Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has unveiled a new comprehensive plan designed to strengthen the USDA’s efforts to reduce foodborne illness. The announcement came during the opening of the agency’s newly upgraded Midwestern Food Safety Laboratory. The initiative is intended to enhance the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), which oversees the safety and labeling of meat, poultry, and egg products.
The plan outlines several actions, including increased microbiological testing, more robust inspection oversight, modernized tools and training for inspectors, and stronger partnerships with state agencies. It also seeks a more realistic and impactful strategy for addressing salmonella in poultry products.
“We’re charting a new course in giving consumers confidence that their meat, poultry, and egg products meet the best-in-class food safety standards,” said Rollins. “I look forward to continued collaboration with states and food producers to protect public health.”
Industry groups are backing the new direction. “America’s chicken producers appreciate USDA’s common sense and science-based approach to achieving improvements in food safety,” said Dr. Ashley Peterson, Senior Vice President of Scientific and Regulatory Affairs at the National Chicken Council. “We share the department’s goals to further reduce foodborne illnesses and promote public health, with an emphasis on reducing regulatory burdens.”
Peterson also applauded USDA’s decision earlier this year to withdraw the previous administration’s proposed salmonella regulations. “As it was proposed based on misinterpretation of the science, it would have had no meaningful impact on public health, would have led to an extraordinary amount of food waste, and increased costs for consumers and producers,” she said. “We thank the Secretary for her leadership and the agency’s commitment to finding a more effective and achievable plan to combat salmonella in U.S. poultry products.”
