January 3, 2014

 

US state to create small poultry slaughter inspection system

 

 

The Department of Agriculture in Connecticut, USA has built an inspection programme for poultry producers who intend to operate a small poultry slaughter facility exempt from continuous inspections by the USDA during slaughtering operations.

 

The federal Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA) provides for certain exemptions to continuous inspection. These products can enter in intrastate commerce but are not permitted to move interstate.

 

Public Act 10-103 requires poultry slaughter operations that supply poultry products to household consumers, restaurants, hotels, and boarding houses to meet the requirements of the federal PPIA and any applicable provision of the Code of Federal Regulations. These poultry products are considered an 'approved food source' for local health inspectors enforcing the Connecticut Public Health Code.

 

This programme does not affect the sales of poultry directly to the final consumer at the farm or at a farmer's market via order. Those producers who market directly to the final consumer are able to continue this practice.

 

During the 2013 legislative session, Governor Dannel P. Malloy, a strong supporter of the Connecticut Small Poultry Processing Inspection Programme, introduced a proposal to add retail sales to Public Act 10-103. This proposal was passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate and signed into law by Malloy. As a result, farmers in the Small Poultry Processor Inspection Programme now can market their poultry as from an 'approved food source' directly to retail establishments.

 

The Connecticut Small Poultry Processing Inspection Programme is only available to producers. Law requires each operator of a slaughter facility participating in the Connecticut Small Poultry Processor Inspection Programme to comply with the applicable sections of the federal PPIA. Producers taking advantage of this programme must register their facility with the department and USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

 

Participating facilities must have an approved plan for the disposal of liquid waste and an approved plan for the disposal of offal. The processor must have an approved water supply and test the water supply every six months, or, if operated seasonally, test the water supply no more than 30 days prior to the date processing starts. Participants also must have an approved site bio-security protocol and have a written system of product labelling and record keeping facilitating product tracking and trace-back to the slaughter/process facility.

 

The Connecticut Department of Agriculture inspects each poultry slaughter facility participating in the Connecticut Small Poultry Processor Inspection Programme at least once a year. The inspection follows the requirements of the PPIA, including an audit of the HACCP system and an evaluation of the sanitation, sanitary practices, food-handling equipment design and construction, handling of animals, record-keeping and water supply.

 

Participants in the Connecticut Small Poultry Processor Inspection Programme receive a certificate of inspection and a registration number that appears on their labels. Consumers, customers, local public health officials, and inspectors with the Department of Consumer Protection can verify the status of poultry found in retail and food-service establishments by looking up the registration number in the State of Connecticut's e-licence system.

 

It is hoped that the Connecticut Small Poultry Processor Inspection Programme will help provide participating producers a steadier income stream and will encourage more producers to take advantage of opportunities to market poultry products to restaurants and retail establishments. More and more consumers are demanding foods they perceive as more sustainable and local.

 

To further enhance poultry production and sales, the Connecticut Department of Agriculture, along with USDA's Farm Service Agency, has partnered with the Connecticut Poultry Association (CPA), providing grants for construction of a mobile poultry slaughter unit. This unit should make it easier for small poultry producers to qualify birds for sale into retail and food-service establishments.

 

It is anticipated that CPA will select two sites with water and electric hook-ups - one in eastern side of the state and one in the western half of the state - to accommodate the mobile poultry slaughter unit, which is currently being designed.