FSIS Updates for Small Plants – May 7, 2026

FSIS Updates for Small Plants - May 7, 2026

Information for small and very small establishments

Save the Date: askFSIS Live! Launches May 28

Last month, FSIS held its first in-person Small Plant Session in Wisconsin, where approximately 30 small and very small processors met face to face with agency subject matter experts, Des Moines District Office staff, and representatives from USDA's Rural Development and Agricultural Marketing Service. Participants discussed topics ranging from labeling and compliance to grants and enforcement, while also sharing what is and is not working at the plant level. FSIS plants to continue building this kind of direct engagement through additional in-person sessions held alongside industry events.

Because these sessions are in-person only, FSIS is launching a new virtual outreach format to make it easier for establishments across the country to connect:

askFSIS Live!
Thursday, May 28, 2026
Drop in at any time,
11 a.m. - 3 p.m. ET
Join on Teams

Like virtual office hours, you can drop in at any time. The event will have breakout rooms focused on specific topic areas where you can connect with FSIS policy and regulatory operations specialists, ask compliance and labeling questions, discuss policy topics, and share feedback. Keep an eye on your email for additional details ahead of the event.

If you plan to participate and would like to see a particular topic covered, please let us know by emailing [email protected]. If the pilot is successful, FSIS would offer the next askFSIS Live! again this fall.

Upcoming in-person National Small Plant Sessions:

• June 2026: Canyon, Texas | Reciprocal Meat Conference; Meat Processors Convention
• July 2026: Milwaukee, Wisc. | American Association of Meat Processors Convention

More details about these events will be shared in future Updates for Small Plants newsletters.

Latest Regulatory and Program Updates

Over the last month, FSIS announced additional organizational and workforce updates, including new acting leadership in the Office of Public Health Science and ongoing hiring efforts across multiple program areas. FSIS' forthcoming reorganization is expected to lay the foundation for future success. The National Food Safety Center in Urbandale, Iowa, will serve as a hub for training, communications, information technology, and resource management, while scientific activities will be consolidated at the Science Center in Athens, Ga., and international coordination in Fort Collins, Colo. Recall management will continue across district offices.

Looking ahead, the focus remains on building strong people and smarter systems - enhancing inspection approaches, further expanding sampling and testing efforts, and exploring new tools, technology, and processes to help us work more efficiently and make better decisions. During remarks at the International Food Automation Networking Conference in Atlanta, Ga., Administrator Ransom discussed ongoing efforts to evaluate emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, advanced sensing systems, and remote visual inspection. These discussions are worth watching as food processing technology continues to evolve across the industry.

In case you missed it, on April 15, USDA established a new Office of Seafood to better coordinate seafood-related efforts across USDA and federal partners. The office will collaborate closely with the departments of Health and Human Services, Interior and Commerce to implement the Executive Order Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness. Its primary focus is developing strategies to promote production, marketing, sale, and export of U.S. fishery and aquaculture products and strengthen domestic processing capacity. A key goal is to ensure American fishermen can access the same programs, tools, and support available to our land-based producers.

On the regulatory and policy side, the agency published its annual updated dollar limitations used to determine retail exemption eligibility and issued a final rule removing the standard of identity for canned "tripe with milk," providing greater flexibility to formulate canned tripe products with milk or other ingredients. The comment periods for the NPIS Line Speed and NSIS Line Speed proposals closed on April 20, 2026. FSIS is now reviewing the 4,437 unique comments (of 76,243 total) received on the proposed regulatory updates to provide more flexibility for establishments operating under modern slaughter inspection systems while maintaining all existing food safety protections and federal inspection activities.

While FSIS will continue sharing export library updates on its website and in its weekly Constituent Update, exporters should continue to contact APHIS directly at [email protected] with any questions or technical issues regarding animal health restriction information. APHIS is currently surveilling a recent pseudorabies virus detected in Iowa swine herds. If affected pork product certificates are identified, updates will be reflected on the APHIS' International Animal Product Export Regulations website and in FSIS' Export Library.

We continue looking for ways to expand and improve the tools and resources to support regulatory understanding and compliance. We've been incorporating feedback on our new public facing site housing askFSIS Q&As. FSIS continues to welcome any questions or feedback on our resources and how we can better support you.

What is actionable?

• Tell us how plant size impacts your business. Submit comments on the establishment size ANPR by May 26, 2026.
• Plan ahead on labeling; take advantage of the extended deadline to ensure compliance with retained water labeling requirements by Jan. 1, 2027.
• Submit your draft retained water protocol and associated data through askFSIS to solicit feedback from the FSIS Office of Policy and Program Development. On askFSIS, navigate to "Policy Questions," "Ask a Policy Question," and complete the webform and attach related documents.
• Review updated retail exemption dollar limitations to determine whether they affect your operation.
• Review the latest annual reports summarizing consumer complaints and sampling to stay informed and better understand the latest trends we're seeing across products, complaints and sampling programs.

Upcoming PHIS Export Enhancement

FSIS is set to modernize our Public Health Information System (PHIS) 9060-export process later this year. Prior to the rollout, FSIS will conduct a webinar to go over the enhancements and open an Industry Test Environment. The webinar will be recorded and made available for later viewing on the FSIS website. Further details will be provided in an upcoming Constituent Update.

Visit PHIS Help for Industry for resources.

Knowledge Article

askFSIS Public Q&A: Small Business References

I am a small establishment. Can FSIS recommend some external resources that can assist in meeting regulatory requirements and adapting to changing business needs?

FSIS does provide some internal resources that may be helpful including the FSIS webpage, guidelines, and FSIS Updates for Small Plants. Establishments can subscribe to FSIS newsletters like the FSIS Updates for Small Plants from the News Feeds & Subscriptions page.

For external resources, please be advised that FSIS is a government entity and is prohibited from endorsing any particular private company, product, service, or enterprise. Nonetheless, FSIS has compiled the following list of potential resources for small and very small establishments and facilities:

1. Flower Hill Institute;
2. Trade organizations:
   • American Association of Meat Processors;
   • American Frozen Food Institute;
   • American Pastured Poultry Producers Association;
   • American Sheep Industry Association;
   • Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance;
   • Food Industry Association;
   • Meat Importers Council of America;
   • Meat Institute;
   • National Chicken Council;
   • National Egg Regulatory Organization;
   • National Fisheries Institute;
   • National Pork Producers Council;
   • National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition;
   • National Turkey Federation;
   • United Egg Producers;
   • U.S. Meat Export Federation;
   • USA Poultry & Egg Export Council;
   • U.S. Poultry and Egg Association;
   • U.S. Seafood Distributors Association; and
   • Individual state or regional associations may also have helpful resources.
3. Universities:
   • State HACCP Coordinators: Coordinators are affiliated with universities and may provide additional one-on-one advice and assistance to small and very small plants related to HACCP and HACCP Validation. Coordinators also develop and provide training.
     >> NOTE: On the linked webpage, click the plus to open the Green bar for 'HACCP Coordinators'.
   • Oregon State University Center for Resilient Agriculture and Food Systems;
     >> Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network;
   • Other land grant universities also have excellent support and the nearest university to you may have local expertise and training. Some universities with webpages on food safety include:
     >> Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Food Safety Education; and
     >> University of Wisconsin Food Safety.
4. State inspection programs and State agriculture departments. The Association of Food and Drug Officials maintains a Directory of State and Local Officials that can be useful for finding contact information at the state and local levels.
5. Private Consultants - Private consulting firms may offer support to small and very small establishments by writing programs, providing validation resources specific to an individual establishment's process, and ongoing support.
6. Financial Grants (Agricultural Marketing Service, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Rural Development, and Small Business Administration).

Visit askFSIS for more knowledge articles on this and other topics or to submit a question.