USDA Acting Under Secretary for Food Safety Brian Ronholm last week defended USDA’s record on food safety, proposed new rules on poultry plant inspection and efforts to decrease salmonella in animal proteins without declaring it an adulterant.
In testimony prepared for the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA and Related Agencies, Ronholm said USDA’s All-Illness Measure shows a foodborne illness reduction of about 52,000 to 427,171 in fiscal 2013 from fiscal 2012. He also said FSIS met or exceeded 81 percent of its fiscal 2013 performance measures, which included launching a salmonella action plant.