The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced the Small Processors Action Plan for small and very small meat and poultry processors. Food Safety Undersecretary Mindy Brashears described the three pillars implemented in the plan.
“In terms of customer service, we really want to have dedicated support for our small and very small processors,” said Brashears.
“We have set that support aside, so they know that they have very specific points of contact within the agency, and also, they need timely answers. So now they’re going to have their own system where they can track that appeal, know where it is, or even a question, and they’re not just really waiting in the dark. When you’re working in food safety and with a regulatory agency, some things can get very complex,” Brashears added.
Brashears also mentioned, “We’re going to make sure our notices and directives are written so that they’re not so much on the legal or technical side, they’re still going to get the information, but we’ll provide them with summaries that are easy to understand and that they can implement. Streamlining the process really involves a number of different areas to make sure that we meet their needs and that they get all the resources they can at the government level.”
Audio Reporting by Elizabeth Sanders for Southeast AgNet.