From Stephanie Barnes // Food Marketing Institute
We wanted to share an update on the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) previous statement regarding a delay in enforcement for the Final Rule, “Records to be Kept by Official Establishments and Retail Stores that Grind Raw Beef Products.” As FMI previously reported, on May 11, 2016, USDA sent a letter to the National Grocers Association indicating that the Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) intends to provide some delay for inspections and enforcement of the final rule; however the agency did not provide a specific timeframe for enforcement discretion. This afternoon, during an industry call with USDA, FSIS indicated verbally that inspections and enforcement for the final rule will be delayed until October 1, 2016. The effective date for the Final Rule is currently June 20, 2016. USDA has stated that the extended enforcement date will allow the agency to conduct additional outreach and develop guidance materials. We will keep you posted as we learn more and will provide additional updates following a formal announcement from FSIS.
FMI Resources:
- FMI Regulatory Alert: FSIS Publishes Final Rule on Records to be Kept by Official Establishments and Retail Stores that Grind Raw Beef Products
- Comprehensive Guide – Meat Ground at Retail Recordkeeping and Sanitation
- Sample Ground Meat Record for Retail Stores
- FMI Blog: Update on Recordkeeping For Raw Beef
Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions.
