Our inspectors have lost no authority on the production line. The conceptual shift from government to industry and overall pro-active approach to food safety and process evaluation has enhanced the importance of an effective enforcement program. Our new inspection system has been strengthened by integrating the work of our inspectors with our Compliance Staff. This enables FSIS to use a team approach to plant enforcement actions and to respond quickly to situations, to determine whether corrections have been effective. This includes suspending the use of inspection marks, suspending or withdrawing inspection, or holding suspensions in abeyance, and closing plants.
Industry is accountable for food safety.
This means that inspectors and compliance officers must now verify industry practices and take enforcement actions when a plant's control systems fails to meet regulatory requirements. If a plant cannot demonstrate the effectiveness of its system, a withholding action will be issued, which could lead to a formal action to withdraw inspection, permanently. We are committed to a systematic process to ensure safe food for consumers. Meat and poultry plants must therefore continually and consistently demonstrate to FSIS inspectors that product is not adulterated, and that plant sanitation and process control systems prevent adulteration. They must also demonstrate truthful and accurate record-keeping.