Constituent Update - October 2, 2026

Constituent Update - October 2, 2026

FSIS Announces the FY2027 Annual Sampling Plan

Today, FSIS posted the FY 2027 Annual Sampling Program Plan. Sampling of products and testing for microbiological contaminants or chemical residues is a key FSIS inspection verification activity. Each annual sampling plan identifies all current FSIS sampling programs, showing the breadth of microbiological and chemical residue sampling data that will be generated to inform the agency's science-based and data-driven strategic planning efforts. A few notable changes in this year's sampling plan include:

• FSIS is planning to implement a new paired environmental sampling program for Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) and non-Lm Listeria in ready-to-eat (RTE) establishments nationwide in January 2027. The new sampling project will add two food contact surface and two non-food contact surface samples to the RTE post-lethality exposed product samples that FSIS already collects. The goal of the new sampling project is to generate data verifying that establishments are effectively controlling Lm and maintaining sanitation in RTE establishments.
• FSIS will increase raw pork sampling starting in January 2027 to provide data to support the development and refinement of future policy initiatives. FSIS will also test broader pork product types with a higher risk for Salmonella
• FSIS will decrease the number of bob veal samples collected and analyzed under the National Residue Program to account for the nationwide reduction in slaughter volume over the past several years, preventing unnecessary burden on smaller establishments.

You can view the FY 2027 Annual Sampling Program Plan and find more information on FSIS' sampling programs.

FSIS Leadership Update

FSIS is continuing to build its leadership team and announcing leadership appointments in the Office of Policy and Program Development (OPPD) and the Office of Field Operations (OFO).

Stephanie "Stevie" Hretz has been named deputy assistant administrator (DAA) for OPPD after serving as acting DAA since March 2026. Prior to the acting DAA role, Hretz served as director of the Risk Management and Innovations Staff since May 2023. Hretz began her FSIS career 25 years ago through a student program at FSIS' Eastern Laboratory while studying microbiology at the University of Georgia.

Within OFO, Jeffery Barham was named executive associate for regulatory operations. Barham joined FSIS in 1995 as a food inspector and has served in many leadership roles within FSIS, most recently as the Springdale district manager. His previous roles include deputy district manager, frontline supervisor, and district case specialist.

Jeffery Jacobsen was named executive associate for regulatory operations after serving in an acting role since March 2026. Jacobsen joined FSIS in March 2000 as an intermittent food inspector and has served in numerous leadership roles across the agency, most recently, as the Des Moines district manager. His previous roles include deputy district manager, frontline supervisor, and an Enforcement Investigation and Analysis Officer (EIAO).

Dr. Robert Reeder has been named executive associate for regulatory operations after serving in an acting role since November 2025. Prior to this role, he served as Denver district manager since 2021. He joined FSIS in 2001 as a relief and in-plant supervisory public health veterinarian. Dr. Reeder held additional leadership roles as an FLS and Denver DDM. Dr. Reeder holds a Bachelor of Science from Arkansas Tech University and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Louisiana State University.

Robert Witte has been named deputy assistant administrator for OFO after serving in an acting role since February 2026. Prior to this role, he served as acting assistant administrator for the Office of Investigation, Enforcement and Audit (OIEA). Witte began his FSIS career in 2006 as a student intern and egg products inspector. He has served in many leadership roles including EIAO, senior staff officer, senior program analyst, deputy chief of staff for the Office of the Administrator and deputy assistant administrator for OIEA.

Barry Rhodes has been named acting deputy administrator for OFO. Rhodes joined FSIS in 2003 as a Food Inspector in a poultry slaughter establishment. Rhodes has served in multiple field and headquarters roles over the past 23 years including most recently as the Director of the Recall Management and Technical Analysis Staff.

You can find these updates and information about FSIS leadership on the FSIS website.

FSIS Posted Updated Datasets

On October 2, 2026, FSIS updated the individual establishment Salmonella performance standard category information for raw poultry carcasses, raw chicken parts, and comminuted poultry products on the SalmonellaVerification Testing Program Monthly Posting page on the FSIS website. Additionally, FSIS posted the aggregate sampling results showing the number of establishments in categories 1, 2, or 3 for establishments producing young poultry carcasses, raw chicken parts, or not ready-to-eat comminuted poultry products at the location linked above.

The following datasets were also updated to include the latest quarter of data:

1. Quarterly establishment-specific laboratory sampling datasets:

• Raw Poultry Product Sampling
• Egg Product Sampling
• Raw Beef Product Sampling
• Ready-to-Eat Product Sampling
• Raw Pork Product Sampling
• National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) Cecal Sampling Data

1. Quarterly establishment-specific datasets on inspection tasks:

• Livestock Humane Handling Inspection Tasks
• Poultry Good Commercial Practices Inspection Tasks

FSIS Announces Addition of Product Name Field in Laboratory Sampling Datasets

FSIS is announcing the proposed addition of the product name data field to the primary table of publicly available product-sampling FSIS Laboratory Sampling datasets in January 2027. The product_name field is a free-text field entered by FSIS inspectors during sample collection and may include brand or product-specific details not captured in other data fields.

The addition of this field provides supplementary product-level detail, enhances data transparency, and increases the usefulness of FSIS' datasets for regulatory partners, researchers, and the public. The product_name field is only applicable to product-sampling projects and will remain blank for environmental and other non-product sampling projects. Any corporate proprietary information will be redacted and replaced with '[REDACTED]' prior to publication.

FSIS is accepting public comments on the proposed addition of the product_name field through November 6, 2026. Although the sample dataset reflects the Ready-to-Eat (RTE) Product & Risk-based Listeria monocytogenes Sampling dataset, the product_name field will be added to all establishment-specific laboratory sampling datasets involving product sampling.

A sample dataset is available on the FSIS Sample Datasets and Documentation webpage in JSON and CSV formats. The webpage also includes a document summarizing updates to the metadata, data dictionary, and the data limitation sections for convenience.

To submit a comment, email [email protected] and include "Product Name Addition" in the subject line.

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 October 13: Notice of Request To Renew an Approved Information Collection: Egg Products Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point and Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures
• Until November 9: Notice of Request to Renew an Approved Information Collection: Mechanically Tenderized Beef Products

Policy Update

FSIS notices and directives on public health and regulatory issues are available on the FSIS Policy webpage. The following policy update was recently issued:

FSIS Notice 38-26: Cancellation of Directives

FSIS Notice 39-26: Federal Holidays in Calendar Year 2027

FSIS Notice 40-26: Leave Bank Program 2026 Open Enrollment Period for the 2027 Leave Year

Export Requirements Update

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

FSIS:

• Türkiye

APHIS:

• Türkiye
• Azerbaijan
• China
• Japan
• Azerbaijan
• 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.