OFDER was established in 2002 to develop and coordinate all FSIS activities in order to prevent, prepare, respond and recover from non-routine emergencies resulting from intentional and non-intentional contamination affecting meat, poultry and egg products. OFDER serves as the agency’s central office for homeland security issues and ensures coordination of its activities with the USDA Homeland Security Office, the Department of Homeland Security, FDA and other germane federal and state government agencies with food-related responsibilities.
OFDER draws its regulatory authority from the following Inspection Acts:
- Federal Meat Inspection Act of 1906
- Poultry Inspection Act of 1957
- Egg Inspection Act of 1970
In May 2002, the FSIS issued the FSIS Security Guidelines for Food Processors to assist meat, poultry and egg plants with identifying ways to strengthen their food security protection. In August 2003, the FSIS Safety and Security Guidelines for the Transportation and Distribution of Meat, Poultry and Egg Products was issued, which focused on improving food safety and security in the transportation and distribution segments of the supply chain. From May through July 2005, a series of nationwide public workshops were jointly held by FSIS/FDA to discuss food security awareness and strategies. The curriculum had relative FSIS Food Security Directives/Notices including Model Food Safety Plans for meat, poultry, slaughter and egg establishments, including plants that import meat, poultry and egg products. Just prior to the workshops, in April of 2005, the FSIS issued a revised voluntary checklist: “Industry Self-Assessment Checklist for Food Security” for FSIS inspected establishments and importers to use with the objective of protecting commodities from becoming intentionally contaminated. The categories are:
- Food Security Plan Management
- Outside Security
- Inside Security
- Slaughter and Processing Security
- Storage Security
- Shipping and Receiving Security
- Water and Ice Supply Security
- Mail Handling Security
- Personnel Security
The checklist, when pertinent to a company’s operation, provides clear methodologies to develop/append Food Defense Programs. Each category is generic to custom fit each plant’s unique needs.
Unveiled in September, FSIS Directive 5420.1, Revision 3, Amendment 1 addressed Homeland Security Threat Conditions Response- Food Defense Verification Procedures. The Homeland Security Advisory System based on color provides an effective means to circulate information regarding the risk of terrorist acts to Federal, State, and local authorities including the general public. This color code system is incorporated within the FSIS/USDA system.
Effective Sept. 15, the directive details the protocols that FSIS inspection program personnel at the establishment level are to follow when a threat condition of yellow, orange or red is declared by the Department of Homeland Security:
- Elevation Yellow is when there is an elevated risk of terrorist attacks;
- High Orange is when there is a high risk of terrorist attacks;
- Severe Red is when there is a severe risk of terrorist attacks.
Every meat, poultry and egg establishment has an assigned FSIS inspector-in-charge (IIC). The IIC is responsible, among other things, to ensure and enforce all of the myriad federal regulations that govern a meat, poultry and egg establishment. Depending on the size and type of operation, there can be multiple inspectors assigned to a single establishment every working day.
There are a series of scenarios listed in Directive 5420.1, Revision 3, Amendment 1 involving a yellow, orange or red declaration by Homeland Security as well specific instructions when downgrading a color code notification.
Upon the notification by Homeland Security of a yellow, orange or red notice, OFDER will inform the FSIS Administrator and FSIS Management Council. OFDER will issue an e-mail letter to all employees notifying them of the heightened threat condition. The directive has specific instructions with regards to food defense verification procedures. Inspection personnel will continue to perform all normally scheduled food safety activities during such threats.
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