The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has published a final rule establishing a new voluntary cooperative program that will permit state-inspected establishments with fewer than 25 employees “to ship meat and poultry products in interstate commerce.” Under the program, which will be administered by state inspectors, selected establishments must comply with all standards under the Federal Meat Inspection Act and Poultry Products Inspection Act to receive the official USDA mark of inspection necessary for interstate commerce.

Effective July 1, 2011, the final rule considers approximately 90 separate
comments submitted in response to the September 2009 proposed version.
“Allowing these state-inspected establishments to ship their products across
state lines has the potential to expand rural development and jobs, increase
local tax bases, strengthen rural communities, and ensure that food is safe
for consumers,” said FSIS Administrator Al Almanza in an April 19, 2011, press
release. See Federal Register, May 2, 2011.

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For decades, manufacturers, distributors and retailers at every link in the food chain have come to Shook, Hardy & Bacon to partner with a legal team that understands the issues they face in today's evolving food production industry. Shook attorneys work with some of the world's largest food, beverage and agribusiness companies to establish preventative measures, conduct internal audits, develop public relations strategies, and advance tort reform initiatives.

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