USDA-FSIS Information

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is the public health agency in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) responsible for protecting the public’s health by ensuring the safety of the Nation’s commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products. FSIS ensures food safety through the authorities of the Federal Meat Inspection Act, the Poultry Products Inspection Act, and the Egg Products Inspection Act; and humane animal handling through the authority of Humane Methods of Slaughter Act. FSIS employs about 9,000 personnel, the majority of whom work on the front lines of food safety in establishments across the country to ensure the production of food is safe. Our workforce leverages tools such as the Public Health Information System (PHIS) to meet existing requirements and anticipate future public health issues and trends. Our personnel possess diverse skill sets and competencies that complement one another. We have a large number of food, consumer safety, and import inspectors; public health veterinarians; enforcement, investigations, and analysis officers; chemists; microbiologists; epidemiologists; and a range of other public health professionals. We also employ personnel skilled and trained in policy development; data, scientific, and lab analysis; financial, administrative, investigative, technical, and communications tasks; and other functions that support FSIS’ mission.