The National Pork Producers
Council strongly supports the U.S. Department of Agriculture in finalizing a
new pork processing inspection rule. The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection
Service will expand its current HAACP Inspection Model from five current pilot
locations to full-scale implementation. NPPC President Ken Maschoff says, “We
support the decision to advance HIMP as it introduces new pork production
efficiencies while encouraging the deployment of new food safety technologies
in packing plants.” He says the pilot program was very successful and expanding
the program is another step in the industry’s ongoing focus to continually
improve the safety of America’s food at an efficient cost. The new inspection
model assigns increased inspection responsibility to plant operators, which
allows the USDA to dedicate its resources to general oversight of food safety
standards and the overall inspection process. Plants can choose to adopt the
HIMP model or continue to operate under the current inspection system. Maschoff
adds that “The U.S. pork industry is the most competitive in the world because
we’ve built a reputation for quality, affordability, and food safety. We
applaud the USDA for taking this step to strengthen our competitive position.”
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