New! Online Graduate Course on USDA FSIS Food Law

July 18, 2024

By popular demand! IFLR is excited to launch a new course on the laws & regs related to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

Michigan State University's Institute for Food Laws and Regulations is excited to offer a new course on USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) Food Law. The course is taught by Robert Saxton and co-developed with Neal Fortin and Kris DeAngelo.

This online course covers the law of the USDA-FSIS regulation of the slaughter and processing of meat, poultry, and egg products sold in the United States. Topics include the history of meat inspection, the scope of FSIS’s authority, the regulation of inspection, labeling, food safety, adulteration, importation, cell-cultured meat, enforcement, and other issues related to the regulation of meat, poultry, and egg products.

The course is designed for food industry professionals without prior legal training. FSC 811/LAW 810A or the equivalent knowledge of food law is recommended.

Topics covered include (subject to change):

USDA-FSIS role in food regulation
Regulatory process overview
Key statutes and their provision of authority
FMIA, PPIA, EPIA, Whole Meat Act of 1967, Humane Methods of Slaughter Act
Food safety fundamentals
Specified Risk Materials (SRM)
Sanitation Performance Standards (SPS)
Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP)
Inspection methods
Listeria monocytogenes
Public Health Information System (PHIS)
Food safety assessment tools
Required FSIS labeling
Discretionary labeling
Humane handling and slaughter
Religious and ritual slaughter
Inspection programs for meat and pork
Inspection program for catfish
Inspection programs for poultry and egg products
Compliance and enforcement
USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
State inspection programs and FSIS
Cell culture of animals for food
Bird flu and other epizootic disease
Export certification
Import guidance

By successfully completing this course, you will:

Be able to locate and use relevant USDA-FSIS laws and regulations.
Understand the terms of art related to FSIS regulation.
Understand the FSIS requirements for labeling, inspection, and food safety.
Understand the scope of FSIS’s authority and its enforcement powers.
Be aware of current USDA-FSIS food law issues and be able to discuss them and write about them.

Note, this course has been assigned a temporary code in its first year. Be sure to register for FSC 890 Section 005.

Schedule

Course begins August 26 and ends December 11, 2024. This course is offered each fall semester.

Tuition

For-credit tuition with MSU Lifelong Learning for the 2024-2025 academic year: Tuition for non-Michigan residents, including international residents, is $3,411.00 USD per 3-credit course. Tuition for Michigan residents is $2,679.00 USD per 3-credit course. Learn more here.

IFLR offers a lower rate of $1,895.00 USD for non-credit registration if you wish to take our courses for "informational purposes only" rather than work toward a certificate or eventual degree. Click here for non-credit enrollment.

Enrollment Links

Non-MSU students and food industry professionals may enroll for IFLR courses through MSU's Lifelong Education portal. (Make sure to choose 'first-time user' and then 'NON-DEGREE' from the drop down list on the application.)

Non-credit participant enrollment link here: Click here for non-credit enrollment.

Tips for First Time Enrollees

Here is the direct link to apply: https://explore.msu.edu/apply/

Make sure you choose “first-time user” and then “NON-DEGREE” from the dropdown. There is no application fee for our program, so if you get to an area where it asks you to pay an application fee, then you are not in the correct process. Also, DO NOT CLICK THE BOX that asks if you are going to be taking classes in the global food law program. That question is referring to courses through the College of Law and saying “yes” to that question will only delay your application processing."