FSIS has begun focusing more aggressively on possible connections between slaughter establishments and positive ground-beef samples. Under the “Systems Tracking E. coli O157:H7 — Positive Suppliers” (STEPS) framework, FSIS will, in many instances, take action against establishments that repeatedly appear in the STEPS system. This can take many forms, ranging from intensified sampling to a Food Safety Assessment (FSA) for cause.
If FSIS decides to conduct environmental sampling, companies are always welcome to take their own “companion” or “sister” samples. With that said, I do not believe there is any benefit to actually doing it. If an FSIS environmental sample tests positive, the agency will not care whether a companion sample tests negative.