2025 was not a year of spectacle. It was a year of structure. At AgriForaging Compliance Services, the work was steady, technical, and often quiet. That is how meaningful establishment design, compliance, and food safety work actually looks. Systems were built. Facilities moved from concept to paper to ground. Decisions were made that will shape operations, livelihoods, and product integrity for years to come. Much of this work happens quietly, in rooms where decisions are made before anyone...

This guidance is written for producers, processors, co-packers, and private label brands navigating the new FSIS requirements for voluntary U.S. origin claims. Published: December 2025 On March 18, 2024, FSIS issued a final rule redefining the use of voluntary U.S. origin claims on meat and poultry labels. While these claims remain voluntary, the standards for using them have changed. Beginning January 1, 2026, any establishment applying a U.S. origin claim will need records that prove the...

This article is part of the AskHACCP Listeria Series , focused on bringing real-world compliance guidance to retail and small processing environments. The greatest risk begins when the heat turns off. The Moment After the Kill Step The most dangerous point in production often begins when the cooking or curing is finished. A validated lethality step may eliminate pathogens, but once the product leaves that controlled environment, it is open again to contamination. This is the start of post...