Food Safety and Inspection Service 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing the 2016 rates that it will charge meat and poultry establishments, egg products plants, and importers and exporters for providing voluntary, overtime, and holiday inspection and identification, certification, and laboratory services. The 2016 basetime, overtime, holiday, and laboratory services rates will be applied beginning the first FSIS pay period approximately 30 days after the publication of this notice. This pay period begins on February 7, 2016.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is amending its recordkeeping regulations to require that all official establishments and retail stores that grind raw beef products for sale in commerce maintain the following records: The establishment numbers of establishments supplying material used to prepare each lot of raw ground beef product; all supplier lot numbers and production dates; the names of the supplied materials, including beef components and any materials carried over from one production lot to the next; the date and time each lot of raw ground beef product is produced; and the date and time when grinding equipment and other related food-contact surfaces are cleaned and sanitized. These requirements also apply to raw beef products that are ground at an individual customer's request when new source materials are used.

The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), is sponsoring a public meeting on January 14, 2016. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States (U.S.) positions to be discussed at the 22nd Session of the Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems (CCFICS) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), taking place in Melbourne, Australia, February 6-12, 2016. The Under Secretary for Food Safety recognizes the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 22nd Session of the CCFICS and to address items on the agenda.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is amending its regulations to establish a mandatory inspection program for fish of the order Siluriformes and products derived from these fish. These final regulations implement the provisions of the 2008 and 2014 Farm Bills, which amended the Federal Meat Inspection Act, mandating FSIS inspection of Siluriformes.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing the establishment of an FSIS and Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Export Verification (EV) Program. The program is designed to verify establishments' control of closed-faced sandwiches destined for Canada. Among other things, Canada is requiring that closed-faced sandwiches be produced under a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan. Under the program, the sandwiches will be produced in establishments that are under FSIS' voluntary reimbursable inspection service and that are operating under conditions that are as consistent as practical with those under which other post-lethality exposed meat and poultry products are produced under 9 CFR part 430. Closed-faced sandwiches are under jurisdiction of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but FDA does not require that the sandwiches be produced under a HACCP plan. It also does not verify that the requirements of 9 CFR part 430 are met. Consequently, FSIS and AMS are establishing this voluntary program. Once the program is implemented, only establishments participating in this program will be able to export closed-faced sandwiches to Canada.

The Forest Resource Coordinating Committee (Committee) will meet via teleconference. The Committee is established consistent with the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (FACA) (5 U.S.C. App. II), and the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the Act) (Pub. L. 110-246). Additional information concerning the Committee, including the meeting agenda, supporting documents and minutes, can be found by visiting the Committee's Web site at https://www.fs.fed.us/spf/coop/ frcc/.

The Ravalli Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Hamilton, Montana. The committee is authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (the Act) and operates in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The purpose of the committee is to improve collaborative relationships and to provide advice and recommendations to the Forest Service concerning projects and funding consistent with title II of the Act. Additional RAC information, including the meeting agenda and the meeting summary/ minutes can be found at the following Web site: https://www.fs.usda.gov/ main/bitterroot/workingtogether/advisorycommittees.

The purpose and need for the land exchange is: the Superior National Forest would acquire land inside the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) from the Minnesota School Trust with outstanding wilderness/scenic/recreational opportunities, which will consolidate ownership and eliminate the risk of development or uses incompatible with wilderness values and management. The federal land located outside the BWCAW conveyed to the Minnesota School Trust would allow the State to manage lands outside the wilderness to generate revenue to benefit the Minnesota public school system. In February 2015, a scoping process for this project was initiated by the Forest Supervisor. The scoping period lasted until May 15, 2015 and included notification to a wide range of interested persons, adjacent landowners, state, local and tribal government, and organizations. In addition, five open houses were held in the project area and Saint Paul, MN. Over 1,600 comment letters were received from interested persons, adjacent landowners, state, local and tribal government, and organizations. Upon review of scoping comments, the Forest Supervisor decided to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). While further scoping comments will be accepted, it is anticipated that the scoping comments already received have thoroughly described the range of issues of interest to the public, agencies, organizations and governments. Scoping comments already received during the February- May 2015 scoping period are being considered, are part of the project record, and will provide standing to object per requirements of 36 CFR 218.

The Sanders Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Thompson Falls, Montana. The committee is authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (the Act) and operates in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The purpose of the committee is to improve collaborative relationships and to provide advice and recommendations to the Forest Service concerning projects and funding consistent with Title II of the Act. Additional RAC information, including the meeting agenda and the meeting summary/ minutes can be found at the following Web site: https://cloudapps-usda- gov.force.com/FSSRS/RAC_Page?id=001t0000002JcwJAAS.

The Black Hills National Forest Advisory Board (Board) will meet in Rapid City, South Dakota. The Board is established consistent with the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (5 U.S.C. App. II), the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1600 et.seq.), the National Forest Management Act of 1976 (16 U.S.C. 1612), and the Federal Public Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (Public Law 108-447). Additional information concerning the Board, including the meeting summary/minutes, can be found by visiting the Board's Web site at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/blackhills/ workingtogether/advisorycommittees.

The Mineral County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Superior, Montana. The committee is authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (the Act) and operates in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The purpose of the committee is to improve collaborative relationships and to provide advice and recommendations to the Forest Service concerning projects and funding consistent with Title II of the Act.

In accordance with section 3(b) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, the USDA Forest Service, Washington Office, is transmitting the final boundary description and map of the Grande Ronde Wild and Scenic River to Congress.

The Siuslaw Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Corvallis, Oregon. The committee is authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (the Act) and operates in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The purpose of the committee is to improve collaborative relationships and to provide advice and recommendations to the Forest Service concerning projects and funding consistent with Title II of the Act. Additional RAC information, including the meeting agenda and the meeting summary/ minutes can be found at the following Web site: https://www.fs.usda.gov/ main/siuslaw/workingtogether/advisorycommittees.

The Tuolumne and Mariposa Counties Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Sonora, California. The committee is authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (the Act) and operates in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The purpose of the committee is to improve collaborative relationships and to provide advice and recommendations to the Forest Service concerning projects and funding consistent with Title II of the Act. Additional RAC information, including the meeting agenda and the meeting summary/minutes can be found at the following Web site: https:// www.fs.usda.gov/main/pts/specialprojects/racweb.

The Del Norte County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Crescent City, California. The committee is authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (the Act) and operates in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The purpose of the committee is to improve collaborative relationships and to provide advice and recommendations to the Forest Service concerning projects and funding consistent with title II of the Act. Additional RAC information, including the meeting agenda and the meeting summary/ minutes can be found at the following Web site: https://www.fs.usda.gov/ main/srnf/workingtogether/advisorycommittee.

The Forest Resource Coordinating Committee (Committee) will meet in Washington, DC. The Committee is authorized under Section 8005 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the Act) (Pub. L. 110-246). Additional information concerning the Committee, including the meeting agenda, supporting documents and minutes, can be found by visiting the Committee's Web site at https://www.fs.fed.us/spf/coop/ frcc/.

The Forest Service proposes to revise its internal Agency directives for American Indian and Alaska Native Relations to establish better direction for the Agency to work effectively with Indian tribes. Specifically, the proposed directives modify Forest Service staff roles and responsibilities, establish staff training standards, describe authorities for working with Indian tribes, delineate consultation procedures, explain the historical trust and treaty responsibility underlying the government-to-government relationship, and outline Dispute Resolution options within the Forest Service. The proposed directives cross reference to other Forest Service directives, including those detailing aspects of Business Operations, National Forest System Management, State and Private Forestry, and Research and Development. The proposed directives were reorganized and revised to be consistent with the 2013 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Departmental Regulation No. 1350-002 ``Tribal Consultation, Coordination, and Collaboration''; Report to the Secretary, USDA Policy and Procedures Review and Recommendations: Indian Sacred Sites (2012), legislation (including the Culture and Heritage Cooperation Authority provisions of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 [Public Law 110-246; the Farm Bill]), and input from Forest Service Field staff. The directives were last revised in 2004, with an Interim Directive issued in 2012. These proposed directives have tribal implications as defined by Executive Order 13175, ``Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments.'' The 120-day consultation with Tribes was conducted from June 6, 2013, to November 27, 2013, consistent with the Executive Order and the current Forest Service directives. Tribal consultation continued after October 6, 2013, and will end at the same time as the public comment period. All comments received so far have been supportive of the revised directives. Tribal consultation and public comment are invited and will be considered by the Agency in determining the scope of the final directives.

The Forest Service will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to disclose the environmental effects of commercial and non-commercial vegetation management activities and prescribed burning of activity fuels. Access management changes and other design features are included to protect resources and facilitate management activities. The project is located across the Kootenai National Forest Kootenai National Forest, Lincoln and Sanders Counties, Montana.

The Shasta County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Redding, California. The committee is authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (the Act) and operates in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The purpose of the committee is to improve collaborative relationships and to provide advice and recommendations to the Forest Service concerning projects and funding consistent with Title II of the Act. Additional RAC information, including the meeting agenda and the meeting summary/ minutes can be found at the following Web site: www.fs.usda.gov/main/ stnf/workingtogether/advisorycommittees.

The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), are holding a public meeting on August 19, 2015. The purpose of the meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States (U.S.) positions that will be discussed at the 2nd Session of the Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex). The Session will be held in Goa, India, September 14-18, 2015. The Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety recognizes the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 2nd Session of CCSCH and to address items on the agenda.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing the availability of its updated ``Best Practices Guidance for Controlling Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) in Retail Delicatessens'' and responding to comments received on the guidance that FSIS posted on its Web site and announced in April 2014 in the Federal Register. The best- practices guidance discusses steps that retailers can take to prevent certain ready-to-eat (RTE) foods that are prepared or sliced in retail delicatessens (delis) and consumed in the home, such as deli meats and deli salads, from becoming contaminated with Lm and thus a source of listeriosis. FSIS encourages retailers to review the guidance and evaluate the effectiveness of their retail practices and intervention strategies in reducing the risk of listeriosis to consumers from RTE meat and poultry deli products.

This notice is announcing a meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF), that will be held on June 10, 2015, by audio conference call that is open to the public. The Committee will continue its discussions, from its November 17, 2014 meeting, on microbiological criteria as indicators of poor process control or insanitary conditions. After further discussion, the committee plans to adopt its final recommendations.