Suppose you are interested in producing meat, poultry, and/or egg products for commercial sale. In that case, chances are you will be required to apply for and receive a Grant of Inspection from the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). To help you navigate this process, FSIS has released a new guidance document, Applying for USDA FSIS Inspection (FSIS-GD-2025-0005). FSIS is also requesting comments on this guidance document.
The guidance is especially helpful for small and very small businesses as it walks through:
- Determining if federal inspection is required: Based on your product type, ingredients, and distribution plans.
- Understanding exemptions: Some operations may qualify for exemption from continuous inspection. Some businesses that produce FSIS-amenable products are exempt from federal inspection requirements, such as retail butchers, restaurant central kitchens, or custom slaughter operations.
- Preparing your application: Including facility requirements, sanitation standards, and documentation. Applicants must submit and receive approval for Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs) and their Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan. This is where we often see new operations face challenges and delays.
- What to expect during verification: FSIS will assess your readiness before granting inspection.
Notably, the guidance does not change any laws or regulations but is meant to help comply with existing requirements under the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA), Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA), and Egg Products Inspection Act (EPIA).
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If you need assistance clarifying what inspection involves and how to get started, whether you are creating a new establishment or looking to expand, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us (kkaplan@ofwlaw.com).