, establishing new 

accounts to track cost savings and cost avoidance.
20

Goal 7

Empower employees with the 

training, resources, and tools to 

enable success in protecting public

health

Outcome 7.2

All employees have the knowledge, 

tools, and resources to accomplish 

the FSIS mission

Performance Measure 7.2.1

% of competency gaps closed for 

targeted group (FY 2016 Target 20% 

decreased)

AND

Goal 8

Based on the defined Agency 

business needs, develop, maintain, 

and use innovative methodologies, 

processes, and tools, including PHIS, 

to protect public health efficiently 

and effectively and to support 

defined public health needs and 

goals

Outcome 8.2

Implement value-added business 

processes, methodologies, or 

technologies that contribute to 

serving the FSIS mission and are 

applied in the appropriate areas 

within FSIS

Performance Measure 8.2.1

% of documented implemented 

processes, methodologies, or 

technologies, including those 

adopted in accordance with 

formally accepted requirements or 

criteria, that are evaluated to assess 

whether they meet the intended 

outcomes or otherwise contribute to 

the Agency’s efforts to perform its 

mission (FY 2016 Target 80%)

Result 2:

MAXIMIZE FOOD SAFETY WITH EACH DOLLAR OF TAXPAYER 

RESOURCES THROUGH BUSINESS PROCESS REENGINEERING (BPR) AND 

CONTINUOUS PROCESS IMPROVEMENT (CPI) ACROSS THE FULL RANGE 

OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES. Because of an austere and 

uncertain budget environment, OCFO will take actions to increase 

effectiveness and efficiencies by building the capacity to use BPR and CPI in 

FSIS and OCFO programs. Although similar in concept, there are differences 

between execution strategies:

• Continuous Process Improvement involves improving business processes in 

an often gradual, incremental methodology, often leveraging technology to 

dramatically improve processes (e.g. Improve Travel customer service).

 Business Process Reengineering assumes more of a clean slate 

approach, focusing on new methods to improve customer satisfaction, 

employee development, or seeking best practices OCFO will complete 

six process improvements in FY13 through a combination of CPI and 

BPR methods.

 OCFO will build a robust Quality Assurance Program that measures 

performance across the financial management spectrum by Jan 2013.

Actions: 

• Partnering with OM, implement the WebTA 4.0 time and attendance system 

within the timetable established by the Department during FY 2013 and 

explore use of local travel (SF 1164) processing through WebTA.

• Pilot a funds reservation process in FMMI with at least one Program area in 

FY 2013 to determine the feasibility of eliminating the manual Tools budget 

tracking system by the end of FY 2013.

• Develop enhanced communication mechanisms, including, 1) a shared 

network directory within OCFO with appropriate access to other program 

areas to provide access to key documents, 2) a group email box for 

customers to submit travel inquiries, and 3) use of the new OCFO website 

for customer related information.

• Research validity of a Travel “call center” to streamline and improve phone 

inquiries and turnaround time for customers among other improvements in 

service provided by travel staff. Report on improvements on a quarterly 

basis to Deputy Administrator.

• Use the Strategic Plan Dashboard on the FSIS Intranet for transparency of 

goals performance to all FSIS employees and seek ways to expand use of the 

Dashboard to include more business measures (e.g., status of funds,

Unliquidated Obligations).

• Develop performance indicators across all OCFO including customer service

• Hold quarterly Quality Assurance meetings with OCFO managers to 

measure and analyze results and perform Quality Assurance Reviews if 

negative trends persist.

• Conduct an inventory of current OCFO directives and notices, determine 

whether they are outdated (need elimination) by March 2013 and develop 

or re-write 10 financial management policies by the end of FY2013.

Data Sources:

Existing documents and requirements will be used as the baseline to use 

BPR/CPI to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of existing programs.

Result 3:

IMPLEMENT TWO KEY ACTIONS THAT WILL ESTABLISH INTERNAL 

CONTROLS AS A FUNDAMENTAL COMPONENT OF HOW OCFO PERFORMS 

ITS WORK FOR FSIS: Through an ongoing cultural shift, improve 

awareness and implementation of internal controls in order to provide 
21

Goal 7

Empower employees with the 

training, resources, and tools to 

enable success in protecting public

health

Outcome 7.2

All employees have the knowledge, 

tools, and resources to accomplish 

the FSIS mission

Performance Measure 7.2.1

% of competency gaps closed for 

targeted group (FY 2016 Target 20% 

decreased)

AND

Goal 8

Based on the defined Agency 

business needs, develop, maintain, 

and use innovative methodologies, 

processes, and tools, including PHIS, 

to protect public health efficiently 

and effectively and to support 

defined public health needs and 

goals

Outcome 8.2

Implement value-added business 

processes, methodologies, or 

technologies that contribute to 

serving the FSIS mission and are 

applied in the appropriate areas 

within FSIS

Performance Measure 8.2.1

% of documented implemented 

processes, methodologies, or

technologies, including those 

adopted in accordance with 

formally accepted requirements or 

criteria, that are evaluated to assess 

whether they meet the intended 

outcomes or otherwise contribute to 

the Agency’s efforts to perform its 

mission (FY 2016 Target 80%)

improved stewardship and efficiencies in use of the Agency’s resources in 

meeting its mandated mission. Specific objectives include:

 By the end of FY2013, develop an OCFO semi-annual Self-Review

Program that uses external sources (e.g., audit findings, GAO 

reports) as well as internal evaluations that could serve as a model 

for an Agency-wide Self-Review Program.

 Develop an FY13 annual Internal Control Plan by October 31, 2012 

that provides a roadmap and priorities for efforts to establish 

reliability of financial reporting and improve the efficiency and 

effectiveness of Agency operations. Fully implement the Internal 

Control Plan by September 30, 2013.

Actions: 

• Conduct Internal Controls training for at least 80 percent of all OCFO 

employees by June 30, 2013.

• Continue to promote professional certifications in the OCFO workforce such 

as Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM), Certified Fraud 

Examiner (CFE) and other appropriate internal control qualifications

• Assess risks, conduct test work, and implement corrective actions to 

eliminate and recoup improper payments.

• In partnership with OM/ASD, comply with a Presidential Memorandum –

enhancing payment accuracy through use of the “Do Not Pay List” which 

encourages a thorough review of databases before release of federal funds.

• Strengthen internal controls over government charge cards to reduce the 

risk of waste, fraud, and abuse through the development of monthly 

delinquent cardholder reports to AA/Program Managers and 

implementation of a 45-day courtesy notice to individuals in an effort to 

prevent the cards entering official delinquent status (>60 days).

• Develop and distribute reports to the District Managers when the Financial 

Processing Center (FPC) is in receipt of a request for overtime but not in 

receipt of a 5110 (reimbursement request).

• Develop updated program standard operating procedures (SOPs) for 

quarterly review of unliquidated obligations by November 2012.

• Conduct two Financial Policy Oversight (FPO) internal control reviews in FY 

2013 of OCFO program areas determined to be at risk for potential abuse or 

accountability issues.

• Review existing processes at the FPC and develop specific assessment and 

plan for internal control reviews at the FPC by December 2012.

• Provide training sessions each quarter of FY 2013 to the financial analysts 

at Urbandale, IA, in order to enhance internal control processes and 

procedures at the Financial Processing Center.

Data Sources:

Principles and standards prescribed by the Government Accountability 

Office (GAO), Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board (FASAB), Office 

of Management and Budget(OMB), and General Services Administration 

(GSA). In addition, guidance provided by the USDA internal control staff as 

part of compliance with the Federal Managers Financial Integrity Act 

(FMFIA) and OMB Circular A-123 Appendix A.

Success of internal controls will be assessed through testing, performance 

metrics and quarterly quality assurance meetings. 
22

Office of the Chief Information Officer

Work Contributes to Strategic 

Plan Goal(s), Outcome(s) & 

Measure(s):

Goal 8

Based on the defined Agency 

business needs, develop, maintain, 

and use innovative methodologies, 

processes, and tools, including PHIS, 

to protect public health efficiently 

and effectively and to support 

defined public health needs and 

goals

Outcome 8.1

Continuously evaluate and seek to 

understand and employ new or 

innovative mission-supporting 

processes, methodologies, and

technologies

Performance Measure 8.1.1

% of innovative processes, 

methodologies, or technologies for 

which the Agency has established a 

baseline (FY 2016Target 25% above 

baseline)

Performance Measure 8.1.2

% of innovative processes, 

methodologies, or technologies that, 

once employed, are evaluated by the 

Agency (FY 2016 Target 80%)

Key RESULTS to be Achieved and ACTIONS 

undertaken by End of FY 2013

Result 1:

FSIS WILL COMPLETE A BASELINE TO ALLOW THE AGENCY TO ASSESS 

THE IMPACTS OF MAJOR INNOVATIONS ON ITS OPERATIONS AND 

PERFORMANCE. 

Actions:

• Using the approved definition of “innovation” and the following five criteria, 

collect data on innovative projects: (1) time saved, (2) costs saved/avoided, 

(3) increased accuracy, (4) increased data availability, and (5) impact on 

public health, identify potentially innovative projects using weighted 

criteria.

• Collect baseline data for identified projects.

• Identify data sources that can be routinely used as metrics to assist future 

metric identification.

• Identify data needed for which there is no current collection 

process/repository/tool.

Data Sources:

Current agency data either in the Data Warehouse or agency systems as well 

as data identified through gap analysis.

Goal 1

Ensure that food safety inspection 

aligns with the existing and 

emerging risks

Outcome 1.1

Minimize existing and emerging 

food safety hazards through the 

most effective means

Performance Measure 1.1.1

Total number of Salmonella, Listeria 

monocytogenes, and E.coli O157:H7 

illnesses from products regulated by 

FSIS (FY 2013 Target 394,770 

illnesses)

AND

Goal 8

Based on the defined Agency 

business needs, develop, maintain, 

and use innovative methodologies, 

processes, and tools, including PHIS, 

Result 2:

FSIS WILL DEPLOY THE PHIS STATE AND INDUSTRY RELEASES.

Actions: 

• Leverage results of user acceptance testing to identify, prioritize and 

resolve critical fixes.

• Deploy initial release of PHIS for “equal to” state meat and poultry 

inspection programs.

• Deploy initial release of PHIS for industry.

• Ensure PHIS supports:

o Directing inspection and verification of food safety requirements.

o Documenting the results of inspection activities.

o Analyzing and reporting inspection activity data to assign.

appropriate resources to emerging risks.

Data Sources:

• User acceptance testing results.

• Project management data.

• Inspection data from PHIS.
23

to protect public health efficiently 

and effectively and to support 

defined public health needs and 

goals

Outcome 8.2

Implement value-added business 

processes, methodologies, or 

technologies that contribute to 

serving the FSIS mission and are 

applied in the appropriate areas 

within FSIS

Performance Measure 8.2.1

% of documented implemented 

processes, methodologies, or 

technologies, including those 

adopted in accordance with 

formally accepted requirements or 

criteria, that are evaluated to assess 

whether they meet the intended 

outcomes or otherwise contribute to 

the Agency’s efforts to perform its 

mission (FY 2016 Target 80%)

Goal 8

Based on the defined Agency 

business needs, develop, maintain, 

and use innovative methodologies, 

processes, and tools, including PHIS, 

to protect public health efficiently 

and effectively and to support 

defined public health needs and 

goals

Outcome 8.1

Continuously evaluate and seek to 

understand and employ new or 

innovative mission-supporting 

processes, methodologies, and

technologies

Performance Measure 8.1.1

% of innovative processes, 

methodologies, or technologies for 

which the Agency has established a 

baseline (FY 2016 Target 25% above 

baseline)

Performance Measure 8.1.2

% of innovative processes, 

methodologies, or technologies that, 

once employed, are evaluated by the 

Agency (FY 2016 Target 80%)

Outcome 8.2

Implement value-added business 

processes, methodologies, or 

technologies that contribute to 

serving the FSIS mission and are 

applied in the appropriate areas 

within FSIS

Performance Measure 8.2.1

% of documented implemented 

processes, methodologies, or 

technologies, including those 

adopted in accordance with 

Result 3:

FSIS WILL IMPLEMENT A MOBILE STRATEGY THAT PROVIDES 

CUSTOMERS AND EMPLOYEES WITH THE GREATER ACCESS TO 

INFORMATION AND IMPROVE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY AND 

EFFECTIVENESS THROUGH MOBILE APPS, SITES AND DEVICES. This 

result will allow FSIS to comply with OMB direction to speed adoption of 

mobile technology, improve public access to more data and services, and 

make data available in ways that can be easily shared and combined in new 

ways. This new mobile strategy will support both our customers and our 

employees.

Actions:

• Complete FSIS Mobility Strategy that encompasses our customers’ and 

employees’ top priorities.

• By the end of FY 2013, complete an implementation plan, including a 

communications strategy, to support the strategy.

• Identify high-value data and content to be made available as open data 

or through Application Programming Interfaces.

• Launch the Meat, Poultry and Egg Directory App.

• Partner with the Office of Public Affairs and Consumer Education to 

redevelop the public web site with mobile functionality.

• Promote the safe and secure adoption of new mobile technologies for 

customers and employees that support efficient and effective 

protection of public health.

Data Sources:

• Federal guidance and USDA policy.

• Customer feedback from Data.gov and mobile app sites as well as 

customer satisfaction survey data.

• Industry best practices.

• Employee feedback and requirements from both new and existing 

channels.
24

formally accepted requirements or 

criteria, that are evaluated to assess 

whether they meet the intended 

outcomes or otherwise contribute to 

the Agency’s efforts to perform its 

mission (FY 2016 Target 80%)

• Enterprise Governance and Management Council guidance.
25

Office of Data Integration and Food 

Protection

Work Contributes to Strategic 

Plan Goal(s), Outcome(s) & 

Measure(s):

Goal 2

Maximize domestic and 

international compliance with 

food safety policies

Outcome 2.3 

Food protection and handling 

systems ensure protection against 

intentional contamination

Performance Measure 2.3.1

% of all official establishments 

with a functional Food Defense 

Plan (FY 2013 Target 81%) 

Performance Measure 2.3.3

Outreach to eligible countries to 

encourage implementation of a 

system that protects product from 

intentional contamination

(FY 2013Target 60%)

Key RESULTS to be Achieved and ACTIONS

undertaken by End of FY2013

Result 1:

FSIS WILL INCREASE AWARENESS AND VOLUNTARY ADOPTION OF FOOD DEFENSE 

PROGRAMS BY INDUSTRY AND GOVERNMENT, DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL.

Utilizing targeted outreach to small and very small plants, FSIS will meet its FY2013 

target that 81% of establishments have a functional food defense plan. Conducting 

international food defense activities in or for eligible countries will help meet the FSIS 

target of outreach to 60% of them for FY2013. 

Actions:

• Conduct international activities, including outreach or food defense workshops, in or 

for countries eligible to export to the U.S., in collaboration with FDA and FAS.

• Mail letters—in collaboration with OOEET—to encourage development of a 

functional food defense plan to all plants that lack such a plan, and to emphasize the 

importance of such plans and encourage their continued updating and testing prior to 

the next food defense plan survey. Call management of 40% of establishments that 

lack a written food defense plan by the end of FY2013, and track responses to 

evaluate progress.

• Develop a plan to modify food defense verification activities in response to focus 

group results. 

• Conduct additional outreach to small and very small establishments, in collaboration 

with OOEET, including at least nine (9) food defense workshops or presentations by 

the end of FY2013, to exchange food defense information and to encourage adoption 

of functional food defense plans.

• Develop a mini-exercise ‘kit’ to help establishments adopt and test food defense plans. 

• Manage implementation of the 2013 food defense plan survey.

• Evaluate the process for updating vulnerability assessments (VA) to identify best 

practices for updates in the future.

Data Sources:

Results of annual food defense plan survey of OFO and OIA inspection program 

personnel. Completion of international workshops or other activities held in or for 

eligible countries. Completion of food defense outreach. Results of focus groups and 

exercise ‘kit’ activities. Analysis of VA update process.

Goal 4 

Strengthen collaboration among 

internal and external 

stakeholders to prevent 

foodborne illness

Outcome 4.1 

FSIS maximizes relationships with 

public health and food safety 

partners to enhance the food 

safety system

Performance Measure 4.1.2

% of results from interagency 

collaboration on analytics used in 

Result 2:

FSIS WILL CONTRIBUTE TO ACHIEVING, IN FY2013, CONCEPTUAL AGREEEMENT 

WITH FDA AND CDC ON A ROBUST, HARMONIZED METHOD FOR ATTRIBUTING 

FOODBORNE ILLNESS, AND A NUMERICAL ATTRIBUTION ESTIMATE, AND WILL 

COLLABORATE ON OUTBREAK PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE. Progress in 

attributing foodborne illnesses to meat, poultry and processed egg products will be 

made through approved interagency analytics projects. FSIS will also improve its 

coordination with FDA and CDC to improve joint responses to and prevent the spread of 

foodborne illness outbreaks. 

Actions:

• Participate in all Interagency Food Safety Analytics Collaboration (IFSAC) meetings 

and teleconferences.
26

FSIS policy (FY 2013 Target 32%)

AND

Goal 1

Ensure that food safety inspection 

aligns with existing and emerging 

risks 

Outcome 1.1 

Minimize existing and emerging 

food safety hazards through the 

most effective means

Performance Measure 1.1.1 

Total number of Salmonella, 

Listeria monocytogenes, and E.coli 

O157:H7 illnesses from products 

regulated by FSIS 

(FY 2013 Target 394,770) 

• Participate in the development of new IFSAC projects, contribute necessary resources 

to complete FSIS’s aspects of the ongoing projects, and work with partner agencies to 

publicly share findings from existing IFSAC projects. There are currently eight 

ongoing projects; five are tentatively planned for completion in FY2013. 

• Collaborate through shared resources of ODIFP and OPHS to advance the IFSAC work 

and maintain internal consistency on the use of foodborne illness attribution in FSIS 

activities.

• Evaluate all foodborne outbreaks that involve dual-jurisdiction products to determine 

whether they are significant incidents. 

• Plan and conduct one exercise of the Multi-Agency Coordination Group for Foodborne 

Illness Outbreaks (MAC-FIO) in 2013 to test the working group’s standard operating 

procedures for large-scale foodborne illness outbreaks.

Data Sources:

IFSAC steering committee approved data analytics projects as reported by the 

committee. The specific analytics projects will rely on data from multiple sources 

including CDC outbreak data, FSIS and FDA testing data, CDC serotype data, and any 

other sources as needed. Information on outbreaks as needed. MAC-FIO Standard 

Operating Procedures.

Goal 1

Ensure that food safety inspection 

aligns with existing and emerging 

risks 

Outcome 1.2 

Resources are targeted to existing 

and emerging risks

Performance Measure 1.2.1 

% of domestic establishments 

that meet the “for cause” Food 

Safety Assessments and monthly 

Hazard Analysis Verification 

decision criteria more than once 

per year (FY 2016 Target 1.50%)

AND

Goal 2

Maximize domestic and 

international compliance with 

food safety policies

Outcome 2.1 

Domestic and foreign produced 

products meet food safety

performance standards

Performance Measure 2.1.1 

% of broiler plants passing the 

carcass Salmonella verification 

testing (FY 2013 Target 91%)

AND

Goal 6

Implement effective policies to 

respond to existing and emerging 

risks

Outcome 6.1 

Public health risks are mitigated 

through effective strategies based 

on the best available information

Result 3:

FSIS WILL IMPROVE ITS ABILITY TO USE ITS DATA, INCLUDING PHIS DATA. FSIS 

will take steps that will enable it to effectively use the data and other information 

developed and captured by PHIS and other systems to support Agency activities, and 

ensure that PHIS functions and reports are being used and fulfilling agency needs.

Actions:

• Track and evaluate the use of reports in PHIS by different offices within the Agency.

• Increase data access by: a) automating 25% of the reports currently done manually 

for the field; b) evaluating Data Footprints requests to identify ways to streamline or 

automate the provision of data. 

• Utilize the advanced analytics capabilities of PHIS on at least two high priority 

analysis projects. These projects will be in the general areas of addressing an 

emerging public health need or measuring policy effectiveness. 

• Conduct two major reviews of sampling algorithms and propose improvements that 

could be made to them.

• Identify, in coordination with OPPD, 18 directives or notices to be jointly evaluated 

and analyzed for effectiveness using data from PHIS or other agency sources. 

• Improve FSIS’ capability to estimate the impacts of significant incidents by linking 

FIMS and PHIS data.

• Manage at least ten significant incidents through FIMS and generate a quarterly 

report on all incidents.

Data Sources:

Data in PHIS on number of times reports are accessed and by which offices. 

Presentations given to Data Coordination Committee or Management Council utilizing 

PHIS analytics functionality. The list of improved sampling algorithms. The FSIS 

strategic data analysis plan. Data from FIMS. Data from Data Footprints. List of directives 

and notices and related data.
27

Performance Measure 6.1.2 

% of regulated industry adhering 

to key public health related 

policies (establishments receiving 

zero public health related noncompliance in a year 

(FY 2013 Target 76%)

Performance Measure 6.1.3 

Frequency of reviews examining 

the effectiveness of FSIS policies 

regarding significant public 

health risks 

(FY 2013 Target Bi-Monthly)
28

Office of Field Operations

Work Contributes to 

Strategic Plan Goal(s), 

Outcome(s) & Measure(s):

Goal 1

Ensure that food safety 

inspection aligns with existing 

and emerging risks

Outcome 1.2

Resources are targeted to 

existing and emerging risks

Performance Measure 1.2.1

% of domestic establishments that 

meet the “for cause” Food Safety 

Assessments and monthly Hazard 

Analysis Verification decision 

criteria more than once per year 

(FY 2016Target 1.50%)

Goal 6

Implement effective policies to 

respond to existing and 

emerging risks

Outcome 6.1

Public health risks are 

mitigated through effective 

strategies based on the best 

available information

Measure 6.1.2

Percentage of regulated 

industry adhering to key public 

health related policies 

(establishments receiving zero 

public health related noncompliance in a year).

(FY 2013 Target 76%)

Key RESULTS to be Achieved and ACTIONS 

undertaken by End of FY 2013

Result 1:

OFO WILL CONDUCT AN FSA TO ASSESS SALMONELLA CONTROL AT 75% OF 

ESTABLISHMENTS THAT PRODUCE RAW OR COMMINUTED POULTRY. THIS WORK 

WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE AGENCY’S EFFORT TO REDUCE SALMONELLA PREVALENCE 

IN RAW GROUND POULTRY.

Actions: 

• Develop and implement HAV Pilot Project at 30 raw ground poultry producing plants as an 

initial pilot, prior to full implementation for FR reassessment, during the 1st Quarter of 2013.

• From pilot study data, develop an implementation plan to prioritize and conduct FSAs at 

each of the targeted ground chicken and ground turkey producing establishments for 

implementation of FR reassessment.

• Assuming publication of the FR Notice in the 1st Quarter of FY 2013, by the end of FY 2013 

an FSA will have been conducted at 75% of targeted establishments. 

• At mid-year FY 2013, reassess and report progress toward 75% target.

• Ensure consistent application of this FSA methodology with refresher pre-FSA correlations 

with the districts where targeted establishments are located.

• Determine outcomes of the FSAs, and where indicated, issue Part 500 enforcement actions. 

Assess adequacy of plant corrective actions to achieve regulatory compliance. Develop and 

implement verification plans. Populate enhanced profiles into PHIS for these 

establishments.

• Assist ODIFP and OPPD by enabling their efforts to analyze results and incorporate lessons 

learned into improved policies and inspection strategies.

Data Sources: PHIS for establishment profiles and indicators of current regulatory compliance and OFO 

tracking of Pilot Data. 

Result 2:

PUBLIC HEALTH RISKS ARE MITIGATED THROUGH EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES BASED 

ON THE BEST AVAILABLE INFORMATION. Assuming publication in the FR of the 

Modernization of Poultry Slaughter Inspection Final Rule by the 2nd Quarter of FY 2013, 

25% of estimated establishments have implemented the new PSR program. OFO will 

support the implementation of effective policies to respond to existing and emerging risks,

including supporting OPPD and CFL, in the development of the final Poultry Slaughter Rule

(PSR) and implementation of related policies. 

Actions: 

• Develop pre-implementation strategies and methods in anticipation of finalizing and 

implementing the FSIS Proposed PSR.

• OFO will manage the overall Agency’s poultry slaughter modernization effort through FY 

2013. This includes coordinating efforts of OM, OOEET, OPPD, OCIO, and ODIFP with those 

of OFO. 
29

• At mid-year FY 2013, reassess and report progress toward the 25% target.

Data Sources:

PHIS and new Poultry Slaughter Modernization SharePoint site to capture implementation data.

Goal 2

Maximize domestic and 

international compliance with 

food safety policies

Outcome 2.2

Humane handling and slaughter 

practices are a central focus of 

establishment employees as 

evidenced by an awareness of 

proper procedures and the 

implementation of a systematic 

approach to humane handling

Performance Measure 2.2.1

% of slaughter plants identified 

during DVMS humane handling 

verification visits as having an 

effective systematic approach to 

humane handling (all four 

elements of a systematic approach 

implemented) 

(FY 2013 Target 45%)

Result 3:

OFO WILL ENSURE ESTABLISHMENTS INCREASINGLY UTILIZE A SYSTEMATIC 

APPROACH TO HUMANE HANDLING TO MEET STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS FOR 

HANDLING AND SLAUGHTER OF LIVESTOCK. When livestock are handled in connection 

with slaughter in official establishments that have effectively designed and implemented 

humane handling programs, they consistently receive better treatment. Target a result of 

45% of establishments visited in FY 2013 to have incorporated systematic approaches to 

humane handling of livestock. Record the reasons an establishment has not adopted a 

systematic approach to humane handling.

Actions: 

• Develop 5 new situation based training scenarios involving enforcement actions at 

establishments that have adopted a systematic approach to humane handling.

• Humane Handling Enforcement Coordinator, with ODIFP, will analyze 100% of all humane 

handling NRs to identify plants that require special attention due to recurring noncompliance. These plants will have targeted visits by the District DVMS or DVMS trained 

PHV at least once within the following quarter of when it was identified. 

• Target and encourage small and very small plants into developing a systematic approach to 

humane handling by utilizing DVMS outreach during humane handling visits. DVMS’s will 

share a PowerPoint presentation with plant management at 100% of the plants they visit 

during FY 2013, where a systematic approach has not been implemented, with at least one 

follow-up communication (telephone call/visit/email exchange) with plant management by 

the end of the quarter, after the quarter in which the visit occurred, to see if any written 

change occurred. The presentation, developed by the Humane Handling Enforcement 

Coordinator, will outline how to develop a systematic approach and the benefits of doing so. 

Partner with meat associations to make presentations on the systematic approach to their 

membership in at least two of their national/regional meetings.

Data Sources:

PHIS, and new OFO database on DVMS SharePoint site to capture systematic approach data.
30

Office of International Affairs

Work Contributes to Strategic 

Plan Goal(s), Outcome(s) & 

Measure(s):

Goal 1

Ensure that food safety inspection 

aligns with existing and emerging 

risks

Outcome 1.2

Resources are targeted to existing 

and emerging risks

Performance Measure 1.2.2

% of importing countries requiring 

more immediate inspection or 

reinspection attention more than 

twice within the previous year 

(FY 2013Target Remains less than 

20%)

Key RESULTS to be Achieved and ACTIONS 

undertaken by End of FY 2013

Result 1:

FSIS WILL WORK WITH FOOD EXPORTING COUNTRIES THAT HAVE 

REPEATEDLY HAD SHIPMENTS REJECTED BY THE U.S. FOR FOOD SAFETY 

VIOLATIONS TO HELP THE COUNTRIES MAINTAIN THEIR EQUIVALENT 

STATUS. Specifically, FSIS will identify and provide technical assistance to at 

least 3 countries that have had more than two shipments rejected by FSIS for 

food safety reasons. FSIS will work with these countries to strengthen their 

performance before there is a food safety crisis, and before FSIS is compelled 

to delist the country. 

Actions: 

• FSIS will monitor Point of Entry (POE) violations related to microbiological, 

physical, and chemical food safety concerns and government oversight 

concerns and request corrective actions. For repeat violators, FSIS will 

conduct a trend analysis to re-evaluate both the country’s ability to meet FSIS 

food safety requirements, and whether FSIS’s equivalence criteria continue to 

be met.

• For each repeat violator-country, FSIS will check the country’s Self Reporting 

Tool (SRT), most recent audit report, and import history to determine 

whether there is any evidence of an underlying cause of the problem.

• FSIS will then contact the country about FSIS providing technical assistance. 

• FSIS will determine whether the countries have improved their food safety 

systems enough to remain equivalent, or whether a delisting action is 

warranted.

• In order to facilitate continued understanding of the requirements of the six 

equivalence components by all countries, OIA will coordinate and execute 

two seminars (i.e., HACCP/SSOP seminar for Spanish speaking foreign 

officials and HACCP beginner’s and/or advanced seminar for residue or 

microbiology) for foreign officials.

• OIA will collaborate with the University of Puerto Rico, CFL and OPHS to 

update training materials.

Data Sources:

Data from AIIS/PHIS/Audits/SRT/Database of POE Violations. 

Goal 1

Ensure that food safety inspection 

aligns with existing and emerging 

risks

Outcome 1.2

Resources are targeted to existing 

and emerging risks

Performance Measure 1.2.2

% of importing countries requiring 

more immediate inspection or 

reinspection attention more than 

twice within the previous year 

(FY 2013Target Remains less than 

20%)

Result 2:

FSIS WILL IMPLEMENT A SYSTEM TO FOCUS ITS AUDIT RESOURCES ON 

COUNTRIES WHOSE PRODUCTS APPEAR TO PRESENT THE GREATEST 

RISK OF CAUSING A FOOD SAFETY PROBLEM. Specifically, FSIS will 

implement a system that prioritizes countries for FSIS auditing based on POE 

violations, SRT information, and other relevant information including previous 

audits. FSIS will perform in-country audits of the 11 countries identified as 

having highest priority and perform desk audits that address all 6 equivalence 

components of the remaining countries eligible to ship to the U.S.
31

Actions: 

Risk will be derived by doing the following:

• Assessing the foreign country’s score based on the Foreign Inspection 

System Equivalence Component Calculator.

• Determining which establishments are producing higher volumes of 

higher risk product. The higher volume high risk products increase the 

risk score of the country. 

• Identifying laboratories conducting pathogen/chemical testing for 

establishments producing higher volumes of higher risk product. The 

information will be used during the audit. Higher volume laboratories 

that process samples of higher risk product can impact future overall risk 

scores of the country for future audit, if laboratory deficiencies are 

identified in lab method and process oversight. 

• Determining the compliance history using prior enforcement activities, 

consumer complaints, or POE violations.

Data Sources:

Data from PHIS/Audits/SRT/Foreign Inspection System Equivalence 

Component Calculator.

Goal 1

Ensure that food safety inspection 

aligns with existing and emerging 

risks

Outcome 1.2

Resources are targeted to existing 

and emerging risks

Performance Measure 1.2.2

% of importing countries requiring 

more immediate inspection or 

reinspection attention more than 

twice within the previous year 

(FY 2013Target Remains less than 

20%)

Result 3:

FSIS WILL COMPLETE ITS ANALYSIS OF ALL PENDING EQUIVALENCE 

REQUESTS (9 AT THE BEGINNING OF FY 2013) AND AT LEAST TWO 

ADDITIONAL REQUESTS FROM THOSE RECEIVED SINCE THE START OF 

THE FISCAL YEAR (BY THE END OF THE SECOND QUARTER FY 2013). 

Actions: 

• Translate documents submitted in all pending requests.

• Work with OPPD, OPHS and other program areas as necessary to determine if 

the information meets one or more of the 6 equivalence components. 

• If all the criteria for all 6 equivalence component have been met, OIA will 

write a decision memo, gain clearance, and move into the final audit phase.

• Conduct on-site audit and/or desk audit of corrective action(s).

• If the final audit and/or corrective actions demonstrate the system has been 

implemented as designed, obtain clearance to move into the rule making 

phase. 

• If the criteria of the 6 equivalence components have not been met, to move to 

the rule making phase OIA will communicate its analysis to the foreign 

country and have one or more technical meetings by conference call or other 

means to facilitate a decision by FSIS for each of the 6 equivalence 

components. 

Data Sources:

IES management data bases/share point site/assurance net.
32

Office of Management

Work Contributes to Strategic 

Plan Goal(s), Outcome(s) & 

Measure(s):

Goal 7

Empower employees with the 

training, resources, and tools to 

enable success in protecting public 

health

Outcome 7.1

Each employee understands how 

he/she impacts public health

Performance Measure 7.1.1

Average score on the Annual 

Employee Viewpoint Survey for 

questions related to workers’ 

understanding of their impact on 

public health (FY 2013 Target 91%)

Key RESULTS to be Achieved and ACTIONS 

undertaken by End of FY 2013

Result 1:

FSIS WILL IMPLEMENT AND SUPPORT THE SECRETARY’S INITIATIVE FOR 

THE ADMINISTRATIVE SOLUTIONS PROJECT TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY AND 

EFFECTIVENESS ACROSS THE DEPARTMENTTHROUGH THE AGENCY’S 

DESIGNATION AS A NATIONAL SERVICE CENTER FOR HUMAN RESOURCES 

AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES. FSIS is committed to building on existing 

relationships to streamline processes and improve service delivery benefiting all 

FSIS employees, enhancing our workforce’s connection to the mission and 

creating an Agency that functions as one team with one purpose. Key targets 

include: achieving a 2% reduction in organizational acquisition costs through 

contract streamlining/consolidation/strategic sourcing efforts; 

maintaining/exceeding contribution to the USDA Small Business acquisition goal 

of 50%; and ensuring Pre-decisional Involvement (PDI) opportunities are 

formally integrated into Agency processes, procedures and directives resulting 

in a 10% increase of union/labor engagement and an indirect decrease in the 

number of and length of formal negotiations by 2% at the national level. 

FSIS will establish a strategy and framework to provide world class 

administrative services, specifically human resources, safety and health, 

contracting, leasing, and procurement that are customer-focused, results 

orientated, and promote innovation and efficiency in a national service 

center/center of excellence delivery model. The strategy/framework will 

include a service catalog, service level agreements, performance metrics, and 

customer feedback mechanisms that will integrate USDA efforts to streamline 

processes and avoid/reduce costs. As a result, Agency efforts to improve service 

availability and service delivery to FSIS employees will be improved. With a 

better understanding of the needs and concerns of management, and labor, and 

a redefined customer base through collaborative processes, FSIS will capitalize 

on employee/customer input and creativity to transform and change the Agency 

culture, promote the idea of one team with one purpose, and act as a means of 

improving effectiveness and efficiency of government operations in a more 

sustainable way. 

Actions: 

OM will:

• Establish a framework for National Service Center services in human 

resources, safety and health, contracting, leasing, and procurement,

including proposed service menu, service level agreements, performance 

metrics, customer feedback mechanisms and costs by September 30, 2013.

• Establish FSIS standard operating procedures and service standards for all 

acquisitions and human resources functions by May 2013. Ensure 

metric/service data is readily available for managerial/customer 

information and decision making. Include customer service and service 

delivery metrics in the performance standards of all positions accountable 

for those functions.
33

• Complete a space usage assessment to determine cost reduction, telework 

and green initiative recommendations, and space efficiency opportunities 

by March 30, 2013 to meet the FSIS FY 14 target space allocation reduction 

by 5%.

• Lead one USDA Administrative Solutions Project (ASP) initiative to 

strengthen labor-management and organizational relationships on the 

Administrative Business Initiative Council (ABIC) and on the USDA Labor 

Management Forum.

• Facilitate the implementation of all labor management assessment criteria 

in the cultural transformation strategy, maintaining the current “yellow” 

status and achieving “green” status by 9/30/13. Take a lead role on the 

FSIS LM Forum and facilitate a signed agreement, SOP’s and performance 

metrics by September 2013. This will formalize a platform to find common 

ground and forge more successful labor management solutions. 

• Implement a self-review process of appropriate management controls to 

ensure no A-123/financial audit implications or repeat findings exist for 

contracting, procurement, or human resource transaction processing by 

August 2013.

• Finalize policy and criteria for issuing an Alternative LINCPass (Alt-LINC) to 

LINCPass ineligible individuals by June 30, 2013.

• Conduct security assessments at Federal Procurement Center (FPC) (critical 

infrastructure site) by March 30, 2013; and two non-critical sites (Raleigh 

NC, and Atlanta GA) by July 2013.

• Implement AgLearn training module for Fleet Management Use of 

Government Owned Vehicles (GOV) by April 30, 2013.

• Maintain 100% accuracy of lease costs data in CPAIS (Corporate Property 

Automated Information System) by verifying GSA reported dollar totals are 

correct on a quarterly basis.

Data Sources:

OPM Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey; USDA goals and targets, and

program monitoring tools and systems; industry benchmark data.
34

Goal 7

Empower employees with the 

training, resources, and tools to 

enable success in protecting public 

health

Outcome 7.3

FSIS has a diverse, engaged, highperforming, and satisfied workforce

Performance Measure 7.3.1 

% of workplace injury/illness cases 

(FY 2013 Target 6.10%)

Result 2:

FSIS WILL REDUCE INJURIES AND ILLNESSES AS A RESULT OF 

ESTABLISHING THE FSIS HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEE, TO ANALYZE 

PROBLEMS, RECOMMEND SOLUTIONS AND IMPLEMENT NEW IDEAS FOR 

INCREASING EMPLOYEE SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE. The FSIS, Office of 

Management (OM), Workers’ Safety and Health Division (WSHD), 

Environmental, Health and Safety Branch (EHSB) serves as the authority and 

technical subject matter experts (SME) on safety and health issues, but is reliant 

upon all programs and every level of the organization to identify and commit 

resources to implementing protective measures (e.g. policy review, training, site 

reviews). FSIS will create a National Safety and Health Committee (SHC) to 

ensure protections are in place. The Committee will ensure management and 

employees are working together to establish a comprehensive safety and health 

program, by reviewing safety related issues, reports and problems. By leading 

the SHC and implementing its recommendations, OM will facilitate the Agency’s 

goal of reducing the percentage of injury/illness cases to a target of 6.10% in FY 

2013.

Actions:

OM will:

• Achieve reduction in illness/injury cases by:

o Identifying safety training needs and partner with programs to 

create a curriculum as appropriate.

o Developing comprehensive guidance and educational material for 

use by District/Circuit Safety Committees by May 2013. 

• Serve as FSIS Designated Agency Safety and Health Official (DASHO) and 

implement an Agency safety and health committee by September 30, 2013. 

• Ensure Agency safety and health policy is current; and review/update 10% 

of the policies by August 30, 2013.

• Complete an assessment of OWCP cases to identify opportunities for 

increasing the number of employees returning to work or the termination 

of benefits by April 2013, resulting in a 3% reduction of OWCP costs in FY 

2013. 

• Formalize/expand partnership within USDA to create additional 

opportunities to return employees to work. Sign MOU by September 30, 

2013.

• Establish an employee educational campaign to boost safety and health 

awareness, helping reduce injury/illness cases to 6.10% by September 30, 

2013.

Data Sources:

OSHA/USDA/Agency injury/illness reports; Agency OWCP case management 

data, case numbers and worker return to work ratios.

Goal 7

Empower employees with the 

training, resources, and tools to 

enable success in protecting public 

health

Outcome 7.3

FSIS has a diverse, engaged, highperforming, and satisfied workforce

Performance Measure 7.3.2 

Annual rate of staff vacancies 

(FY 2013 Target 6.5%)

Result 3:

FSIS WILL ACCOMPLISH MISSION WORK BY EFFICIENTLY ALIGNING 

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS WITH HUMAN RESOURCES BUSINESS PROCESS 

REENGINEERING AND HIRING REFORM. This effort will maximize the use of 

organizational resources and ensure the right talent is employed in the most 

effective manner and in the most financially efficient way to achieve the Agency 

priorities. This result will be achieved by an overall decrease in hiring time to 

80 days and a reduced overall vacancy rate of 6.5%.
35

Actions: 

OM will:

• Establish organization management guidance to: promote and ensure 

Agency strategic goals and objectives; determine optimal organization 

structure and size, inclusive of appropriate FTE, staffing, and supervisory 

ratios; promote and ensure investment in training and workforce 

development, position management methodology, and overall resource 

commitment ratio of operational support versus mission related activity..

• Implement an automated staffing management tool to oversee

organizational structure, naming conventions, and position hiring and 

vacancies. 

• Continue to implement improvements to streamline the hiring process 

(e.g., automated 52-tracker and workflow; delegation of hiring authority; 

decisions on certificates of eligible candidates within 30 days; increased use 

of standard PDs; open and continuous rosters for high turnover positions; 

centralized hiring tools; automated pre-employment certifications, medical 

and security clearances and training; reduced e-authentication timelines, 

performance metrics) that will result in reduction in time to fill positions. 

FY 12 baseline is 116 days. Achieve an overall decrease of 25% in hiring 

time by September 30, 2013.

• Increase use of standard position descriptions by 3%. FY12 baseline is 80%

• By April 30, 2013, streamline and automate the performance management 

processes and procedures to ensure greater consistency.

• Establish a recognition tracking system to ensure Agency compliance with 

OMB/OPM/USDA constraints for Quality Step Increase (QSI) awards (Not to 

Exceed 57 awards).

• Complete medical standard review and certification for MCO positions in 

the organization. Complete assessment of all series with 100 or more 

employees by June 30, 2013. 

• Complete examination, streamlining, and automation of the security 

clearance process to establish appropriate policy, levels of clearance 

required, timelines for clearances, and reduce cost of clearances. 

Data Sources:

OPM, USDA, Agency hiring goals; NFC data, FTE data.

Goal 7

Empower employees with the 

training, resources, and tools to 

enable success in protecting public 

health

Outcome 7.3

FSIS has a diverse, engaged, highperforming, and satisfied workforce

Performance Measure 7.3.3

Ranking in the Partnership for Public 

Service’s Annual Report, Best Places 

to Work in the Federal Government 

(FY 2013 Target 83rd of 224)

Result 4:

FSIS WILL ADVANCE THE CULTURAL TRANSFORMATION INITIATIVE BY 

BUILDING AND CONTINUOUSLY FACILITATING A COOPERATIVE, 

RESPECTFUL AND COMMUNICATIVE WORKPLACE IN WHICH EMPLOYEES 

FEEL VALUED, ARE FULLY DEVELOPED AND UTILIZED, AND 

KNOWLEDGABLY CONTRIBUTE TO AGENCY SUCCESS. By promoting this 

atmosphere through strategy and tools, the Agency will benefit by a more

creative and productive environment where all can contribute in the most 

collaborative manner. A result should be the reduction of counter-productive 

conflict and complaints/grievances; and more efficient and timely processing of 

formal challenges as employees proactively work together to identify holistic 

solutions and resolve sensitive issues. Competency assessments and workforce 

succession plans are current and are foundational to the individual development 

planning process. Corporate level leadership coaching and mentoring models 

are available and effective. Supervisors and managers understand the 

characteristics of a positive work environment and create opportunities where 

employee input is not only welcomed, but sought, acted upon, and the results
36

communicated. Supervisors and managers promote organization diversity goals 

and work life balance programs and initiatives.

Actions: 

OM will:

• Ensure that 80% of the workforce has current telework agreements in place 

to meet work life balance program and COOP requirements and ensure that 

45% of eligible employees actively utilize telework to work remotely.

• Ensure timely assessments of resolutions, settlements, grievances, and 

adverse actions to ensure EO accountability criteria are met 90% of the 

time.

• Maintain accurate recording/approval of appropriate documentation, e.g., 

T&A’s, vouchers, recognitions, vendor billing/payment requests, 

unliquidated obligations, etc., to ensure efficient processing and resource 

allocation within OM.

• Complete the pay-for-performance implementation strategy and project 

plan including communication activities and program performance metrics, 

by April 30, 2013.

• Establish and formalize employee feedback mechanisms by March 30, 2013.

• Serve as the executive sponsor for the Agency’s Green Initiative by 

establishing an interdisciplinary team to identify Agency opportunities and 

activities, establishing an employee education/awareness campaign, and 

identify 2-5 focus areas for FY 2013 by February 28, 2013.

• Ensure that 100% of OM employee performance standards and Individual 

Development Plans (IDPs) are established within 30 days of the start of the 

performance cycle, or on-boarding, and that 95% of all OM supervisors will 

complete new supervisor, EEO, diversity, and civil rights training in a timely 

manner. 

• Complete skill gap/competency assessments for positions in series 0018, 

0080, 0201, 0203, 0301, 1102, and 1654 by August 30, 2013.

• Establish a leadership transition model for the orientation of new senior 

leaders in OM by March 30, 2013.

• Lead an effort to establish a common leave donation program for all 

agencies in USDA.

Data Sources:

Employee Viewpoint Survey and supplementary feedback surveys; USDA/FSIS 

program management performance metrics including grievance, settlement, and 

adverse action rates; USDA Cultural Transformation Scorecard; MD-715 reports; 

CARE review reports.
37

Office of Outreach, Employment Education 

and Training

Work Contributes to Strategic 

Plan Goal(s), Outcome(s) & 

Measure(s):

Goal 7

Empower employees with the 

training, resources, and tools to 

enable success in protecting public 

health

Outcome 7.2

All employees have the knowledge, 

tools, and resources to accomplish 

the FSIS mission

Performance Measure 7.2.1

% of competency gaps closed for 

targeted groups (FY 2016 Target 

20%)

Key RESULTS to be Achieved and ACTIONS 

undertaken by End of FY 2013

Result 1:

FSIS WILL STRENGTHEN THE PUBLIC HEALTH, SCIENTIFIC, AND 

TECHNICAL SKILLS OF THE WORKFORCE. FSIS will implement the 

Inspection Methods course with a targeted knowledge gain score of 25 

percent based on mean pre and post test scores.

Actions: 

• Launch the Inspection Methods training by delivering eight sessions by 

September 30, 2013.

• Reinstate the ‘Training as a Condition of Employment’ provisions for 

Consumer Safety Inspectors.

• Schedule and provide other technical training by September 30, 2013, to 

include: Enforcement Investigations and Analysis Officer (EIAO) two 

sessions, Basic Supervisory Training (BST) four sessions, Entry Training for 

the Public Health Veterinarian (PHV) three sessions.

• Develop and implement the Poultry Sanitary Dressing training in 

accordance with FSIS Directive 6410.3 by October 28, 2012.

Data Sources:

Validation data; Learning Gain Scores (based on pre and post tests results); 

OOEET Quarterly and Annual Reports; AgLearn Completion Reports; Course 

Evaluations.

Goal 4

Strengthen collaboration among 

internal and external stakeholders 

to prevent foodborne illness

Outcome 4.1

FSIS maximizes relationships with 

public health and food safety 

partners to enhance the food safety 

system

Performance Measure 4.1.3

% of identified opportunities realized 

to improve information sharing

(FY 2013Target 68%)

Result 2:

FSIS WILL PROVIDE OUTREACH AND SUPPORT TO AT LEAST TWO STATE 

MEAT AND POULTRY INSPECTION PROGRAMS SO THAT THESE STATES 

CAN SUCCESSFULLY ENTER, AND REMAIN IN, THE VOLUNTARY 

COOPERATIVE INTERSTATE SHIPMENT PROGRAM. In 2011, FSIS published 

its final rule providing for a new voluntary cooperative interstate shipment 

program consistent with the 2008 Farm Bill. Currently, one state (Ohio) is 

participating in the program. Several other states have expressed interest in 

participating. For states that want to enter into the voluntary cooperative 

interstate shipment program, success of the outreach will be measured by their 

ability to fulfill the initial checklist of requirements. This includes demonstrating 

that they can successfully implement and enforce the Federal Meat Inspection 

Act or Poultry Products Inspection Act. FSIS’ goal is to increase the number of 

participating states to three, or an increase of 200%.

Actions: 

• Provide guidance about the Cooperative Interstate Shipment program 

through the monthly state directors’ webinars as well as through one-onone interactions.

• Provide support to, continuously liaison with, and provide outreach to state 

inspection programs that seek to qualify to participate in the interstate 
38

shipment program. 

• Coordinate and deliver training to state inspection personnel on federal 

statutes, regulations, and methodology. FSIS trainers will deliver this 

training directly to state inspection personnel and measure the 

effectiveness of the training through pre- and post tests (with a 95% 

average pass rate). 

• Engage state officials through regular teleconference calls and hosting 

Webinars on the Agency’s directive and compliance requirements for the 

voluntary cooperative interstate shipment program. Ensure that all state 

officials are clear about what the Agency’s expectations are for meeting the 

federal standard to participate successfully in the program. 

Data Sources:

Validation data; Learning Gain Scores (based on pre and post tests results); 

OOEET Quarterly and Annual Reports; AgLearn Completion Reports; Course 

Evaluations.

Goal 4

Strengthen collaboration among 

internal and external stakeholders 

to prevent foodborne illness

Outcome 4.1

FSIS maximizes relationships with 

public health and food safety 

partners to enhance the food safety 

system

Performance Measure 4.1.3

% of identified opportunities realized 

to improve information sharing

(FY 2013Target 68%)

Result 3:

FSIS WILL INCREASE BY 75% OVER THE 2012 BASELINE OF 62, 

OPPORTUNITIES FOR IT TO DELIVER OUTREACH TO SMALL AND VERY 

SMALL ESTABLISHMENTS. This result is defined by helping regulated industry

understand what they need to do to comply with FSIS requirements and 

regulations. Successful outreach is defined as any instance in which a 

compliance guide, resource guide, or service, such as a Webinar, is provided to a 

customer in a way that is designed to meet the customer’s needs. FSIS will also 

collaborate with industry, trade associations, and state or local governments in 

endeavoring to reach this key result. 

Actions: 

There are five major categories of outreach activities that the Agency intends to 

employ in reaching small and very small establishments. They are:

 

• Publish 10 editions of “Small Plant News,” online and in print. Also, a 

redesign of the publication will debut in FY13 along with the results of a 

reader survey.

• Publish two guidebooks for small and very small meat and poultry 

establishments on subjects of technical and scientific merit.

• Conduct 12 monthly teleconferences/webinars for the state meat and 

poultry inspection directors. These 27 state MPI programs, which represent 

an approximate $54 million outlay in FSIS’ budget, represent a critical link 

in the nation’s food safety infrastructure.

• Conduct 12 monthly teleconferences/webinars for HACCP Contacts and 

Coordinators. This constituency is comprised of HACCP Coordinators at 

universities across the country that provide technical advice to small and 

very small plant owners and operators.

• Have an FSIS presence through staff and exhibits at 15 high-impact 

conferences, conventions and meetings that draw FSIS constituencies in 

industry, academia, state government and other food safety partners. 

Provide technical assistance, Agency publications, FSIS-produced CDs, and 

information and instructions pertaining to the Small Plant Help Desk and 

AskFSIS.

 

Data Sources:

Small Plant Help Desk Monthly Data; Meat and Poultry Hotline Data; askFSIS

data; OPPD’s Policy Development Division data; OPPD’s Labeling and 

Program Delivery Division data.
39

Office of Policy and Program Development

Work Contributes to Strategic 

Plan Goal(s), Outcome(s) & 

Measure(s):

Goal 6

Implement effective policies to 

respond to existing and emerging 

risks

Outcome 6.1

Public health risks are mitigated 

through effective strategies based 

on the best available information

Performance Measure 6.1.1

% of food safety appeals granted 

(categories of appeals in which FSIS 

actions were misapplied or poorly 

supported and overturned by a highlevel supervisor) (FY 2013Target 

40%) 

Performance Measure 6.1.2

% of regulated industry adhering to 

key public health related policies 

(establishments receiving zero public 

health related non-compliance in a 

year) (FY 2013Target 76%) 

Performance Measure 6.1.3

Frequency of reviews examining the 

effectiveness of FSIS policies 

regarding significant public health 

risks (FY 2013 Target Bi-Monthly)

AND

Goal 1

Ensure that food safety inspection 

aligns with existing and emerging 

risks

Outcome 1.1

Minimize existing and emerging 

food safety hazards through the 

most effective means

Performance Measure 1.1.1

Total number of Salmonella, Listeria 

monocytogenes, and E. coliO157:H7 

illnesses from products regulated by 

FSIS (FY 2013Target 394,770

illnesses)

AND

Goal 2

Maximize domestic and 

international compliance with food 

safety policies

Outcome 2.1

Domestic and foreign produced 

products meet food safety 

Key RESULTS to be Achieved and ACTIONS 

undertaken by End of FY 2013

Result 1:

FSIS WILL ADDRESS THREE MAJOR QUESTIONS CONCERNING 

SALMONELLA, AND ON THE BASIS OF THE ANSWERS TO THOSE 

QUESTIONS, THE AGENCY WILL BE BETTER ABLE TO TAKE ACTIONS

THAT WILL HELP TO REDUCE THE ILLNESSES FROM THIS PATHOGEN 

ATTRIBUTABLE TO FSIS REGULATED PRODUCTS. Specifically, FSIS will

determine: (1) whether there are actions it can take to ensure that 

establishments that produce comminuted poultry are effectively addressing 

Salmonella in their HACCP systems, and if so, what those actions are; 

(2) how verification testing for Salmonella as well as Campylobacter can be 

improved; and, (3) whether its existing policies on Salmonella are being 

effectively implemented. 

Actions: 

• To address the first question, FSIS will assess the application of 9 CFR 

417.4(a) (3) at establishments producing NRTE comminuted poultry after 

publication of FR notice requiring reassessment.

• To address the second question, FSIS will determine whether its inspection 

personnel perform verification procedures related to Salmonella and 

Campylobacter in the manner set out in instructions to field.

• To address the second question, FSIS will also review and assess current 

policies and verification activities on Salmonella and Campylobacter (e.g., in 

notices, directives, and askFSIS Q&As).

• To address the third question, FSIS will determine whether Salmonella

related notices and directives are being effectively implemented based on 

operational measure analyses performed in conjunction with ODIFP.

• To address the third question, FSIS will also determine whether industry is 

following Agency guidance on Salmonella based on verification set analyses 

performed in conjunction with ODIFP.

• To address the third question, FSIS will also review its policies on 

Salmonella monthly and report on their effectiveness through the APP and 

Strategic Plan dashboards on a bi-monthly basis.

• One relevant revision that FSIS intends to make to its regulatory approach 

to Salmonella is to begin analyzing all ground beef samples taken for O157 

testing for Salmonella as well.

Data Sources:

FSAs, checklist data, PulseNet (CDC), VetNet (ARS), PBIS, LIMS, M2K, PREP, 

PHIS, SIP, AssuranceNet, DCC matrix, related askFSIS Q&As, public comment 

and other feedback on current policies or guidance. 
40

performance standards

Performance Measure 2.1.1

% of broiler plants passing the carcass 

Salmonella verification testing 

(FY 2013 Target 91%) 

AND

Goal 5

Effectively use science to 

understand foodborne illness and 

emerging trends

Outcome 5.1

FSIS continually improves its 

capacity for and use of cutting-edge 

science in policy development to 

better defend against public health 

risks

Performance Measure 5.1.2

% of completed science agenda 

items that meet quality standards 

for information rigor, clarity, and 

defensibility of methods used 

(FY 2013 Target 95%)

Goal 6

Implement effective policies to 

respond to existing and emerging 

risks

Outcome 6.1

Public health risks are mitigated 

through effective strategies based 

on the best available information

Performance Measure 6.1.2

% of regulated industry adhering to 

key public health related policies 

(establishments receiving zero public 

health related non-compliance in a 

year) (FY 2013Target 76%) 

Performance Measure 6.1.3

Frequency of reviews examining the 

effectiveness of FSIS policies 

regarding significant public health 

risks (FY 2013 Target Bi-Monthly)

AND

Goal 1

Ensure that food safety inspection 

aligns with existing and emerging 

risks

Outcome 1.1

Minimize existing and emerging 

food safety hazards through the 

most effective means

Performance Measure 1.1.1

Total number of Salmonella, Listeria 

monocytogenes, and E. coliO167:H7 

illnesses from products regulated by 

FSIS (FY 2013 Target 394,770)

illnesses)

Result 2:

FSIS WILL WORK TO REDUCE ILLNESSES IN RAW GROUND BEEF AND 

OTHER PRODUCTS BY UNDERTAKING THREE KEY REVIEWS OF FSIS 

TESTS, INSTRUCTIONS AND NOTICES. SPECIFICALLY, FSIS WILL ASSESS 

WHETHER ITS PROGRAM FOR NON-O157 STEC AND O157 ARE BEING 

EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENTED AND MAKE NECESSARY CHANGES BASED 

ON THE REVIEWS TO ENSURE THE FOLLOWING:

Actions: 

• Collect data to support cost-benefit analysis for non-O157 testing in raw 

ground beef and other products. The analysis will be announced to the 

public for comments by 2014. 

• Analyze comments received in response to Federal Register notice on 

options for targeting testing of trim more effectively and make appropriate 

changes to better target testing.

• Make necessary changes to instructions to field to continue to clarify all 

STEC sampling and testing procedures.

• Determine whether STEC related notices and directives are being 

effectively implemented based on operational measure analyses performed 

in conjunction with ODIFP and modify and reissue them if they are not. 

• Develop and implement an action plan for reviewing the relevant notices 

and directives based on priorities established with ODIFP and shared with 

DCC and other Offices, and revise the directives and notices as necessary 

based on the results of the review.

Data Sources:

PBIS, PHIS, LIMS, PREP, STEPS, PHIS, M2K and related askFSIS questions, 

checklist data, public comment and other feedback on current policies or 

guidance.
41

AND

Goal 5

Effectively use science to 

understand foodborne illness and 

emerging trends

Outcome 5.1

FSIS continually improves its 

capacity for and use of cutting-edge 

science in policy development to 

better defend against public health 

risks

Performance Measure 5.1.2

% of completed science agenda 

items that meet quality standards 

for information rigor, clarity, and 

defensibility of methods used 

(FY 2013 Target 95%)

Goal 6

Implement effective policies to 

respond to existing and emerging 

risks

Outcome 6.1

Public health risks are mitigated 

through effective strategies based 

on the best available information

Performance Measure 6.1.3

Frequency of reviews examining the 

effectiveness of FSIS policies 

regarding significant public health 

risks (FY 2013 Target Bi-Monthly)

AND

Goal 1

Ensure that food safety inspection 

aligns with existing and emerging 

risks

Outcome 1.2

Resources are targeted to existing 

and emerging risks

Performance Measure 1.2.1

% of establishments that meet the “for 

cause” Food Safety Assessments and 

monthly Hazard Analysis Verification 

decision criteria more than once per 

year (FY 2016Target 1.50%)

Performance Measure 1.2.2

% of importing countries requiring 

more immediate inspection or 

reinspection attention more than 

twice within the previous year 

(FY 2013Target less than 20%)

Result 3:

FSIS WILL FOCUS ITS REGULATION DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS ON (i) 

MODERNIZING POULTRY AND BEEF SLAUGHTER OPERATIONS, (ii) 

REDUCING ADULTERANTS IN FSIS PRODUCT, AND (iii) REDUCING E.COLI

O157:H7 and LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES WITH A GOAL OF 

COMPLETING AT LEAST NINE OF THE HIGH PRIORITY DOCUMENTS 

LISTED BELOW. 

Actions: 

• Finalize poultry slaughter regulations and develop and issue necessary 

instructions to implement the regulations.

• Finalize traceback and recall procedures for E. coli O157:H7.

• Finalize validation guidance and a Federal Register announcement of the 

availability of the guidance, and issue necessary instructions to the field so 

that FSIS can verify that establishments meet regulatory validation 

requirements.

• Publish proposed rule for beef slaughter operations (“HACCP 2.0”)

• Issue necessary new instructions to the field so that FSIS can verify that 

establishments do not release into commerce product that FSIS has tested 

for adulterants. Issue necessary guidance to help establishments comply 

with requirements to hold or control product pending test results.

• Issue final regulations to expand generic labeling.

• Publish Federal Register notice to inform public of FSIS’s current approach 

to verifying that establishments in foreign countries are eligible to export 

product to U.S.

• Issue guidance to retail delis to prevent Listeria monocytogenes.

• Issue necessary instructions to inspection personnel so that they can 

better identify problems in the establishment that may lead to Listeria 

monocytogenes contamination, in order to prevent this contamination.

Data Sources:

PBIS, PHIS, M2K, Recall data; related askFSIS questions, checklist data, 

public comment and other feedback on inspection procedures and 

regulations. 
42

Office of Program Evaluation, Enforcement 

and Review

Work Contributes to Strategic 

Plan Goal(s), Outcome(s) & 

Measure(s):

Goal 1

Ensure that food safety inspection 

aligns with existing and emerging 

risks

Outcome 1.1

Minimize existing and emerging 

food safety hazards through the 

most effective means

Performance Measure 1.1.1

Total number of Salmonella, Listeria 

monocytogenes, and E.coliO167:H7 

illnesses from products regulated by 

FSIS (FY 2013 Target 394, 770 

illnesses)

Key RESULTS to be Achieved and ACTIONS 

undertaken by End of FY 2013

Result 1:

THE FRAMEWORK APPLICATION DESCRIBED IN Data Driven Inspection for 

Processing and Slaughter Establishments--Public Health Decision Criteria, 

September 2010, AS WELL AS THE “EQUAL TO” STATE AND INDUSTRY REPORTING 

MODULES WILL BE FULLY-IMPLEMENTED IN THE FSIS’ PUBLIC HEALTH 

INFORMATION SYSTEM (PHIS) BY THE END OF FY2013.

Actions: 

Develop PHIS so that it provides an infrastructure:

• To direct inspection and verification of food safety requirements, 

• Document the results of inspection activities, and 

• Analyze the data resulting from inspection activities to assign resource to emerging 

risks through the most effective means. 

Data Sources:

PHIS.

Goal 1

Ensure that food safety inspection 

aligns with existing and emerging 

risks

Outcome 1.1

Minimize existing and emerging 

food safety hazards through the 

most effective means

Performance Measure 1.1.1

Total number of Salmonella, Listeria 

monocytogenes, and E.coli O167:H7 

illnesses from products regulated 

by FSIS (FY 2013 Target 394, 770 

illnesses)

Result 2:

FSIS’ OPEER WILL CONTRIBUTE TO ACHIEVING THE CORPORATE TARGET OF A 

MAXIMUM OF 394,770 ILLNESSES ATTRIBUTED TO SALMONELLA, LISTERIA 

MONOCYTOGENES, AND E.COLI O157H:7 THROUGH ITS SURVEILLANCE, 

INVESTIGATIVE, AND ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES WITH RESPECT TO MEAT, 

POULTRY AND PROCESSED EGG PRODUCTS DISTRIBUTED, TRANSPORTED, 

STORED, AND OTHERWISE HANDLED IN COMMERCE. 

Actions: 

• Ensure 75% of investigative cases address food safety violations.

• Ensure 80% of enforcement actions (administrative, criminal, or civil) address food 

safety violations and deter future ones.

Data Sources:

In-Commerce System (ICS).

Goal 1

Ensure that food safety inspection 

aligns with existing and emerging 

risks

Outcome 1.3

Surveillance, investigation, and 

enforcement are effectively 

implemented across the Farm-toTable Continuum

Result 3:

85% OF FSIS’ OPEER SURVEILLANCE ACTIVITIES WILL FOCUS ON ENSURING 

THAT THE HIGHEST RISK FACILITIES OPERATE IN A MANNER THAT 

MAINTAINS THE SAFETY OF THE PRODUCTS THAT THE FACILITIES RECEIVE, 

AND THAT PROTECTS THOSE PRODUCTS FROM INTENTIONAL 

CONTAMINATION. Highest risk facilities are distributors, warehouses, and 

transporters; all have significant inherent food safety hazards, handle large volumes 

of meat, poultry and processed egg products, and have minimal oversight by other 

regulatory agencies.
43

Performance Measure 1.3.1

% of priority in-commerce facilities 

e.g., warehouses, distributors and 

transporters covered by surveillance 

activities (FY 2013 Target 85%)

Actions: 

• Ensure OPEER investigators allocate their time to the highest risk facilities. 

• Ensure field supervisors and managers monitor ICS data and reports on a regular 

basis; then provide guidance and resources as needed. 

Data Sources:

In-Commerce System (ICS).

Goal 1

Ensure that food safety inspection 

aligns with existing and emerging 

risks

Outcome 1.3

Surveillance, investigation, and 

enforcement are effectively 

implemented across the Farm-toTable Continuum

Performance Measure 1.3.2

% of follow-up surveillances resulting 

in compliance (FY 2013 Target 82%)

Result 4:

FSIS’ OPEER FOLLOW-UP SURVEILLANCES WILL PRODUCE COMPLIANCE WITH ALL 

FOOD SAFETY REQUIREMENTS SUCH THAT 82% OF FOOD SAFETY VIOLATIONS 

DOCUMENTED DURING INITIAL SURVEILLANCES ARE CORRECTED BEFORE 

FOLLOW-UP.

Actions: 

• Ensure field supervisors and managers verify ICS data documents at least 82% of 

food safety violations documented during initial surveillances are corrected on an 

annual basis.

Data Sources:

In-Commerce System (ICS).
44

Office of Public Affairs and Consumer 

Education

Work Contributes to 

Strategic Plan Goals(s), 

Outcome(s) & Measures(s):

Goal 3

Enhance public education and 

outreach to improve food 

handling practices

Outcome 3.1

Consumers, including vulnerable 

and underserved populations, 

adopt food safety best practices

Performance Measure 3.1.1

Average percentage of 

consumers who follow the four 

key food safety “best practices” 

(i.e., clean, separate, cook, and 

chill) and thermometer use. 

(FY 2016 Target 79%)

Key RESULTS to be Achieved and ACTIONS

Undertaken by the End of FY 2013

Result 1:

FSIS WILL EDUCATE AND PROMOTE CONSUMER KNOWLEDGE AND 

ACCEPTANCE OF THE FOUR KEY FOOD SAFETY BEST PRACTICES AND 

THERMOMETER USE TO PROACTIVELY INFLUENCE CONSUMER 

BEHAVIOR CHANGE. FSIS will use output-based measures to track message 

reach to consumers while working with partners to institutionalize the 

collection of measurable data on consumer food handling practices.

Actions:

• Expand Ad Council campaign outreach to include one additional retail 

partner which integrates Food Safe Families campaign content into in-store 

marketing programs.

• Employ a combination of consumer surveys and consumer observational 

studies to establish, in FY 2013, an alternate baseline of information on 

reported and observed consumer food handling practices that aligns with the 

government’s Healthy People 2020 consumer food safety goals and enables 

measurement of the impact of consumer education messages on consumer 

food handling practices. FSIS will use this alternate baseline to measure its 

performance on gaining consumer acceptance of the food safety messages 

until FDA repeats its study in 2015.

• Increase outreach to vulnerable and under-served populations to 1.14million 

persons, approximately 15% above FY12’s total of 995,000 to (1) motivate 

consumers to practice proper safe food handling behavior and (2) provide 

those consumers information they can use to correct unsafe practices. 

• Increase use of innovative consumer education tools, including increasing 

the number of answers viewed within Ask Karen by 10% to more than 

500,000, while maintaining a high customer satisfaction level as measured 

by a self-serve rate of greater than 95%, indicating that the public is finding 

information they need.

• Increase consumer action rate by 6,500,000 (approximately 25%) to 

32,500,000 (FY 12 baseline was 26,029,837) across communication channels 

using analytics to measure click-through rates, produce assessment of reach, 

and integrate results to support effective change.

• Continue to include consumer food safety taglines on more than 90% of 

executive correspondence. Continue, as appropriate, to include safe food 

handling resources or highlight previous policy announcements in 90% of 

responses to consumers, press and recall releases and other communications 

with public.

Data Sources:

Partnership with the USDA Food and Nutrition Service for Kansas State 

University to collect observational study data. Partnership with International 

Food Information Council’s Food and Health survey to include consumer 

behavior questions that FSIS provides. Ad Council “post-wave” consumer 
45

survey. Secondary tracking, such as number of releases and documents 

distributed, and pageviews to foodsafety.gov. Use analytics to see direct 

relation between task and action taken. ECM for use of taglines in executive 

correspondence to consumers. Explore additional or existing methods to 

measure consumer knowledge and behavior. 

Goal 3

Enhance public education and 

outreach to improve food 

handling practices

Outcome 3.2

Consumers have effective tools 

and information to keep in-home 

food safe.

Performance Measure 3.2.1

Population that views FSIS’ most 

important “in-home” food safety 

message (i.e., clean, separate, 

cook, and chill; thermometer 

use)

(FY 2013 Targets include:

Website pageviews(29.4 million)

YouTube views (188,698)

Twitter Followers (382,490)

Visitors to Food Safety Discovery 

Zone (467,240))

Result 2: 

FSIS WILL COMPLETE ITS MODERNIZATION OF THE PUBLIC WEBSITE 

BEFORE END OF SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, AND MAKE OTHER 

ENHANCEMENTS OF ITS COMMUNICATION MECHANISMS TO INCREASE 

BY 10% THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE AGENCY’S CUSTOMERS, 

ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE AND UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS, USE 

THESE TOOLS.

Actions:

• Implement technology to allow at least the following in a mobile format 

before September 30, 2013: Press Releases, Recall Releases, Fact Sheets, and 

food safety education information (such as safe cooking temperatures). 

Using mobile web technology as well as writing style and display of content 

to make items mobile-friendly will make products more accessible to groups 

who are more likely to have mobile devices than laptops or desktop 

computers, such as the underserved.

• Increase by 10% the website pageviews to more than 29 million, and 

increase the customer satisfaction rate from the baseline (72% as of the end 

of FY12) to 80%+.01 for the modernized website, as measured by the 

ForeSee survey tool.

• Develop and implement the Agency’s capacity to utilize social media as a way 

to monitor and identify emerging food safety issues. Establish processes and 

expertise to develop ways to collect, analyze, and report social media data 

and trends to key officials in a meaningful, useful way.

• Sustain growth of the @USDAFoodSafety and increase the number of Twitter 

followers by at least 15% from FY12 to more than 382,490, pushing to 

change agents that have strong underserved population followers. 

• Continue to expand innovative use of video content for consumer education 

and other Agency issues. Promote new and leverage existing products 

through other outreach and dissemination methods, including partnerships. 

Increase YouTube video views by at least 10% to 188,698.

• Reach 467,240 visitors to the Food Safety Discovery Zone during FY13, 

supporting the FSIS Strategic Plan, Goal 3 target of reaching 500,000 

annually by the end of FY16. 

• Package and share information with government, stakeholders, and 

individuals using widgets, and application programming interfaces (API) 

through upgraded website technology. At least 1 API or widget will be ready 

to share with stakeholders by end of June 2013. Encourage stakeholders to 

place the API or widget in their web pages and alerting their followers to the 

information. Measured results will be determined by 1) creating API or 

widget and 2) placing API or widget on at least two stakeholders’ web 

properties (including Facebook).

Data Sources:

Tools provided with Twitter, YouTube, and Ask Karen. Google Analytics for 

website visits and ForeSee survey tool for customer satisfaction of the 

website. Manually track estimated attendees for Food Safety Discovery Zone 

events. Measure use of mobile users via Google analytics against 2012 as 

baseline. Determine training needs and establish responsibilities for social 

media engagement, as well as develop and implement process to issue 

notifications to senior agency leaders.
46

Goal 7

Empower employees with the 

training, resources, and tools to 

enable success in protecting 

public health.

Outcome 7.1

Each employee understands how 

he/she impacts public health.

Performance Measure 7.1.1

Average score on the Annual 

Employee Viewpoint Survey for 

questions related to workers’ 

understanding of their impact on 

public health. (FY 2013 Target 

91%)

Result 3: 

FSIS WILL STRENGTHEN THE CONNECTION OF FIELD EMPLOYEES WITH 

THE AGENCY'S MISSION TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH, INCLUDING USE 

OF THE 'ONE TEAM, ONE PURPOSE' CAMPAIGN.

Actions:

• OPACE will create and implement an OA approved ‘steady drumbeat’ yearlong communications strategy to accomplish this result. This plan will 

outline the full range of communication tactics to be deployed to the field, 

detailing discrete actions by month. 

• OPACE will utilize existing and new communication channels to reinforce 

Cultural Transformation and “One Team, One Purpose” messages, including 

6 town hall meetings (in-person or virtual) and 12 Faces of Food Safety 

articles. OPACE will carry out a feedback loop and employee 

communications survey initiated during FY12 to identify the most effective 

ways to reach field employees and consolidate publications accordingly. 

OPACE will explore the integration of mobile web and applications in its 

communications efforts. 

• OPACE will collaborate across offices to create a hardcopy and virtual FSIS 

One Team, One Purpose informational piece that describes the FSIS mission 

and highlights employees’ commitment to food safety. The book will be 

given to new employees, VIPs, Congressional members and key staff and 

others who would benefit from understanding our mission, our work, and 

our results.

• Continue to coordinate consumer outreach events in the field through the 

FSIS Ambassador program. Establish baseline of field outreach activity 

against which to measure future reports on events, visits, and requests 

received from field offices, and number of persons reached. 

• Make at least 1 employee publication, found on the intranet, mobile ready 

before end of July 2013. (Survey will be considered in decision on what 

publication to make mobile ready.)

Data Sources:

Manually track town hall meetings and Faces of Food Safety. Evaluate 

information obtained through employee feedback loop initiated in FY12. 

Data collected for Ambassador program baseline. 
47

Office of Public Health Science 

Work Contributes to Strategic 

Plan Goal(s), Outcome(s) & 

Measure(s):

Goal 5

Effectively use science to 

understand foodborne illness and 

emerging trends

Outcome 5.1

FSIS continually improves its 

capacity for and use of cutting-edge 

science in policy development to 

better defend against public health 

risks

Performance Measure 5.1.1

% of annual science agenda 

completed and number of agenda 

items initiated (FY 2013Target 95%)

Performance Measure 5.1.2

% of completed science agenda 

items that meet quality standards 

for information rigor, clarity, and 

defensibility of methods used 

(FY 2013 Target 95%)

AND

Goal 1

Ensure that food safety inspection 

aligns with existing and emerging 

risks

Outcome 1.1

Minimize existing and emerging 

food safety hazards through the 

most effective means

Performance Measure 1.1.1

Total number of Salmonella, Listeria 

monocytogenes, and E.coliO167:H7 

illnesses from products regulated by 

FSIS (FY 2013Target 394,770

illnesses)

ALSO

Performance Measure 4.1.1

Research: % of time products from 

three research agencies (ARS,ERS and 

NIFA) used by FSIS and shared with 

stakeholders (FY 2013Target 18%)

Performance Measure 6..1.1 

% of food safety appeals granted 

(categories of appeals in which FSIS 

actions were misapplied or poorly 

supported and overturned by a 

higher-level supervisor (FY 2013

Target 40%)

Key RESULTS to be Achieved and ACTIONS 

undertaken by End of FY 2013

Result 1:

FSIS WILL COMPLETE ACTIONS TO IMPROVE UNDERSTANDING OF THE 

RISK OF PATHOGENS FROM ‘FARM-TO-TABLE’, SO THAT, AS A RESULT 

OF THAT IMPROVED UNDERSTANDING, THE AGENCY WILL BE ABLE TO 

INSTITUTE CHANGES TO REDUCE CONSUMER EXPOSURE TO 

FOODBORNE HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH MEAT, POULTRY, AND 

PROCESSED EGG PRODUCTS. FSIS will assess the public health impact of 

these Agency actions using illness reduction targets for Healthy People 2020

and the FSIS Quarterly and FSIS Annual Performance Reports. Pathogens of 

most concern include Salmonella (causing a sizeable fraction of the total 

illnesses), Listeria monocytogenes (having a case-fatality rate of roughly 

20%), and STEC (both O157 and non-O157 STEC that cause severe illness)

are tested and regulated. Assuming linearity in reduction and a 100% 

effectiveness of OPPD and OFO actions, the FSIS “All-Illness” measure 

attributed to FSIS-regulated products for FY 2013will be 394,770. 

Actions: 

• Hold a public meeting to seek stakeholder input on the results of the retail 

Lm risk assessment.

• Continue the scientific collaboration between FSIS and FDA for identifying 

mitigations and build a plan for implementing public health practices that 

will result in lower exposures to Lm from retail foods as suggested by the 

FY12 risk assessment.

• Evaluate the impact of the STEC testing program for trim implemented in 

the second half of FY12 and update as appropriate the science.

underpinning the FSIS decision to regulate the top 6 STEC. This will be done 

to support ground beef testing; and determine if, using regulatory 

data/results, more serotypes and/or genotypes should be included.

• Develop a white paper on pathogenic or toxigenic E. coli and relationship to 

FSIS regulated products.

• Analyze FSIS 2006-2012 foodborne outbreak data to identify potential 

target areas for Agency intervention by characterizing outbreaks by 

pathogen, source, and other variables as appropriate. 

• Analyze 2002-2012 FSIS recalls by detection source to identify areas for 

Agency improvement with respect to response capabilities via existing data 

systems (i.e. the Consumer Complaint Monitoring System). 

• Implement an in-house program for serotyping and conducting PFGE in all 

appropriate Agency testing programs to provide more timely data to 

establishments to inform possible changes to their HACCP plans.

• Publish NACMCF reports that will improve the understanding of Norovirus 

and indicator organisms. 

Data Sources:

Data warehouse, scientific literature, other sources, FSIS recall database, FSIS 

FDIB database.
48

Goal 5

Effectively use science to 

understand foodborne illness and 

emerging trends

Outcome 5.1

FSIS continually improves its 

capacity for and use of cutting-edge 

science in policy development to 

better defend against public health 

risks

Performance Measure 5.1.1

% of annual science agenda 

completed and number of agenda 

items initiated (FY 2013Target 95%)

Performance Measure 5.1.2

% of completed science agenda 

items that meet quality standards 

for information rigor, clarity, and 

defensibility of methods used 

(FY 2013 Target 95%)

AND

Goal 1

Ensure that food safety inspection 

aligns with existing and emerging 

risks

Outcome 1.1

Minimize existing and emerging 

food safety hazards through the 

most effective means

Performance Measure 1.1.1

Total number of Salmonella, Listeria 

monocytogenes, and E.coliO157:H7 

illnesses from products regulated by 

FSIS (FY 2013Target 394,770

illnesses)

ALSO

Performance Measure 6..1.1 

% of food safety appeals granted 

(categories of appeals in which FSIS 

actions were misapplied or poorly 

supported and overturned by a 

higher-level supervisor (FY 2013

Target 40%)

Result 2:

FSIS WILL DEVELOP NEW SALMONELLA PERFORMANCE 

STANDARDS/GUIDANCE IN NON-PASTEURIZED EGGS, RAW CHICKEN 

PARTS, GROUND POULTRY AND COMMINUTED POULTRY PRODUCTS, 

AND OTHER COMMODITIES. These actions are designed to contribute to 

the Agency’s effort to reduce Salmonella in FSIS-regulated product. FSIS will 

revise its Salmonella performance standards and guidance and accurately 

reflect the levels (of Salmonella or reduction in illnesses that are 

attributable to FSIS) that industry/FSIS is achieving.

Actions:

By September 30, 2013,

• Complete the microbiological baseline calculations for the national 

prevalence estimates for Salmonella and provide final data sets to the 

various program areas in order to finalize the draft risk model for 

Salmonella in raw chicken parts for risk management activities. Publish 

chicken parts baseline report with national prevalence estimate on the FSIS 

Website.

• Complete the microbiological baseline calculations for the presence and 

levels for Salmonella in raw liquid eggs, and provide final data sets to the 

various program areas in order to finalize the draft risk model for 

Salmonella in unpasteurized eggs. Complete the planning /design of and FR 

Notice for the Beef Carcass baseline survey. Beef Carcass Baseline 

shake-down phase to begin the third quarter of FY2013. 

• Complete the planning, management and execution of the Ground Poultry

and Comminuted Poultry Products Special Study and provide data 

analysis for the implementation of performance standards/guidance for 

the ground poultry industry. Publish interim report on the Ground Poultry 

and Comminuted Poultry Products Special Study.

• Propose Salmonella ground beef performance standard based on 6-months 

data after MT43 and HC001 are merged.

Data Sources:

Data warehouse (LIMS and PHIS), scientific literature, other sources.
49

Goal 5

Effectively use science to 

understand foodborne illness and 

emerging trends

Outcome 5.2

FSIS increases the application of 

cutting edge science across the 

Farm-to-Table supply chain to 

improve public health

Performance Measure 5.2.1

% of identified public health and food 

safety gaps addressed across the 

Farm-to-Table Continuum 

(FY 2013Target 60%)

AND

Goal 8

Based on the defined agency 

business needs, develop, 

maintain, and use innovative 

methodologies, processes, and 

tools, including PHIS, to protect 

public health efficiently and 

effectively and to support defined 

public health needs and goals

Outcome 8.1

Continuously evaluate and seek 

to understand and employ new or 

innovative mission-supporting 

processes, methodologies, and 

technologies

Performance Measure 8.1.2

% of innovate processes, 

methodologies, or technologies 

that, once employed, are 

evaluated by the Agency 

(FY 2016 Target 80%)

Result 3:

FSIS WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS TO THE 

NATIONAL RESIDUE PROGRAM THROUGH FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF 

OPERATIONAL CHANGES TO THE SAMPLING PROGRAM AND BY 

RESTRUCTURING THE CHEMICAL HAZARD IDENTIFICATION AND 

RANKING FRAMEWORK. FSIS is now screening production classes using 

several multi-class methods testing each sample for chemical residues; most 

samples will be analyzed using the new screens which collectively test for 

more than 100 chemicals with the promise of validating for more. FSIS will

revise its approach to identifying and ranking chemical hazards in order to best use 

Agency resources to monitor and take appropriate action for chemical hazards of 

greatest concern. FSIS will communicate these changes through website posted 

quarterly reports and a public meeting. The implementation of the NRP in July of 2012 

is expected to generate annualized savings of approximately $200,000 compared to 

CY2011. A full year implementation of the new sampling approach will generate an 

approximate $985,000 in savings compared to CY2011 while increasing the number of 

analytical results by 25%. Most of these savings result from an estimated 13,000 fewer 

samples not requiring 30 minutes of sample collector time, FedEx shipments, sample 

preparation time, and disposables such as solvents per sample.

Actions: 

By September 30, 2013, OPHS will:

• Identify analytical gaps and increase by 10-25%. NRP analyses for which it 

tests.

• Extend the applicability of the Multi Residue (class) and Aminoglycosides 

methods to all relevant slaughter classes.

• Hold a public meeting to seek stakeholder input on the changes FSIS is 

proposing regarding the chemical hazard identification and ranking 

framework within the NRP.

• Peer review the Chemical Hazard Identification and Chemical Hazard 

Ranking methodology document.

• Publish quarterly reports on chemical residue data results on the website 

as a means of demonstrating increased transparency and timeliness in data 

sharing.

• Complete the development of methodology for determining actionable 

levels for chemical hazards not traditionally registered or having 

tolerances, using Cadmium as an example.

Data Sources:

Residue results (positives – violations and non-violations); Residue Violation 

Information System (RVIS); Residue Repeat Violator List; recall database.