This October, the U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service will be mailing a letter to establishments that did not have a food defense plan when asked during the 2008 food defense plan survey and to establishments that received a grant of inspection after FSIS conducted the 2008 survey. Attached to that letter is a new general food defense plan developed by the Office of Data Integration and Food Protection (ODIFP), with input from representatives from small and very small establishments.
At the next weekly meeting after receipt of this notice, Inspection Program Personnel (IPP) at establishments that do not have a food defense plan are to have a discussion with the establishment's management about the need to voluntarily implement a food defense plan. The discussion should identify that a new, general food defense plan is being mailed directly to the establishment management, and that another food defense plan survey will follow in December.
Also, IPP are to inform establishment management that if it finds that this general plan is suitable for its needs, the establishment can use the general plan as its food defense plan.
Refer questions regarding this notice to the Policy Development Division through askFSIS at http://askfsis.custhelp.com or by phone at (800) 233-3935.