The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced a proposal to amend the federal meat inspection regulations to repeal a redundant regulatory requirement for hog slaughter establishments. The proposed rule would remove a redundant requirement that requires hog slaughter establishments to clean hog carcasses before incising.
Establishments are required to have a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system that identifies potential biological, chemical or physical hazards, and the controls to prevent, reduce or eliminate those hazards at specific points in the process. Because establishments are required to operate under HACCP regulations and apply HACCP principles, this command-and-control regulatory requirement is no longer necessary to ensure food safety; its objectives are met by other regulations, including HACCP regulations.