Source: Lisa M. Keefe, MEATINGPLACE, 4/14/16


USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued a final rule amending the definition and standard of identity for “roasters” or “roasting chickens” to better reflect the characteristics of such chickens in the market today, the agency said in an entry in the Federal Register.

FSIS proposed the rule last summer, and sought input from the industry on the changes.
“Roasters” or “roasting chickens” are described in terms of the age and ready-to-cook (RTC

) carcass weight of the bird. Genetic changes and management techniques have continued to reduce the grow-out period and increased the RTC weight for this poultry class. Therefore, FSIS is amending the “roaster” definition to remove the 8-week minimum age criterion and increase the RTC carcass weight from 5 pounds to 5.5 pounds.

FSIS is taking this action in response to a petition submitted by the National Chicken Council. The new rule is effective as of Jan. 1, 2018.

To read the Federal Register entry, click here.