Source: USDA FSIS, 12/1/17


FSIS released its Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Annual Plan on Friday, Dec. 1, 2017. The Annual Plan is directly aligned with the Agency’s 2017-2021 Strategic Plan which outlines the ways FSIS will achieve its strategic goals over the next fiscal year. The Annual Plan serves as an operational guide for FSIS and in it, the Agency is held accountable to both new and continuing activities. FSIS continues to enhance how it measures its performance and this year’s Plan includes about 40 Strategic and Annual Plan measures that collectively work toward achieving our vision, mission and goals. This Annual Plan also shows how our work and accomplishments in FY 2017 carry in to what FSIS plans to achieve in FY 2018.

FSIS continues to work towards its goals while the number of establishments requiring inspection continues to increase, to approximately 6,400. The Agency anticipates a very busy and productive year in focusing on its outcomes to prevent product contamination and foodborne illness, modernize systems and approaches and enhance how we do business. Continuing priorities for FSIS include further implementation of the New Poultry Inspection System (NPIS) and Siluriformes fish inspection, effectively using Public Health Risk Evaluations (PHREs) and pathogen reduction performance standards for Salmonella and Campylobacter in poultry to drive compliance and prevent contamination and modernizing swine and egg products inspection systems. The Agency will also continue to increase its use of whole genome sequencing, further develop key informational tools and resources for inspectors and continue to work with public health partners to prevent Listeria monocytogenes in retail delicatessens. FSIS will also continue its focus on recruiting and retaining employees in hard-to-fill mission-critical positions, engaging and empowering employees, and implementing process enhancements in key areas.

The Annual Plan can be accessed at https://www.fsis.usda.gov//wps/wcm/connect/88c7a056-3f26-41e1-8f03-d18bc9e0fb05/Annual-Plan-FY2018.pdf

FSIS Identifies Additional Food Safety Research Priorities
While FSIS is not a research funding organization, the Agency recognizes the importance of keeping abreast of the latest scientific research and promoting research in areas important to the FSIS mission. FSIS offers a listing of its food safety research priorities and suggested studies associated with each priority. The list of studies has been recently updated at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/science/food-safety-research-priorities/food-safety-research-priorities. Updates include one new research priority and seven priority associated studies. These priorities and study titles are presented as suggestions for food safety researchers and organizations that fund food safety research.