USDA FSIS
 
WASHINGTON – Stakeholders in the pork industry and consumers groups will have an extra 30 days to comment on the proposed “Modernization of Swine Slaughter Inspection” rule, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the US Dept. of Agriculture reported.

The new deadline to submit comments on the proposed New Swine Slaughter Inspection System (NSIS) rule is May 2; the original deadline was April 2. FSIS cited requests from industry and consumers groups as the reason for deadline switch.

Under the proposed rule, establishments that slaughter market-ready hogs that decline to operate under the NSIS can operate under their existing inspection system. The NSIS also enables all pork processing plants to develop sampling plans that are more tailored to their specific operations.

Consumer and labor advocates, such as the National Employment Law Project, oppose the NSIS, saying the program would jeopardize consumer and worker safety. Organizations representing the meat industry have expressed support for the new inspection system which industry says relies on science-based inspection models.

Comments can be submitted via the federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov; or hand delivered to Patriots Plaza 3, 355 E. Street SW, Room 8-163A, Washington, DC 20250-3700.