NCC Says FSIS’s New Salmonella Framework Lacks Data, Research

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced a new regulatory framework in an effort it says will reduce Salmonella illnesses associated with poultry products.

Specifically, FSIS said it would be proposing three components, including:

- Requiring incoming flocks be tested for Salmonella before entering an establishment;
- Enhancing establishment process control monitoring and FSIS verification;
- Implementing an enforceable final product standard.

“We support the need to develop science-based approaches that will impact public health, but this is being done backwards,” said Ashley Peterson...

Canada's Restrictions on Poultry and Birds from the United States

The below information is intended for travelers and cross-border shoppers only. It does not apply to commercial shipments of products or by-products that enter Canada with documentation from official veterinarians from the United States. Commercial importers should refer to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's (CFIA) Automated Import Reference System (AIRS) for more information.

Due to the occurrence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), the CFIA has restricted the import of fresh, raw, or unprocessed poultry products or by-products from any U.S. state currently experiencing an outbreak...

U.S. Considers Vaccines to Protect Poultry from Deadly Bird Flu

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is looking into vaccines as an option to protect poultry against deadly bird flu, the agency's chief veterinary officer said as the country faces its worst outbreak since 2015.

Supporters say vaccines could help keep poultry alive, prevent financial losses and control food costs, though shots would be too late to stop the current outbreak that has wiped out 22 million chickens and turkeys in commercial flocks since February.

Previously, the United States has eschewed vaccines, worried that importers will ban U.S. poultry shipments because...