The USDA's "Small Plant Help Desk"

Introduction: USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service provides a one-stop resource for all inquiries regarding food safety issues and related regulatory compliance: "The Small Plant Help Desk,” a toll-free telephone hotline and email service. The primary audience is the more than 6,000 small and very small slaughter and processing establishments under federal inspection and the over 1,500 more under state inspection programs. These constituents represent more than 90% of the total number of meat and poultry production establishments in the United States. Furthermore, the Help Desk is utilized by all sectors including representatives from government, academia and the public.

Purpose: Presentation looks at the origin of the “Small Plant Help Desk,” its role in ensuring food safety, and how the USDA is proactively assisting small business today.

Methods: The Help Desk services more than 2,000 phone and email contacts annually. This presentation analyzes the call volume over a several year period. Findings include:  industry trends, demographics, topic type, methodology, and year-to-year timelines. The result offers a unique perspective of the industry.

Results: There is a direct correlation between the Agency’s grassroots outreach participation in industry events, meetings and conventions and the traffic to the Small Plant Help Desk.  In other words, Help Desk call volume correlates to the frequency of FSIS’ presence at high-impact industry events such as the International Association of Food Protection convention and exhibition and other national and regional gatherings. The resource, once introduced, is utilized; often repeatedly.

Significance: Data indicate that outreach efforts to communicate FSIS’ services and resources, combined with responsive and expert assistance from the Small Plant Help Desk improves and expands the Agency’s interface with the small and very small establishment stakeholder audience and further ensures the safety and wholesomeness of the American food supply.