What is the primary function of the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)?

The primary function of the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is to conduct food safety inspections. FSIS, which operates under the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is responsible for ensuring that meat, poultry, and processed egg products are safe, wholesome, and accurately labeled. This includes overseeing inspection processes in facilities that produce these products, thereby ensuring they meet the safety standards set by federal regulations.

Through these inspections, FSIS evaluates production processes, checks meat and poultry products for contaminants, and verifies labeling for accurate representation of contents. By focusing on these inspections, FSIS plays a crucial role in protecting public health by preventing unsafe food products from reaching consumers and ensuring high standards for food safety are upheld.

The other options represent functions that are not the primary focus of FSIS. Monitoring agricultural practices is more closely aligned with agencies that deal directly with crop and farm management; certifying organic products involves entities accredited by USDA but is not the remit of FSIS; and while environmental health is significant, it typically falls under different agencies that focus primarily on environmental regulations rather than food safety inspections.