Constituent Update - January 16, 2026

Constituent Update - January 16, 2026

Dr. Brashears Returns to USDA as Under Secretary for Food Safety

On January 14, Dr. Mindy Brashears was sworn in as USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety, returning to the Department at a pivotal moment for public health and food safety. Her appointment brings experienced leadership and a deep understanding of the science, policy, and operational realities that underpin FSIS' mission.

Dr. Brashears is a recognized leader in food safety, having served as USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety from 2020-2021, and Deputy Under Secretary in 2019. She returns to USDA from Texas Tech University where she was a Paul Whitfield Horn Distinguished Professor of Food Safety and Public Health, the Roth and Letch Family Endowed Chair for Food Safety and the Director of the International Center for Food Industry Excellence. Dr. Brashers' research has improved meat and poultry production, addressed antimicrobial resistance, and advanced sustainable agriculture across the globe. She has authored numerous publications, holds more than 20 patents or patents pending, and has served in key leadership roles across industry and academia. Her contributions have earned her induction into the Meat Industry Hall of Fame, Fellow status in the American Meat Science Association and the National Academy of Inventors, and multiple distinguished awards for research and service.

Under Dr. Brashears' leadership in the Office of Food Safety, FSIS will continue to advance its core mission of safeguarding public health while enhancing these efforts through the implementation of Secretary Rollins' five-point plan to bolster food safety. Read more about Under Secretary Brashears on the FSIS website.

Pictured above: Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Mindy Brashears listening to presentations and comments during the Jan. 14 public meeting, "Exploring Practical Strategies to Reduce Salmonella in Poultry Products," Photo by FSIS Audio Visual Production Specialist Brien Aho.

January 14, 2026: Dr. Mindy Brashears (center) sworn in as Under Secretary for Food Safety by Secretary of Agriculture Brook Rollins (left). Photo by Public Affairs Specialist Brooke DeCubellis with the Farm Production and Conservation Business Center.

Building on our Foundation: A New Phase in Salmonella Reduction Efforts

January 14 marked both a homecoming for Dr. Brashears and a moment of forward momentum for USDA. The Under Secretary joined Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, FSIS leadership, researchers, and other stakeholders for a public meeting focused on one of the agency's most persistent food safety challenges: Salmonella.

FSIS' hybrid Salmonella Public Meeting welcomed more than 50 in-person and 300 virtual attendees. FSIS heard 36 oral public comments during the meeting, many of which were aligned with prior feedback that FSIS has heard from stakeholders. The meeting incorporated presentations from FSIS and the USDA Agricultural Research Service, alongside public comments reflecting the range of perspectives across the food system. These discussions reflected years of groundwork already laid-by FSIS scientists, policy experts, data analysts, and program staff who have advanced the science, developed analytical tools, and shaped policy approaches that continue to inform today's work. This body of effort remains central as the agency builds on it to chart a stronger path forward.

FSIS Administrator Dr. Justin Ransom kicked off the meeting, recognizing the broad participant representation from across the food system, including academia, industry, consumer groups, federal and state partners, and other public health officials. This level of participation reflects the importance of the day's conversation. "We're here today because we share a common objective," said Ransom. "USDA is committed to this effort, and we believe that a commonsense approach that is both transparent and collaborative is essential to achieving our goals collectively."

FSIS Administrator Ransom provides opening remarks during FSIS' Salmonella public meeting, Photo by Aho.

After two engaging comment periods, Secretary Rollins stopped in to speak, beginning her remarks thanking Under Secretary Brashears, Administrator Ransom, the FSIS team, and participating stakeholders for sharing their perspectives and experiences. She underscored how the meeting was not about competing viewpoints, but about advancing practical, science-based strategies to reduce Salmonella and maintain a safe, affordable food system. Secretary Rollins also acknowledged how this work directly supports USDA's five-point plan to bolster food safety by informing science-based strategies to strengthen Salmonella controls, empower inspectors, and ensure accountability. "A modern food safety system should be clear in what it expects, rigorous in what it verifies, and focused on results, not paperwork," said Rollins.

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins greets the audience and underscores the value of the day's meeting to make meaningful, practical advances in controlling Salmonella in poultry products. Photo by Aho.

In her remarks, Under Secretary Brashears outlined a clear vision for the work ahead. While poultry has been a major focus, she emphasized that meaningful reductions in Salmonella illnesses will require a broader lens. Salmonella affects multiple commodities, including pork and beef, and addressing it across the food supply is essential to make headway in reducing illness rates.

The Under Secretary also stressed the importance of tailored strategies rather than relying on one-size-fits-all solutions. She highlighted innovative tools like biomapping and environmental mapping to identify high-risk areas in facilities and acknowledged the need to consider small and very small establishments as FSIS develops this initiative. According to Dr. Brashears, solutions must work for plants of all sizes, enabling access to validated interventions and tools that fit within real-world operational realities.

Finally, Under Secretary Brashears emphasized that data must continue to drive progress. Regulatory sampling alone cannot tell the full story. "We can't manage what we can't measure," said Dr. Brashears. She maintained that interventions must be supported by science and validation, with data guiding decisions around critical control points.

The mitigation and reduction of Salmonella in FSIS-inspected food remains a priority now and into the future. The January 14 public meeting marked a turning point. The agency will rely on its strong foundation of science, data, and public input to chart the way forward and develop practical strategies. These efforts will continue to be grounded in the dedication of FSIS inspectors evaluating sanitation and Salmonella risk on the frontlines every day, and supported by the scientific, policy, and data-driven work that will guide the agency as it moves forward under the leadership of Under Secretary Brashears.

View the final agenda and presentation slides on the Public Meeting: Exploring Practical Strategies to Reduce Salmonella in Poultry Products page of the FSIS website. Additional meeting information, such as the transcript, will be available soon and will be announced in a future Constituent Update.

FSIS Announces Additional Leadership Changes

Dr. Hany Sidrak has been named FSIS' Chief Public Health Veterinarian. In this role, Dr. Sidrak serves as the lead resource for FSIS in domestic and international food safety issues involving zoonoses, antimicrobial resistance and One Health related operations. Dr. Sidrak previously served as Acting Assistant Administrator (AA) of the Office of Investigation, Enforcement and Audit (OIEA), Acting AA of the Office of Field Operations (OFO), and OFO Deputy AA.

FSIS is grateful for the service and leadership of Dr. Sheryl Shaw as Chief Public Health Veterinarian over the last year and most recently stepping in as Acting OFO Executive Associate for Regulatory Operations. FSIS is pleased to welcome her back to the Office of Public Health Science (OPHS) as Acting Deputy AA. Dr. Shaw has more than 30 years of experience in federal service and private veterinary practice and previously served as the Director of the OPHS Applied Epidemiology Staff.

Robert Witte is assuming the role of Acting AA for OIEA, previously serving as Deputy AA. Witte exemplifies how FSIS offers opportunities for a lifelong career. Starting in 2006 as a GS-04 student intern and egg products inspector in the Des Moines District, Witte advanced through OFO, gained experience in policy and OIEA state auditing, and later served in the Office of the Administrator from 2021-2023.

Finally, Christine Turner has been named Deputy Chief Financial Officer for the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, leading development of financial policy, managing accounting systems and financial reporting to support FSIS' public health objectives.

FSIS to Consider Duck and Fowl Waiver Applications Through May 1, 2026

FSIS is announcing that it will stop accepting new waiver requests from duck and fowl establishments seeking to operate under either the New Poultry Inspection System (NPIS) or the Streamlined Inspection System (SIS). The deadline for submitting new waiver requests is May 1, 2026.

FSIS may waive for limited periods any provisions of the regulations in order to permit experimentation so that new procedures, equipment, and/or processing techniques may be tested to facilitate definite improvements, provided such waivers would not be in conflict with the Poultry Products Inspection Act.

Using this authority, FSIS has issued waivers to duck and fowl establishments, allowing them to operate under either NPIS or SIS through waivers granted as part of the Salmonella Initiative Program. These waivers provide data for the Agency to determine whether to expand the NPIS or SIS to other classes of poultry. These waivers are listed on the "Current Participants" link at the bottom of the Regulatory Waivers and the Salmonella Initiative Program webpage.

As a condition of any new waivers, FSIS will require that establishments implement their alternative procedures within 6 months of receiving a waiver approval letter. Failure to implement within this timeline will result in termination of the waiver(s). Timely implementation will ensure that FSIS has ample opportunity to gather and analyze the larger data sample size related to the potential addition of poultry slaughter classes eligible to operate under either NPIS or SIS.

Consistent with other waiver applications, these applications should include details about the alternative procedures proposed for each regulation waived and support for how those procedures will maintain or improve food safety. FSIS will not consider a statement of interest to be a waiver submission. Establishments can submit applications through askFSIS by selecting the "New Technology" Inquiry Type on or before May 1, 2026.

FSIS Updated Import Presented Refused and Import Refusal Reason Datasets

Today, FSIS updated the Import Presented Refused and Import Refusal Reason datasets on the Import and Export Data page. The Import Presented Refused dataset includes lot-level information for import volume along with import refusal data at the lot-level. The Import Refusal Reason is provided as a secondary dataset, providing each refusal reason as its own row to facilitate analysis.

The Import Presented Refused and Import Refusal Reason datasets are updated monthly and posted the third Friday of each month, with data broken out by fiscal year (FY), starting with data from FY 2014 (starting on October 1, 2013) through the most recent FY. These datasets are released in an open, non-proprietary comma separated values (csv) format. Instructions on how to open csv files using Excel are available on the FSIS Sampling web page in the Comma Separated Values Guide section.

Available for Public Comment

FSIS seeks public comments on proposed rules and notices, which are viewable on the FSIS Federal Register & Rulemaking webpage. FSIS is currently seeking comments on the following:

• Until Jan. 20: Notice of Request To Reinstate a Previously Approved Information Collection: Overtime and Holiday Inspection Fees for Small and Very Small Establishments
• Until Feb. 2: Exploring Practical Strategies to Reduce Salmonella in Poultry Products
• Until Feb. 20: Notice of Request To Renew an Approved Information Collection: Permit To Transport Undenatured Inedible Meat Products
• Until Feb. 20: Notice of Request To Renew an Approved Information Collection: Permit To Obtain Specimens of Condemned or Other Inedible Materials From Official Establishments
• Until Feb. 27: Notice of Request to Renew an Approved Information Collection: New Swine Inspection System

Policy Update

FSIS notices and directives on public health and regulatory issues are available on the FSIS Policy webpage. The following policy update was recently issued:

• FSIS Notice 06-26: Fiscal Year 2025 Quality Step Increase Instructions
• FSIS Notice 07-26: Revised Mission Critical Travel Justifications in Concurgov
• FSIS Notice 08-26: FSIS Testing for Non-Listeria Monocytogenes Listeria Species

Export Requirements Update

The Library of Export Requirements has been updated for products for the following:

• Taiwan
• European Union
• El Salvador
• Mexico
• St. Lucia
• Azerbaijan
• North Macedonia
• Japan
• Korea
• Turkey
• Singapore

Complete information can be found at the FSIS Import & Export Library.