Source: MEATINGPLACE, 9/22/16

USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued a new directive to instruct inspectors at poultry slaughter facilities which steps to take in the event of a highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreak or agro-terrorism incident.
Under the enhanced inspection procedures:
• USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has responsibility activities in the event of an outbreak, defines the control areas and must issue permits for flock movement.
• Public health veterinarians are to examine every truckload of birds from control areas during ante-mortem inspection.
• Inspectors are to retain all carcasses exhibiting signs of HPAI for veterinary disposition.
• When public health veterinarians suspect that birds or carcasses exhibit clinical signs or lesions consistent with HPAI, they are to stop the establishment from further slaughtering the flock, retain all affected birds, carcasses and parts, and contact the district office.
• Inspection personnel are to comply with the same sanitary and hygiene procedures and biosecurity measures that establishments have in place for their personnel.

The directive updates procedures established in 2009 and should not be implemented unless FSIS issues specific instructions via a user notice, the agency added.

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