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For use beginning 12/07/2007
This directive instructs inspection program personnel on how to perform antemortem and post-mortem inspection of ratites. In addition, this directive provides direction on how to make dispositions for some ratite diseases post-mortem and how to document the findings. Finally, this directive provides information about the compliance guidelines for the proposed performance standards for the production of processed meat from ratites.
Key Points Covered:
- Ante-mortem inspection for ratites
- Post-mortem inspection for ratites
- Disposition determinations

For use beginning 11/1/2013
This directive instructs inspection program personnel (IPP) to use the Improvest® Quality assurance certificate as documentation to determine whether hogs processed under the Improvest® program are classified as barrows. If intact male hogs are presented for slaughter without a Quality Assurance Certificate, IPP will address these animals as intact boars.

For use beginning 04/01/2019
This directive instructs Public Health Veterinarians (PHVs) on how to make post-mortem livestock dispositions for selected diseases and conditions and how to document the findings in the Public Health Information System (PHIS). This directive is being revised to clarify how PHVs are to make supportable dispositions of livestock carcasses and to clarify that there is no required “set” of procedures that must be performed on each carcass.
KEY POINTS:
• Provides instructions to PHVs on making dispositions of livestock carcasses and parts for selected livestock diseases and conditions
• Provides instructions to PHVs on documenting post-mortem findings in the PHIS Animal Disposition Report. The FSIS Form 6200-14, Daily Disposition Record, is no longer required to record disposition data as this data is now captured in PHIS

For use beginning 12/01/2017
Questions and Answer document

For use beginning 12/01/2017
This directive provides updated instructions on how to verify and document that establishments meet 9 CFR 310.22 requirements using food safety system (i.e. HACCP, Sanitation SOP verification, Hazard Analysis) and the dedicated Specified Risk Material (SRM) Control Verification task from VT Notice 26-16. Inspection program personnel (IPP) are to also continue verifying that all cattle slaughter and processing establishments that handle SRMs have written procedures describing the removal, segregation, and disposition of SRMs using food safety system and other SRM-related tasks in the Public Health Inspection System (PHIS).
KEY POINTS
• Tonsils and distal small intestine are SRMs in cattle of all ages, including veal
• Cattle over 30 months of age have additional SRMs defined in 9 CFR 310.22(a)
• IPP perform hands-on product and records-based verification of the establishment’s SRM control programs when performing the SRM Control Verification task
• While performing any SRM-related task in PHIS, IPP are to cite all 9 CFR 310.22 regulations that they verify. IPP are to also indicate the specific regulation(s) found not in compliance

For use beginning 10/24/2016
This directive provides instructions to inspection program personnel (IPP) on how to perform post-mortem inspection of livestock. The directive also instructs Public Health Veterinarians (PHVs) on how to document post-mortem inspection findings in the Public Health Information System (PHIS).

II. SIGNIFICANT CHANGES
A. Provides instructions to IPP on post-mortem inspection procedures for the different species of livestock.
B. Provides inspection instructions to on-line IPP on palpating swine mesenteric and portal lymph nodes.
C. Provides instructions to IPP on documenting post-mortem inspection findings in the PHIS Animal Disposition Report.
D. Provides instructions to the inspector in charge (IIC) on responsibilities and authority for reducing the slaughter line speed.
E. Provides instructions to IICs on the criteria used to evaluate (and allow) an establishment’s request for an alternative method of presentation for carcasses or parts.
F. Provides instructions to IPP on verifying that the establishment collects and/or documents animal identification devices.

For use beginning 07/21/2020
This directive provides instructions to inspection program personnel (IPP) on how to inspect livestock before slaughter (ante-mortem inspection) and the methods used to verify that livestock offered for slaughter have received ante-mortem inspection. FSIS is reissuing this directive to incorporate the instructions for verifying the handling of non-ambulatory disabled veal calves, removing the requirement that ante-mortem inspection must be performed in holding pens, and updating the disposition instructions for recumbent cattle. Also, FSIS has updated the directive to provide a definition for “promptly” (as it pertains to euthanasia) and additional instructions about entering the Suspect tag in the Public Health Information System (PHIS).
Per 6 V.S.A. § 3305 (8), the State of Vermont adopts Title 9, Code of Federal Regulations, Chapter 3, 9 CFR §§ 300.1 et seq., together with any amendments, supplements, or revisions thereto.
KEY POINTS:
• Provides procedures for IPP to use in performing ante-mortem inspection of livestock
• Provides methodology to IPP for verifying that livestock offered for slaughter have received ante- mortem inspection
• Provides instructions to IPP for entering dispositions in PHIS
• Clarifies to IPP the disposition requirements for non-ambulatory disabled cattle, including veal calves

For use beginning 10/01/2019
This directive provides safety procedures for inspection program personnel (IPP) to follow when firearms are used in official establishments to render animals immediately unconscious. This directive establishes a safe location that provides protection from a ricocheting bullet or bullet fragments as agreed upon by the establishment and the IPP.

For use beginning 12/28/2021
This directive provides instructions to inspection program personnel (IPP) for verifying the applicable regulatory requirements in official poultry establishments operating under approved religious exemptions for the slaughter and processing of poultry. This directive clarifies the parameters needed for approval and IPP verification of poultry religious exemptions.
KEY POINTS:
• Religious exempt establishments conduct microbial sampling to monitor their ability to maintain process control as required in 9 CFR 381.65(g)
• Ante-mortem and post-mortem inspections are conducted as per the Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA) • Viscera and other parts may be processed under an approved religious exemption and labeled as religious exempt
• Religious Exemption information is in the Public Health Information System (PHIS) Establishment Profile

For use beginning 12/01/2016
This directive instructs inspection program personnel (IPP) at official poultry slaughter establishments on how to conduct enhanced inspection for domestic poultry in the event of a Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreak or an agro terrorism incident that involves HPAI viruses. This directive updates FSIS Directive 6020.1, Enhanced Inspection of Poultry Related to a Notification of a HPAI Outbreak by FSIS, 11/20/09, in regard to current notification procedures and enhanced inspection documentation. This update also reiterates hygiene and biosecurity practices.