The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has, since last Sept. 2, been considering a 14-page petition from Animal Partisan requesting that it issue a notice to convey that: 1) State government officials are not categorically preempted from enforcing state anti-cruelty laws by the Federal Meat Inspection Act, the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act, the Poultry Products Inspection Act, and 2) FSIS personnel should cooperate with state government officials in the enforcement of state anti-cruelty laws and improve clarity and frequency of communication (i.e.

, Letters of Concern (“LOC”)) to those officials. The petition also requests that FSIS incorporate these points into the language of all relevant materials, including future LOCs and the following directives: • Humane Handling and Slaughter of Livestock, FSIS Directive 6900.2; • Verification of Good Commercial Practices, FSIS Directive 6110.

1; and • District Veterinary Medical Specialist (DVMS) – Work Methods, FSIS Directive 6910.1. Since it was submitted, the Animal Partisan petition has received significant comments that are almost entirely favorable.

These have included submissions by the Veterinary Association for Farm Animal Welfare, the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, the Animal Welfare Institute;’ Animal Outlook, the Animal Welfare Institute, and others. The petition, under review at the FSIS Office of Policy and Program Development, has now received a comment that, at 16 pages, is longer than Anim.