According to comments submitted to the USDA-FSIS through December 16th representatives of small-scale broiler producers expressed concern over intended Salmonella standards.
Producers of up to 500 birds per week do not have the resources to deploy both pre- and post-harvest mitigation and do not have access to rapid laboratory assays for pathogens in comparison to integrators.
USDA FSIS is under pressure to decrease the incidence rate of salmonellosis that has remained constant for a number of years according to data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Sandra Eskin, Deputy Undersecretary for Food Safety stated, "we want to better ensure that poultry products with levels or types of Salmonella contamination that can make people sick are not sold to consumers".
Salmonella reduction in large U.S. chicken plants |