U.S.DepartmentofAgricultureFoodSafetyandInspectionServiceDEVELOPINGAFOODDEFENSEPLANFORMEATANDPOULTRYSLAUGHTERANDPROCESSINGPLANTSJANUARY2007BYCOMPLETINGPAGES13THROUGH16INTHISGUIDE,SLAUGHTERANDPROCESSINGPLANTSWILLHAVEAFOODDEFENSEPLANFORTHEIROPERATIONDevelopingaFoodDefensePlanforMeatandPoultrySlaughterandProcessingPlantsWhatisFoodDefense?Fooddefenseisnotthesameasfoodsafety.Fooddefensefocusesonprotectingthefoodsupplyfromintentionalcontamination,withavarietyofchemicals,biologicalagentsorotherharmfulsubstancesbypeoplewhowanttodousharm.Theseagentscouldincludematerialsthatarenotnaturally-occurringorarenotroutinelytestedfor.Anattacker’sgoalmightbetokillpeopleordisruptoureconomy.Intentionalactsaregenerallynotreasonableandarehardtopredict.Foodsafetyaddressestheaccidentalcontaminationoffoodproductsduringprocessingorstoragebybiological,chemicalorphysicalhazards.Themaintypesoffoodsafetyhazardsaremicrobes,chemicalsandforeignobjects.Thisunintentionalcontaminationoffoodproductscanbereasonablyanticipatedbasedonthetypeofprocessing.ThisprincipleisthefoundationoftheHazardAnalysisCriticalControlPoint(HACCP)processusedtoensurefoodsafety.Notethatbecauseofthedifferencesbetweenfoodsafetyandfooddefenseyourplant’sHACCPplanshouldnotbeusedasasubstituteforaFoodDefensePlanbecausenotalloftheCriticalControlPointswillbethesame.However,creatingaFoodDefensePlandoesnotrequiredevelopmentofanotherHACCP-typedocument.SomeoftheinformationyoumayusetocreateaplanwillpossiblyexistinyourHACCPplan,SSOPs,andotherdocumentssuchasemergencyresponseprocedures.Makesuretoconsultthesedocumentsforinformation.Thereisnoneedto“reinventthewheel”whendevelopingyourFoodDefensePlan.WhyDevelopaFoodDefensePlan?AFoodDefensePlanhelpsyouidentifystepsyoucantaketominimizetheriskthatfoodproductsinyourestablishmentwillbeintentionallycontaminatedortamperedwith.Aplanincreasespreparedness.Althoughtheplanshouldbeinplaceatalltimes,itmaybeparticularlyhelpfulduringemergencies.Duringacrisis,whenstressishighandresponsetimeisatapremium,adocumentedsetofproceduresimprovesyourabilitytorespondquickly.AFoodDefensePlanwillhelpyoumaintainasafeworkingenvironmentforyouremployees,provideaqualityproducttoyourcustomers,andprotectyourbottomline.Tohelpplants,USDA’sFoodSafetyInspectionService(FSIS)hascreatedthisguidetoassistyouindevelopingacost-effectiveFoodDefensePlanforyourfacility.Thisguidewasdevelopedinconsultationwithverysmall,smallandlargemeatandpoultryprocessingestablishmentsinanattempttoensurethattheinformationpresentedisbeneficial,practicalandachievable.Byusingthisguide,youwillbeabletodevelopafooddefenseplanspecifictoyourfacility.CompletePages13through16andyouwillhaveyourfunctionalplan.KeepinmindthatnotalloftheguidancecontainedinthisdocumentmaybeappropriateorpracticalforeveryFSISregulatedfacility.FSISrecommendsyoureviewtheguidanceandassesswhichpreventivemeasuresaresuitableforyouroperation.Youshoulddeterminethemostcost-effectivewaytoachievefooddefensegoalsbasedonyourplant’ssituation.Itisimportanttorememberthat1DevelopingaFoodDefensePlanforMeatandPoultrySlaughterandProcessingPlantsthereisno“onesizefitsall”approachtocreatingyourFoodDefensePlan.Theplancanbeaslongorasshortasisappropriateforyouroperation.WhoMightAdulterateaFoodProduct?Thetablebelowlistssomeexamplesofthetypesofindividualswhomightbemotivatedtoadulteratefoodproducts.Youshouldcontactyourlocallawenforcementcommunityforadditionalinformationaboutpotentiallocalthreatstoyourfacility.ExamplesofPotentialInternalandExternalThreatsInternalExternalDisgruntledemployeeOrganizedterroristoractivistgroupsCleaningcrewTruckdrivers(shippingandreceiving)ContractorsContractorsTemporaryemployeesSuspectsuppliersMembersofterroristgroupsposingasemployeesVisitorsIndividualsmotivatedtoattackaplant/productthatdonothaveauthorizedaccessareconsideredtobeintruders.Anotherthreatmaycomefromaninternalsource,suchasdisgruntledemployeesandotherinsiders,whotypicallyknowwhatproceduresarefollowedintheplantandoftenknowhowtobypassmanysecuritycontrolsthatwoulddetectordelayanoutsideintruder.StepsinDevelopingaFoodDefensePlanFSISrecommendsusingthefollowingthreestepswhendevelopingaFoodDefensePlan.Ifyoufollowandcompletethesestepsandusetheformsprovidedasatemplate,youwillhavedevelopedafooddefenseplanforyourfacility.Shouldyouneedhelpusingorhavequestionsaboutthisguidance,pleasecontacttheFSISTechnicalServiceCenterat1-800-233-3935orTechCenter@fsis.usda.gov.Step1–ConductaFoodDefenseAssessmentBeginbychoosingapersonorteamtoberesponsibleforthesecurityofyourplant.Theteamorresponsiblepersonwillanswerthequestionsintheassessmentbelowtohelpyouunderstandwhichpartsofyourfacilitymaybemorevulnerable.Whencompletingthisassessmentremembertoconsiderbothpotentialinternalandexternalthreats.Theresultsoftheassessmentshouldbekeptconfidentialsothattheydonotprovidearoadmapforfutureattacks.TousethefollowingFacilityFoodDefenseAssessment,readeachquestionandchecktheresponsethatbestdescribeshowyourprocessoperates.Keepinmindthatnotallquestionswillbeappropriateforallfacilities.Ifaquestiondoesnotapply,check“N/A”.Forexample,i