A new bill introduced by Representatives Steven Womack of Arkansas and Tracey Mann of Kansas aims to halt the USDA’s efforts to implement a proposed regulation addressing salmonella in raw poultry. If enacted, the legislation would prevent the agency from finalizing or enforcing the rule.
Initially published in August 2024, the USDA proposal seeks to classify raw poultry as adulterated if it contains 10 or more colony-forming units (CFU) of any salmonella strain or any detectable levels of specific high-risk serotypes. Additionally, the rule mandates regular USDA testing and requires slaughter facilities to adopt stricter contamination prevention measures.
The introduction of this bill coincided with the release of a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, which highlighted that the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) had put other microbial safety initiatives on hold to prioritize the salmonella framework. The GAO advised FSIS to establish a strategy for managing its food safety objectives more effectively.
Meanwhile, food recalls linked to bacterial contamination reached their highest level in five years, according to data from the FDA and USDA.
