The U.S. Department of Agriculture has proposed a new pork processing inspection rule. The National Pork Producers Council supports this proposal which expands the current HAACP or Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point inspection model from five pilot locations to full scale implementation. Nebraska Pork Producers Association Executive Director Al Juhnke says the rule is beneficial for pork producers, the industry and consumers.
He says the new inspection model assigns increased inspection responsibility to plant operators and allows USDA to dedicate its resources to general oversight of food safety standards and the overall inspection process. It will help pork processing plants run more efficiently and effectively.
Juhnke says the rule also encourages the deployment of new food safety technologies in packing plants.
Under the new inspection model, processing plants can adopt the HIMP or HACCP Inspection Model or continue to operate under the current inspection system. It is subject to a 60-day comment period.
