What does the OIG report mean?

Well, as the wheels of governance turn, the OIG has audited how FSIS tests beef trim for grinding.

BLUF: "The Office of Inspector General (OIG) found that the Food Safety 
Inspection Service (FSIS) needs to re-evaluate its E. coli testing 
methodology, as it relates to the downstream processing of boxed beef 
products. FSIS tests product designated as ground beef or likely to 
become ground beef, but they do not sample all boxed beef product. 
Some downstream processors grind such boxes of unsampled cuts of 
beef without sampling it for E. coli prior to grinding. Similarly, 
“retail exempt establishments”—grocery stores, butcher shops, etc.—
potentially grind their own ground beef; but unlike Federally 
inspected plants, FSIS does not sample and test bench trim at these 
establishments for E. coli. FSIS does have a program for periodically 
testing the final ground beef products at downstream processors and 
retail exempt establishments before it enters commerce. Also, FSIS is 
not testing tenderized meat products for E. coli despite several recent 
recalls."

So, there are a few gaps.  FSIS tests the beef trim that's obviously going for grinding, but it doesn't always test boxed beef that can end up being ground.

Raise your hand if you work at an establishment that grinds boxed beef.  Yep, that's a lot of you.

Directive 10010.1 sounds like it was a big target of this audit.

Which means, small USDA inspected producers, get ready for more testing.  Make sure your supplier program is pristine.  Are you keeping track of where that boxed beef is coming from?  Do you have a really good lotting system? If you get the boxed beef from a broker, it is going to behoove you to trace that beef trim back to the original source.

And for heavens sake, if you are tenderizing beef test your needles, test the tubing and keep really good records.  Because FSIS is probably going to be taking a really close look at what you are doing.  Nobody wants and OIG report out there, even on a Friday afternoon, that says you aren't fulfilling your primary mission.

PS- BLUF is Army speak for Bottom Line Up Front.