Constituent Update - October 16, 2026

Constituent Update - October 16, 2026

Stakeholder Engagement

On October 15, Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Mindy Brashears delivered remarks at the Ohio 4-H Foundation's Annual Celebration of Youth to 4-H members, families, volunteers, and scholarship donors. Dr. Brashears talked to the group about her career, and the lasting impact her participation in 4-H as a child had on her. She had planned to become a doctor until a scholarship pointed her toward food science, the field that brought her to FSIS.

She credited 4-H with teaching her to speak in public and work through hard problems and described how scholarship support has carried through her family across generations. She encouraged members in every project area, from livestock to photography and cooking, to see their work as preparation for careers in science, medicine, engineering, and public service. The food scientists, veterinarians, and inspectors who will protect the food supply a generation from now are in programs like 4-H today, and her remarks put FSIS in front of them early.She credited 4-H with teaching her to speak in public and work through hard problems and described how scholarship support has carried through her family across generations. She encouraged members in every project area, from livestock to photography and cooking, to see their work as preparation for careers in science, medicine, engineering, and public service. The food scientists, veterinarians, and inspectors who will protect the food supply a generation from now are in programs like 4-H today, and her remarks put FSIS in front of them early.

FSIS Updated Import Presented Refused and Import Refusal Reason Datasets

FSIS has updated data on import lots presented and refused entry to the U.S. and the reasons for refusal on products regulated by FSIS. This data can be found on the Import and Export Data page under the Import Presented Refused and Import Refusal datasets. The Import Presented Refused dataset includes lot-level information for import volume along with import refusal data at the lot-level. The Import Refusal Reason is provided as a secondary dataset, providing each refusal reason as its own row to facilitate analysis.

Available for Public Comment

FSIS seeks public comments on proposed rules and notices, which are viewable on the FSIS Federal Register & Rulemaking webpage. FSIS is currently seeking comments on the following:

• Until November 6: Proposed Additions to the Laboratory Sampling Datasets. Email [email protected] and include "Product Name Addition" in the subject line.
• Until November 9: Notice of Request to Renew an Approved Information Collection: Mechanically Tenderized Beef Products.
• Until November 13: Proposed Updates to Import Datasets. Email [email protected] and include "Import Dataset Enhancements" in the subject line.

Export Requirements Update

The Library of Export Requirements has been updated for products for the following:

FSIS:

• Canada
• China

APHIS:

• Azerbaijan
• Japan
• China

Complete information for FSIS products can be found at the FSIS Import & Export Library.

Complete information for APHIS products can be found at Export Restrictions on U.S. Animal Products for Human Consumption website. Select the countries listed above from the drop down menu for complete information.