FSIS Issues Video Compliance Guide for Federally Inspected Meat, Poultry Plants

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has announced the availability
of final compliance guidelines for video monitoring at federally inspected
establishments, such as meat and poultry plants. The guidelines, which have
received Office of Management and Budget approval, stem from a 2008 USDA
Office of Inspector General (OIG) recommendation that called for FSIS to
determine whether such monitoring would be beneficial for “slaughterhouse
establishments.” Additional information about the guidelines appears in Issue
369 of this Update.

Although not mandatory, in-plant video monitoring can be used to
strengthen food safety and humane animal-handling practices, and to
monitor product inventory and building security, according to FSIS. The
agency has provided the guide to help those plants choosing this method
to create records for maintaining “compliance with [f]ederal regulations,
including humane treatment of livestock and the use of good commercial
practices in poultry.” It also “provides information on issues establishments
should consider if they use this equipment for any other purpose, such as
part of their food defense plans.” Clarifying which video records are subject
to routine FSIS access, the guide states such records include “HACCP [Hazard
Analysis and Critical Control Point] and Sanitation SOP [Sanitation Standard
Operating Procedures] and records associated with other programs that are
prerequisites to HACCP.” See Federal Register, August 31, 2011.