Beginning July 16, FSIS will launch its seventh annual food defense plan survey, designed to gather data about industry’s voluntary adoption of food defense plans. Although voluntary, food defense plans are considered an important tool that can reduce the risk of intentional adulteration of food products.
The 2006 food defense survey determined that just 27 percent of surveyed establishments had a functional food defense plan. By July 2011, the adoption rate had increased to 75 percent. The agency’s goal for 2016 is to have at least 90 percent of all establishments with a functional plan.
The four survey questions below are intended first to determine whether an establishment has a food defense plan, and, if so, whether the plan is functional.
Does the official meat or poultry establishment, processed egg product plant, or official import inspection establishment have a written food defense plan?
- Does the official meat or poultry establishment, processed egg product plant, or official import inspection establishment have measures in place that address: 1) outside security (e.g., door locks), 2) inside security (e.g., emergency lighting is in place); 3) personnel security (e.g., method to identify employees in the establishment); and 4) incident response security (e.g., reporting unusual activities is encouraged)?
- Has the official meat or poultry establishment, processed egg product plant, or official import inspection establishment reviewed its food defense plan in the past year?
- Has the official meat or poultry establishment, processed egg product plant, or official import inspection establishment, tested its food defense plan in the past year? (This can be as simple as testing locks on doors and conducting a periodic perimeter search.)
A copy of the notice can be found here.