/>i- Last week, at the opening of the USDA’s new Midwestern Food Safety Laboratory in Normandy, Missouri, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins, unveiled a 5-part plan to reduce foodborne illness.
- Specifically, USDA’s plan includes the following 5 key elements:
- Enhancing Microbiological Testing and Inspection Oversight
- USDA has upgraded its laboratory infrastructure (notably the new Midwestern Food Safety Lab) and has increased foodborne illness testing—namely Listeria monocytogenes (citing a 200 percent increase in samples tested for Listeria in 2025 from 2024).
- Equipping FSIS Inspectors with Updated Training and Tools
- Inspectors are now using expanded tools like a weekly questionnaire to collect data on specific Listeria monocytogenes-related risk factors.
- FSIS has also issued new procedural instructions and Listeria-specific training for frontline inspection personnel.
- Approach to Address Salmonella in Poultry
- The Secretary has directed FSIS to find a “more effective and achievable approach to address Salmonella in poultry products.” This will start with stakeholder listening sessions.
- Strengthening State Partnerships
- USDA is increasing financial and technical support for state-level meat and poultry inspection programs and enhancing its oversight over Talmadge-Aiken (TA) state cooperative programs.
- Empowering FSIS Inspectors to Take Action to Drive Compliance
- USDA is stepping up enforcement actions and deploying field supervisors for follow-up visits when systemic issues are identified.
- Keller and Heckman will continue to monitor ongoing developments related to USDA and FSIS.
