Poultry and Egg Breakout Session
Follow up from Day 1

Laura Grisel
Freshly laid egg 

temperatures 

• An egg is normally around 105 F when laid

• Temperature can vary by season and location

• Potentially processed, packaged and into cooler within 

30 minutes

• Leaves warm hen, enters warm coup and maintains 

temperature until placed in cooler

**There are no regulations on interior egg 

temperatures**
Washer Temperatures

• According to 7CFR Part 56.76(f)(3) 

• The temperature of the wash water shall be maintained at 

90 °F (32.2 °C) or higher and shall be at least 20 °F (6.7 °C) 

warmer than the internal temperature of the eggs to be 

washed. These temperatures shall be maintained 

throughout the cleaning cycle. Accurate thermometers shall 

be provided for monitoring wash water temperatures.
Rinse Water Temperatures

• According to7CFR Part 56.76(f)(11)

• Washed eggs shall be spray-rinsed with water having a 

temperature equal to, or warmer than, the 

temperature of the wash water. The spray-rinse 

water shall contain a sanitizer that has been 

determined acceptable for the intended use by the 

national supervisor and of not less than 100 p/m nor 

more than 200 p/m of available chlorine or its 

equivalent. Alternate procedures, in lieu of a sanitizer 

rinse, may be approved by the national supervisor.
Shell Egg Cooler 

Temperatures 

According to 7CFR Part 56.76(d)(1) 

• Cooler rooms holding shell eggs that are identified 

with a consumer grade shall be refrigerated and 

capable of maintaining an ambient temperature no 

greater than 45 °F (7.2 °C) and equipped with 

humidifying equipment capable of maintaining a 

relative humidity which will minimize shrinkage.
Ambient Air Temperature 

• According to 7CFR56.76(g)(1)

• Shell eggs that are officially identified with a 

grademark shall be placed under refrigeration at 

an ambient temperature no greater than 45 °F 

(7.2 °C) promptly after packaging.

• Shell Egg Ambient Temperature Guidance 

video

• https://youtu.be/1wla_Rw7Nsk
Specification Updates & Waivers

•Terry Lutz

•Laura Grisel
Federal Purchases- Eggs

• To date in FY2023, AMS has purchased $35M in 

shell eggs and egg products - totaling 14.7M 

dozen cartons and 22M pounds purchased

• An aggregate of these values was a CCC purchase of 

shell eggs totaling $11M (5M lbs.)

• In FY2022, AMS purchased a total of $41M in 

eggs and egg products - totaling 13.3M dozens 

and 20M pounds purchased
Federal Purchases- Chicken

• To date in FY2023, AMS has purchased $326 in 

chicken products - totaling 218M pounds

• In FY2022, AMS purchased a total of $449M in 

Chicken products - totaling 274M pounds
Federal Purchases- Turkey

• To date in FY2023, AMS has purchased $63M in 

turkey and turkey products - totaling 21M 

pounds

• In FY2022, AMS purchased a total of $111M in 

turkey and turkey products - totaling 50M 

pounds 
List of Available Products

• Shell Eggs

• All Purpose Egg Mix

• Egg Patty

• Frozen Whole Egg (12/2lb and 6/6lb)

• Whole Egg- Bulk Tankers

• Hard Cooked Eggs
List of Available Products

• Bulk Chicken- WOG and Legs

• Consumer Pack – Whole Bird, Split Breast, B/S Breast

• Cooked Chicken Strips

• Cooked Chicken Fillets

• Oven Roasted Chicken

• Cooked Diced Chicken

• Cooked Chicken Fajita Strips

• Shelf Stable – Pouch and Canned Chicken

• Chicken Parts Raw – Cut-up, Drumsticks, Leg Quarters, Thighs
List of Available Products

• Bulk Turkey – WOG and B/S Thighs

• Turkey Roasts

• Turkey Taco Filling

• Smoked Turkey Ham – Whole and Sliced

• Deli and Smoked Turkey Breast – Whole and Sliced

• Cooked Whole Muscle Turkey Breast
Specification Updates

• Historical Timeline of Poultry Specifications

• Meeting both Industry and Recipients needs 

when changing a Specification

• Every Industry Comment is reviewed and 

considered
Specification Updates

• Allow the option of Grading or Auditing 

Services and Contractor Checkloading

• Increased the raw material from 5 to 7 days and 

the 60-day requirement to 90

• Increased WOG ranges and reduced Truckload 

Weights
Future Updates

• Egg Patty

• Working to lower case count due to Industry having issues with truck weights 

being over. 

• Chicken Parts

• Current changes – Contractor Checkloading and Options

• Increase Date Process from 60 days to 90 days.

• Turkey

• Current changes – Contractor Checkloading and Options

• Potentially variable weight items
Tendering Text

• Where is it?

• Listed as additional information on POs or Solicitations 

• Why is it used? 

• For changes to be made before a full spec update is 

issued

• When a change needs to be made for a particular 

time period only (example- changes during COVID) 

• Why is it important? 

• Be sure every vendor is aware of the changes made 

to the requirements for producing the product

Requests for Waivers 

• When to request a waiver?

• Any time your process deviates from the specification

• Who do you reach out to?

• Requests need to be sent to the contracting specialist

• What happens next?

• CP consults SSD on the feasibility of accepting request

• Why wasn’t my waiver request approved?

• Not all are approved due to numerous factors
Main Waiver Requests

• Add Plants and Shipping Points

• Freezing Temperature Issue

• Slaughter to Pack Date

• Pack Date to Delivery Date

• WOG Weight Increase

• Overweight Trucks
Commodity Options

•Samantha Rhoderick
Options

• Livestock and Poultry vendors have the option 

of oversight on FPPS products

• AMS Grading – Certification requirements include 

fulltime, continuous Grader oversight of 

production

• AMS Auditing – Verification requirements include 

a technical proposal written to AMS specification 

requirements and regular audits/checks
Options

• Raw material for Poultry is required to be 

graded/certified by an AMS grader

• Raw material for Livestock is required to be 

under a technical proposal and verified by an 

AMS auditor

• The processing of commodities under FPPS is 

offered as an option

• *Bulk and diced chicken not offered the options
The Options- Grading or Auditing Eggs

• Fully transitioned from FSIS to AMS oversight for Egg Products

• As of October 2021, FSIS discontinued certification/oversight for 

commodity egg products and use of the PY200 form

• Vendors now have the option for AMS Grading or Auditing 

certification (except shell eggs)
Supplement

• Further information about 

the options can be found 

in the Supplements

• Supplement each for 

chicken, turkey and egg 

specifications
Contractor Checkloading

•Chad Brillhart
Definition

• Contractor Checkloading allows contractors to 

verify shipping requirements in the Federal 

Purchase Program Specification (FPPS) are met 

without grader presence
History

• Trade Mitigation” Pilot Program in 2019 

• No oversight during the pilot, but data was collected

• Industry voiced that they appreciated the flexibility it offered 

• AMS leadership considered allowing a continuation for future 

purchases to best utilize our QAD Staff

• COVID pandemic in 2020 ultimately impacted that decision 
History

• The decision was made to offer Contractor Checkloading as an option

to Vendors for shipping government purchases

• Excludes Bulk Purchases

• Vendor assumes additional responsibilities

• AMS Commodity Procurement requested that AMS QAD/SSD provide 

oversight

• QAD 623 Contractor Checkloading Surveillance was developed
Requirements
Registration

• QAD 623A Registration form required 

for participation

• Initiates tracking of participants to 

ensure that quarterly surveillance 

visits are being made 

• Contractor should work with the local 

QAD Supervisor to fill out and submit 

this form for each shipping facility
Surveillance 

• QAD will conduct unannounced in person quarterly visits to 

review records and observe checkloading process 

• All associated expenses for the quarterly visit are billed to the 

Shipping Point’s account
Certificate of 

Conformance

• Required for each load

• Maintain a copy as a record at the 

shipping facility
Other Records

• Must maintain internal records which provide evidence that 

checks are being made for FPPS requirements

• May use QAD 623B Checklist for each load

• QAD Representative doing surveillance will review your plant 

records when they visit
QAD 623B Checklist

1. Container Count

2. Net Weight

3. Labeling

4. Packing/Packaging Condition

5. Frozen Temperature 

6. Trailer Condition

7. Palletization/Stacking

8. Seal Number
Non-Compliances

• Non-Compliances found may require a follow up visit

• Too many non-compliances can result in a shipping point being 

ineligible to continue shipping without a grader
Non-Activity

• If there are no active contracts for a shipping point or that 

facility is not being used currently, no Contractor Checkloading 

Surveillance is required
Questions?