Constituent Update - September 18, 2026

Constituent Update - September 18, 2026

USDA Launches Stand-Up Program to Help States Start or Expand Meat Inspection Programs

On September 16, 2026, USDA announced the Stand-Up Program, which will provide up to $50 million in new funding to help states start or expand their own meat inspection programs in partnership with the agency. The program carries out President Donald J. Trump's September 4 Executive Order directing USDA to expand market access for American meat producers and strengthen the domestic supply chain.

What the program does

Thirty-one states currently operate State Meat and Poultry Inspection (MPI) programs, and 11 of those also participate in the Cooperative Interstate Shipment (CIS) program. Feedback from participating states shows that high start-up costs can keep a state from launching a program of its own. The Stand-Up Program removes that barrier so more small, very small, and mid-size processors can operate under inspection and more ranchers have a place to process livestock close to home.

Food safety standards do not change. State MPI programs must operate "at least equal to" federal standards, and establishments enrolled in them can sell throughout the state. States with an existing MPI program may apply to join CIS, which requires them to demonstrate their inspection is the "same as" federal inspection and allows state-inspected establishments to ship across state lines under the USDA mark of inspection.

The program builds on recent USDA investments in state partners, including $75 million committed in fiscal years (FY) 2025 and $20 million delivered in FY 2026 to cut overtime and holiday inspection fees by 30 percent for small establishments and 75 percent for very small establishments. New Mexico just became the 31st to join the State MPI program in September 2026 (more details below). Georgia became the 11th CIS state in July 2026.

Who this will impact

States without an MPI program, and states looking to expand an existing one, may be eligible for start-up funding through the Stand-Up Program. Small, very small, and mid-size processors in those states could gain a new path to inspection, and state-inspected establishments in states that go on to join CIS would be able to sell product interstate. Livestock producers may see more local processing options and more competition for their animals.

FSIS will share more details and implementation timelines as they become available.

Strengthening Listeria Prevention with National Sampling

Recent agency investigations into 2024 listeriosis outbreaks linked to FSIS-regulated products, along with findings from a comprehensive agency review, identified opportunities to strengthen Listeria prevention and verification. FSIS implemented several measures, including food safety assessments focused on ready-to-eat (RTE) establishments, weekly data collection on Listeria risk factors, and expanded Listeria species testing.

Agency experts completed an analysis of a year's worth of data from these efforts to better identify risk factors and improve how the agency targets its resources, adopting a more proactive approach to protecting consumers from Listeria monocytogenes (Lm).

Based on this analysis, FSIS trained inspection personnel and piloted sampling for food contact and non-food contact surfaces in RTE establishments, updated inspection tasks to target Listeria risk factors, and developed new data visualization tools to guide decision-making and identify risks earlier.

As a result, FSIS is building on the FY 2026 pilot program conducted in the Alameda, Chicago, and Raleigh districts and initiating a phased implementation of the sampling across all nine districts in the coming months.

The national implementation builds on decades of Listeria oversight work and uses the same swabbing procedures, lab methods, reporting, and follow-up actions already in place under the RLm and IVT programs.

What is changing? Like the pilot, the national implementation will add two food contact surface and two non-food contact surface sampling tasks to all existing RTE post-lethality exposed product samples collected. The four swabs will be added to the scope of existing, routine RTE product sampling, referred to as "RTEPROD" in PHIS, to better understand the environmental conditions that lead to Lm contamination.

The additional environmental swabs will be analyzed for Lm and non-Lm Listeria species, giving inspection teams more frequent, science-based checks of sanitation effectiveness and potential Listeria harborage sites.

Integrating swabs directly into the existing sampling tasks provides an expanded view into conditions on and around the processing line without creating duplicative steps or requiring additional product holds.

Our goal is prevention. Swabbing both food contact and non-food contact surfaces will strengthen FSIS' ability to detect risks early and ensure that any decision and actions taken are based on the most complete and accurate data available.

This change is not meant to replace or discourage industry testing. It is designed to work with those efforts. With this consistent sampling data, FSIS can work with establishments to ensure their corrective actions effectively address the root cause or harborage sites. The national sampling will also help with early detection and provide a better understanding of Listeria trends across all RTE establishments. Broader sampling and more data ultimately means safer food.

Timeline and training. Inspection program personnel responsible for collecting samples and supervisors will be trained in the sampling, regardless of whether they work within an RTE establishment or not. FSIS is incorporating this new sampling approach as fundamental training for all inspection personnel to ensure there is consistent understanding, effective implementation, and accountability for these critical food safety measures across field operations.

FSIS will take a phased approach to implementing the sampling across all nine districts. Training timelines will align with the phased implementation. A tentative timeline for each district is provided below.

• January 2027 - Alameda and Atlanta Districts
• February 2027 - Raleigh, Springdale and Denver Districts
• March 2027 - Chicago, Philadelphia, Des Moines and Dallas Districts

Each phase will include a district that was part of the pilot program, leveraging experience and existing expertise to support the broader national implementation.

Prevention takes partnership. FSIS will host listening sessions with industry stakeholders and USDA-regulated establishments before and during implementation. This will allow the agency to work with industry partners to ensure that implementation is as smooth as possible. More information and invitations to the sessions will be sent out in the coming months.

FSIS Welcomes New Mexico into the State Meat and Poultry Inspection Program

FSIS welcomes New Mexico into the State MPI program after determining that the state meets the agency's "at least equal to" federal requirements.

This action expands New Mexico's authority to inspect meat and poultry operations within the state, increasing market access for small and very small processors and strengthening local food safety oversight. New Mexico becomes the 31st state to participate in the State MPI program.

USDA recently committed additional funding to support State MPI programs and continues to strengthen partnerships through cooperation with the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture. These actions build on USDA's priorities to reinforce state-federal collaboration, uphold strong food safety systems, and expand processing capacity in rural communities.

FSIS will work closely with the New Mexico Department of Agriculture and regulated establishments to ensure a smooth transition and continued consumer confidence in food safety. FSIS will conduct regular reviews and provide technical assistance to ensure New Mexico's program maintains a program that is at least equal to the FSIS federal inspection program.

Visit the FSIS website for more information about state inspection programs.

Egg Product Export Certification Regulations Effective September 19

Effective September 19, 2026, egg product exports will follow the same procedures as meat and poultry exports, including export application and certification, stamping requirements, and other provisions. You can view final Egg Products Export Certification rule on the FSIS website. The export regulations for egg products can be found in 9 CFR 590.407; for meat in 9 CFR part 322; and poultry in 9 CFR 381.104-107.

The FSIS Public Health Information System (PHIS) export component for egg products will also be updated on September 19 to reflect these changes. The module will be available for egg products exporters already using PHIS to export meat and poultry products to countries listed in the PHIS Components, Export, Country Rollout Schedule page. If exporting to countries not in PHIS, establishments should follow the regulations and procedures found on the Export Guidance page. FSIS recommends egg product exporters carefully review the country specific requirements in the FSIS Export Library. Additional guidance on PHIS can be found on the PHIS Guidance page.

Additional PHIS Updates

On September 19, FSIS will make a few other significant updates in PHIS. This includes launching a modernized version of the Export 9060 application and approval process. It also includes updating three domestic inspection components for industry including Noncompliance Records, Appeals, and Memoranda of Interview (meetings).

The new components have been redesigned to be faster and more reliable, to streamline workflows where possible, and to help PHIS users find items that need attention more easily. All existing items in PHIS will be transferred to the new modules during the deployment so any work in progress on Friday evening will be available in the new modules after the deployment. The PHIS team will provide support through this transition and resolve any issues that come up.

FSIS recently hosted webinars to demonstrate these changes to the domestic inspection components. The recordings, transcripts and timestamp user guides are now available on the PHIS page of the FSIS website.

Visit PHIS Industry Help for updated user guides and tutorials. For questions about the PHIS modernization changes, email [email protected]. Other PHIS-related questions may be directed to [email protected].

Stakeholder Engagement

On September 15, FSIS Deputy Administrator for Science and Policy Jeremy "Todd" Reed addressed the Delmarva Chicken Association's 61st National Meeting on Poultry Health, Processing, and Live Production. Mr. Reed highlighted workforce investments, including the agency's new National Food Safety Center in Urbandale, Iowa, and outlined new technology FSIS is looking to pilot to support inspectors, along with an update on the proposed poultry line speed rule and next steps on Salmonella policy.

Later that week, FSIS had a significant presence at the National Turkey Federation's (NTF) Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C. Administrator Dr. Justin Ransom took part in two engagements over September 17 and 18. He first met with a small group of NTF members, where they discussed Salmonella and Listeria policy, along with data sharing opportunities. He then addressed NTF's Technical and Regulatory Committee meeting with broader agency updates.

These conversations give FSIS an opportunity to share where the agency is headed while hearing directly from those implementing our policies. This exchange helps surface practical considerations, identify opportunities for improvement and inform practical approaches to protect public health while supporting a strong and resilient food system.

FSIS Updated Import Presented Refused and Import Refusal Reason Datasets

FSIS has updated data on import lots presented and refused entry to the U.S. and the reasons for refusal on products regulated by FSIS. This data can be found on the Import and Export Data page under the Import Presented Refused and Import Refusal datasets. 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.

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 October 13: Notice of Request To Renew an Approved Information Collection: Egg Products Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point and Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures

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 Directive 7000.6: Allergen and Gluten Verification Sampling Program - Revision 2

FSIS Directive 13000.5: Public Health Information System Export Certification - Revision 1

FSIS Directive 9000.1: Export Certification - Revision 3

Export Requirements Update

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

FSIS:

• Korea

APHIS:

• Trinidad and Tobago
• St. Lucia
• Peru
• Jamaica
• Ecuador
• Costa Rica
• Colombia
• Brazil
• Barbados
• Argentina

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

Complete information for APHIS products can be found at Export Restrictions on U.S. Animal Products for Human Consumption website. Select the countries listed above from the drop down menu for complete information.

Last Updated: Sep 18, 2026