WASHINGTON – A survey of the meat slaughter and processing industry will be conducted by the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to further enhance FSIS' understanding of the practices and technologies used to control pathogens and promote food safety, according to the American Meat Institute. The results will be compared to a similar survey the agency conducted in 2004 to assess food safety and technology adoption trends.
Contracted with Research Triangle Institute (RTI) International, the survey will be sent to eligible beef and pork slaughter establishments nationwide starting mid-November through the beginning of February. RTI International will report individual responses to this survey to FSIS, but it will use data masking techniques so individual establishments cannot be identified.

Survey results will be reported to the public only in summary form, so individual responses or respondents cannot be identified. Those who respond to the survey will receive a summary report of the survey results, AMI said.