Coalition of Advocacy Groups, Poultry Producers Calls for Changes

The Center for Science in the Public Interest has joined three other advocacy groups and four poultry producers to urge the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to update poultry food safety standards. “While progress on reducing foodborne illness has been at a standstill, scientific knowledge of Salmonella has greatly increased and recognized best practices for Campylobacter and other pathogens have advanced. Science tells us that current performance standards do not effectively target the particular types of Salmonella and the levels of bacteria that pose the greatest risks of illness, and the overall regulatory framework does not adequately harness modern tools for preventing and verifying control of the bacteria that are making people sick,” the letter to Secretary Tom Vilsack states.

“In order to finally make public health progress on Salmonella and Campylobacter illnesses and meet the Healthy People 2030 targets, significant change in the [Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)] regulatory program is needed, guided by these principles. We would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you to ensure that USDA prioritizes making meaningful changes in food safety regulation and policy,” concludes the coalition, which includes Butterball LLC, Tyson Foods, Perdue Farms and Wayne Farms.