USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) Food Law

Course Code: FSC 855

Credits: 3 credits

Note, this course was temporarily listed under course code FSC 890 Section 005 in its first year.

This online course covers the law of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (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 but FSC 811 or LAW 810A or the equivalent knowledge of food law is recommended.

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.

Schedule:

This course is offered each fall semester.

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."