Availability of FSIS Compliance Guideline for Minimizing the Risk of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia Coli (STEC) and Salmonella in Raw Beef (Including Veal) Processing Operations, 42059-42061 [2017-18847]
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 171 / Wednesday, September 6, 2017 / Notices
original certification documents arriving
at the country’s port of entry, to verify
that the digital certificate copies align
with the original certificates arriving
with the shipment. A Level 2
eAuthentication account is necessary to
access the FCL. An eAuthentication
account is the way for a user to interact
with USDA Web site portals and
applications using a verified identity for
each User ID and profile. Prior to
implementation of the PHIS Export
Component, FSIS will provide further
guidance on this process.
USDA Export Stamp
The USDA export stamp bears the
export certificate number, and is used to
link the consignment to the
corresponding export certificate.
Beginning on the applicability date of
June 29, 2018, FSIS is changing the
number of digits in the serial number
that appears on both the export stamp
and the corresponding export certificate
from six to seven numbers. Use of an
alternative, alpha-numeric unique
identifier in place of the USDA export
stamp will be implemented with the
PHIS Export Component on June 29,
2018.
eCert
In the future, FSIS also intends to
support electronic export certification
(eCert) in PHIS. eCert is the governmentto-government transmission of
certification data and is the electronic
equivalent of a paper certificate. When
developed and implemented, electronic
export certification will allow FSIS to
transfer certification data directly to the
foreign government’s competent
authority’s certification system.
asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with NOTICES
Group 1 (June 29, 2018)
• Export Library:
1. Australia
2. New Zealand
3. UAE
• Non-Export Library:
1. Afghanistan
2. Andorra
3. Bahamas
4. Bolivia
5. Burundi
6. Cape Verde
7. Cook Islands
8. Ethiopia
9. Gambia
10. Guinea
11. Liberia
12. Mozambique
13. Paraguay
14. San Marino
15. Tanzania
16. Uganda
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:37 Sep 05, 2017
Jkt 241001
USDA Nondiscrimination Statement
No agency, officer, or employee of the
USDA shall, on the grounds of race,
color, national origin, religion, sex,
gender identity, sexual orientation,
disability, age, marital status, family/
parental status, income derived from a
public assistance program, or political
beliefs, exclude from participation in,
deny the benefits of, or subject to
discrimination any person in the United
States under any program or activity
conducted by the USDA.
To file a complaint of discrimination,
complete the USDA Program
Discrimination Complaint Form, which
may be accessed online at https://
www.ocio.usda.gov/sites/default/files/
docs/2012/Complain_combined_6_8_
12.pdf, or write a letter signed by you
or your authorized representative.
Send your completed complaint form
or letter to USDA by mail, fax, or email:
Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400
Independence Avenue SW.,
Washington, DC 20250–9410.
Fax: (202) 690–7442.
Email: program.intake@usda.gov.
Persons with disabilities who require
alternative means for communication
(Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.)
should contact USDA’s TARGET Center
at (202) 720–2600 (voice and TDD).
Additional Public Notification
FSIS will announce this notice online
through the FSIS Web page located at
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/federalregister.
FSIS will also make copies of this
Federal Register publication available
through the FSIS Constituent Update,
which is used to provide information
regarding FSIS policies, procedures,
regulations, Federal Register notices,
FSIS public meetings, and other types of
information that could affect or would
be of interest to constituents and
stakeholders. The Update is
communicated via Listserv, a free
electronic mail subscription service for
industry, trade groups, consumer
interest groups, health professionals,
and other individuals who have asked
to be included. The Update is also
available on the FSIS Web page. In
addition, FSIS offers an electronic mail
subscription service which provides
automatic and customized access to
selected food safety news and
information. This service is available at
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/subscribe.
Options range from recalls to export
information to regulations, directives,
and notices. Customers can add or
delete subscriptions themselves, and
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
42059
have the option to password protect
their accounts.
Done at Washington, DC, on: August 31,
2017.
Paul Kiecker,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2017–18848 Filed 9–5–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–DM–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. FSIS–2017–0028]
Availability of FSIS Compliance
Guideline for Minimizing the Risk of
Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia
Coli (STEC) and Salmonella in Raw
Beef (Including Veal) Processing
Operations
Food Safety and Inspection
Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of availability and
request for comment.
AGENCY:
The Food Safety and
Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing
the availability of and requesting
comments on the updated compliance
guideline for small and very small
businesses on reducing STEC and
Salmonella in beef and veal operations.
The new guideline will assist small
and very small beef (including veal)
processing establishments understand
and comply with the regulatory
requirements associated with
controlling STEC and Salmonella in raw
non-intact beef products and beef
products intended for non-intact use.
The guideline also includes information
for establishments and retail stores on
developing and maintaining records
associated with the production of
ground beef.
DATES: Submit Comments on or before
November 6, 2017.
ADDRESSES: A downloadable version of
the compliance guideline is available to
view and print at https://
www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/
topics/regulatory-compliance/
compliance-guides-index once copies of
the guideline have been published.
FSIS invites interested persons to
submit comments on this guidance.
Comments may be submitted by one of
the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: This
Web site provides the ability to type
short comments directly into the
comment field on this Web page or
attach a file for lengthier comments. Go
to https://www.regulations.gov/. Follow
the on-line instructions at that site for
submitting comments.
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\06SEN1.SGM
06SEN1
42060
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 171 / Wednesday, September 6, 2017 / Notices
Mail, including CD–ROMs: Send to
Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection
Service, Patriots Plaza 3, 1400
Independence Avenue SW., Mailstop
3782, Room 8–163B, Washington, DC
20250–3700.
Hand- or courier-delivered submittals:
Deliver to Patriots Plaza 3, 355 E Street
SW., Room 8–163A, Washington, DC
20250–3700.
Instructions: All items submitted by
mail or electronic mail must include the
Agency name, FSIS, and document title:
FSIS Compliance Guideline for
Minimizing the Risk of Shiga toxinproducing Escherichia coli (STEC) and
Salmonella in Raw Beef (including
Veal) Processing Operations 2017.
Comments received will be made
available to the public and posted
without change, including any personal
information, at https://
www.regulations.gov.
Docket: For access to background
documents or to comments received, go
to the FSIS Docket Room at Patriots
Plaza 3, 355 E Street SW., Room
164–A, Washington, DC 20250–3700
between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.,
Monday through Friday.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Roberta Wagner, Assistant
Administrator, Office of Policy and
Program Development; Telephone: (202)
205–0495.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with NOTICES
Background
STEC and Salmonella are pathogens
that are associated with foodborne
illness from consumption of non-intact
beef products (e.g., ground beef,
mechanically tenderized steaks).
Although the percent positive rates of
STEC and Salmonella have decreased,
outbreaks and illnesses continue to
occur from these products (https://
www.cdc.gov/ecoli/2016outbreaks.html).
Raw non-intact beef products present
a significant public health risk because
they are frequently consumed after
preparation (e.g., cooking hamburger to
a rare or medium rare state) that does
not destroy STEC that has been
introduced below the product’s surface.
Given the low infectious dose of STEC
associated with foodborne disease
outbreaks and the very severe
consequences of an STEC infection,
including serious, life-threatening
human illnesses (hemorrhagic colitis
and hemolytic uremic syndrome), raw
non-intact beef products and those beef
products intended for non-intact use are
adulterated within the meaning of the
Federal Meat Inspection Act when
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:37 Sep 05, 2017
Jkt 241001
contaminated with STEC unless further
processed to destroy this pathogen (64
FR 2803). Salmonella does not present
the same severe health consequences as
STEC, and FSIS does not have a zero
tolerance for Salmonella in raw nonintact beef products. However, because
STEC and Salmonella are hazards that
have historically occurred in the
production of non-intact beef products,
establishments that produce these
products or products intended for nonintact use must conduct a hazard
analysis and determine if these
pathogens need to be addressed by its
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control
Point (HACCP) system. FSIS is making
available the updated compliance
guideline to assist establishments that
produce raw non-intact beef products in
designing a HACCP system to prevent,
control, and reduce STEC and
Salmonella to acceptable levels in these
products.
The guideline helps establishments
understand the adulterant status of
STEC in beef products, how the
product’s intended use impacts the
hazard analysis, and to develop ongoing
verification measures to demonstrate
that the HACCP system is functioning as
intended to reduce STEC to below
detectable levels. In addition, the
guideline provides updated information
for establishments responding to STEC
positive results to strengthen their food
safety systems so that additional
positive results do not occur in the
product. While the guideline focuses
primarily on STEC policy, the
procedures described in this document
to reduce STEC will also assist
establishments in reducing Salmonella.
FSIS is also providing information in
the updated guidance to assist federal
establishments and retail facilities to
develop and maintain grinding records
as required by the final rule, Records To
Be Kept By Official Establishments and
Retail Stores That May Grind Raw Beef
Products (80 FR 79231).
This guideline incorporates all of the
above policy updates and includes the
most current Agency thinking, and
combines and replaces information from
the following previously issued
guidance documents:
(1) Draft Guidance for Small and Very
Small Establishments on Sampling Beef
Products for Escherichia coli O157:H7
(August 12, 2008); and
(2) Sanitation Guidance for Beef
Grinders (January 2012).
The target audiences for this
compliance guideline are small and very
small establishments in support of the
Small Business Administration’s
initiative to provide such
establishments with compliance
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
assistance under the Small Business
Regulatory Flexibility Act (SBRFA).
However, all FSIS regulated beef
establishments may be able to apply the
recommendations in this guideline.
Additional Public Notification
Public awareness of all segments of
rulemaking and policy development is
important. Consequently, FSIS will
announce this Federal Register
publication on-line through the FSIS
Web page located at: https://
www.fsis.usda.gov/federal-register.
FSIS also will make this publication
available through the FSIS Constituent
Update, which is used to provide
information regarding FSIS policies,
procedures, regulations, Federal
Register notices, FSIS public meetings,
and other types of information that
could affect or would be of interest to
our constituents and stakeholders. The
Constituent Update is available on the
FSIS Web page. Through the Web page,
FSIS is able to provide information to a
much broader, more diverse audience.
In addition, FSIS offers an email
subscription service which provides
automatic and customized access to
selected food safety news and
information. This service is available at:
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/subscribe.
Options range from recalls to export
information, regulations, directives, and
notices. Customers can add or delete
subscriptions themselves, and have the
option to password protect their
accounts.
USDA Non-Discrimination Statement
No agency, officer, or employee of the
USDA shall, on the grounds of race,
color, national origin, religion, sex,
gender identity, sexual orientation,
disability, age, marital status, family/
parental status, income derived from a
public assistance program, or political
beliefs, exclude from participation in,
deny the benefits of, or subject to
discrimination any person in the United
States under any program or activity
conducted by the USDA.
How To File a Complaint of
Discrimination
To file a complaint of discrimination,
complete the USDA Program
Discrimination Complaint Form, which
may be accessed online at https://
www.ocio.usda.gov/sites/default/files/
docs/2012/Complain_combined_6_8_
12.pdf, or write a letter signed by you
or your authorized representative.
Send your completed complaint form
or letter to USDA by mail, fax, or email:
Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400
Independence Avenue SW.,
E:\FR\FM\06SEN1.SGM
06SEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 171 / Wednesday, September 6, 2017 / Notices
Washington, DC 20250–9410, Fax: (202)
690–7442, Email: program.intake@
usda.gov.
Persons with disabilities who require
alternative means for communication
(Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.),
should contact USDA’s TARGET Center
at (202) 720–2600 (voice and TDD).
Done, at Washington, DC, August 31, 2017.
Paul Kiecker,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2017–18847 Filed 9–5–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–DM–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. FSIS–2017–0021]
International Standard-Setting
Activities
Office of Food Safety, USDA.
Notice.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
This notice informs the public
of the sanitary and phytosanitary
standard-setting activities of the Codex
Alimentarius Commission (Codex), in
accordance with section 491 of the
Trade Agreements Act of 1979, as
amended, and the Uruguay Round
Agreements Act. This notice also
provides a list of other standard-setting
activities of Codex, including
commodity standards, guidelines, codes
of practice, and revised texts. This
notice, which covers Codex activities
during the time periods from June 1,
2016, to May 31, 2017, and June 1, 2017,
to May 31, 2018, seeks comments on
standards under consideration and
recommendations for new standards.
ADDRESSES: FSIS invites interested
persons to submit their comments on
this notice. Comments may be
submitted by one of the following
methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: This
Web site provides the ability to type
short comments directly into the
comment field on this Web page or
attach a file for lengthier comments. Go
to https://www.regulations.gov. Follow
the on-line instructions at the Web site
for submitting comments.
• Mail, including CD–ROMs, etc.:
Mail to the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA), FSIS, 1400
Independence Avenue SW., Mailstop
3782, Room 8–163B, Washington, DC
20250–3700.
• Hand- or courier-delivered items:
Deliver to OPPD, RIMS, Docket
Clearance Unit, Patriots Plaza 3, 355 E
Street SW., Room 8–164, Washington,
DC 20250–3700.
asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:37 Sep 05, 2017
Jkt 241001
Instructions: All items submitted by
mail or email are to include the Agency
name and docket number FSIS–2017–
0021. Comments received in response to
this docket will be made available for
public inspection and posted without
change, including any personal
information to https://
www.regulations.gov.
Please state that your comments refer
to Codex and, if your comments relate
to specific Codex committees, please
identify the committee(s) in your
comments and submit a copy of your
comments to the delegate from that
particular committee.
Docket: For access to background
documents or comments received, visit
the FSIS Docket Room at Patriots Plaza
3, 355 E Street SW., Room 8–164,
Washington, DC 20250–3700, between
8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday
through Friday. A complete list of U.S.
delegates and alternate delegates can be
found in Attachment 2 of this notice.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mary Frances Lowe, United States
Manager for Codex Alimentarius, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Office of
Food Safety, South Agriculture
Building, 1400 Independence Avenue
SW., Room 4861, Washington, DC
20250–3700; Telephone: (202) 205–
7760; Fax: (202) 720–3157; Email:
USCodex@fsis.usda.gov.
For information pertaining to
particular committees, contact the
delegate of that committee. Documents
pertaining to Codex and specific
committee agendas are accessible via
the Internet at https://
www.codexalimentarius.org/meetingsreports/en/. The U.S. Codex Office also
maintains a Web site at https://
www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/
topics/international-affairs/us-codexalimentarius.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The World Trade Organization (WTO)
was established on January 1, 1995, as
the common international institutional
framework for the conduct of trade
relations among its members in matters
related to the Uruguay Round Trade
Agreements. The WTO is the successor
organization to the General Agreement
on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). United
States membership in the WTO was
approved and the Uruguay Round
Agreements Act (Uruguay Round
Agreements) was signed into law by the
President on December 8, 1994, Public
Law 103–465, 108 Stat. 4809. The
Uruguay Round Agreements became
effective, with respect to the United
States, on January 1, 1995. The Uruguay
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 4703
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42061
Round Agreements amended the Trade
Agreements Act of 1979. Pursuant to
section 491 of the Trade Agreements Act
of 1979, as amended, the President is
required to designate an agency to be
‘‘responsible for informing the public of
the sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS)
standard-setting activities of each
international standard-setting
organization’’ (19 U.S.C. 2578). The
main international standard-setting
organizations are Codex, the World
Organisation for Animal Health, and the
International Plant Protection
Convention. The President, pursuant to
Proclamation No. 6780 of March 23,
1995, (60 FR 15845), designated the U.S.
Department of Agriculture as the agency
responsible for informing the public of
the SPS standard-setting activities of
each international standard-setting
organization. The Secretary of
Agriculture has delegated to the Office
of Food Safety the responsibility to
inform the public of the SPS standardsetting activities of Codex. The Office of
Food Safety has, in turn, assigned the
responsibility for informing the public
of the SPS standard-setting activities of
Codex to the U.S. Codex Office (USCO).
Codex was created in 1963 by two
United Nations organizations, the Food
and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and
the World Health Organization (WHO).
Codex is the principal international
organization for establishing standards
for food. Through adoption of food
standards, codes of practice, and other
guidelines developed by its committees
and by promoting their adoption and
implementation by governments, Codex
seeks to protect the health of consumers,
ensure fair practices in the food trade,
and promote coordination of food
standards work undertaken by
international governmental and
nongovernmental organizations. In the
United States, U.S. Codex activities are
managed and carried out by the United
States Department of Agriculture
(USDA); the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA), Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS); the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), Department of
Commerce (DOC); and the
Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA).
As the agency responsible for
informing the public of the SPS
standard-setting activities of Codex, the
Office of Food Safety publishes this
notice in the Federal Register annually.
Attachment 1 (Sanitary and
Phytosanitary Activities of Codex) sets
forth the following information:
1. The SPS standards under
consideration or planned for
consideration; and
E:\FR\FM\06SEN1.SGM
06SEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 171 (Wednesday, September 6, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42059-42061]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-18847]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. FSIS-2017-0028]
Availability of FSIS Compliance Guideline for Minimizing the Risk
of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia Coli (STEC) and Salmonella in Raw
Beef (Including Veal) Processing Operations
AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing
the availability of and requesting comments on the updated compliance
guideline for small and very small businesses on reducing STEC and
Salmonella in beef and veal operations.
The new guideline will assist small and very small beef (including
veal) processing establishments understand and comply with the
regulatory requirements associated with controlling STEC and Salmonella
in raw non-intact beef products and beef products intended for non-
intact use. The guideline also includes information for establishments
and retail stores on developing and maintaining records associated with
the production of ground beef.
DATES: Submit Comments on or before November 6, 2017.
ADDRESSES: A downloadable version of the compliance guideline is
available to view and print at https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/regulatory-compliance/compliance-guides-index once copies
of the guideline have been published.
FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments on this
guidance. Comments may be submitted by one of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: This Web site provides the ability to
type short comments directly into the comment field on this Web page or
attach a file for lengthier comments. Go to https://www.regulations.gov/. Follow the on-line instructions at that site for
submitting comments.
[[Page 42060]]
Mail, including CD-ROMs: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Patriots Plaza 3, 1400
Independence Avenue SW., Mailstop 3782, Room 8-163B, Washington, DC
20250-3700.
Hand- or courier-delivered submittals: Deliver to Patriots Plaza 3,
355 E Street SW., Room 8-163A, Washington, DC 20250-3700.
Instructions: All items submitted by mail or electronic mail must
include the Agency name, FSIS, and document title: FSIS Compliance
Guideline for Minimizing the Risk of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia
coli (STEC) and Salmonella in Raw Beef (including Veal) Processing
Operations 2017. Comments received will be made available to the public
and posted without change, including any personal information, at
https://www.regulations.gov.
Docket: For access to background documents or to comments received,
go to the FSIS Docket Room at Patriots Plaza 3, 355 E Street SW., Room
164-A, Washington, DC 20250-3700 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.,
Monday through Friday.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Roberta Wagner, Assistant
Administrator, Office of Policy and Program Development; Telephone:
(202) 205-0495.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
STEC and Salmonella are pathogens that are associated with
foodborne illness from consumption of non-intact beef products (e.g.,
ground beef, mechanically tenderized steaks). Although the percent
positive rates of STEC and Salmonella have decreased, outbreaks and
illnesses continue to occur from these products (https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/2016-outbreaks.html).
Raw non-intact beef products present a significant public health
risk because they are frequently consumed after preparation (e.g.,
cooking hamburger to a rare or medium rare state) that does not destroy
STEC that has been introduced below the product's surface. Given the
low infectious dose of STEC associated with foodborne disease outbreaks
and the very severe consequences of an STEC infection, including
serious, life-threatening human illnesses (hemorrhagic colitis and
hemolytic uremic syndrome), raw non-intact beef products and those beef
products intended for non-intact use are adulterated within the meaning
of the Federal Meat Inspection Act when contaminated with STEC unless
further processed to destroy this pathogen (64 FR 2803). Salmonella
does not present the same severe health consequences as STEC, and FSIS
does not have a zero tolerance for Salmonella in raw non-intact beef
products. However, because STEC and Salmonella are hazards that have
historically occurred in the production of non-intact beef products,
establishments that produce these products or products intended for
non-intact use must conduct a hazard analysis and determine if these
pathogens need to be addressed by its Hazard Analysis and Critical
Control Point (HACCP) system. FSIS is making available the updated
compliance guideline to assist establishments that produce raw non-
intact beef products in designing a HACCP system to prevent, control,
and reduce STEC and Salmonella to acceptable levels in these products.
The guideline helps establishments understand the adulterant status
of STEC in beef products, how the product's intended use impacts the
hazard analysis, and to develop ongoing verification measures to
demonstrate that the HACCP system is functioning as intended to reduce
STEC to below detectable levels. In addition, the guideline provides
updated information for establishments responding to STEC positive
results to strengthen their food safety systems so that additional
positive results do not occur in the product. While the guideline
focuses primarily on STEC policy, the procedures described in this
document to reduce STEC will also assist establishments in reducing
Salmonella.
FSIS is also providing information in the updated guidance to
assist federal establishments and retail facilities to develop and
maintain grinding records as required by the final rule, Records To Be
Kept By Official Establishments and Retail Stores That May Grind Raw
Beef Products (80 FR 79231).
This guideline incorporates all of the above policy updates and
includes the most current Agency thinking, and combines and replaces
information from the following previously issued guidance documents:
(1) Draft Guidance for Small and Very Small Establishments on
Sampling Beef Products for Escherichia coli O157:H7 (August 12, 2008);
and
(2) Sanitation Guidance for Beef Grinders (January 2012).
The target audiences for this compliance guideline are small and
very small establishments in support of the Small Business
Administration's initiative to provide such establishments with
compliance assistance under the Small Business Regulatory Flexibility
Act (SBRFA). However, all FSIS regulated beef establishments may be
able to apply the recommendations in this guideline.
Additional Public Notification
Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy
development is important. Consequently, FSIS will announce this Federal
Register publication on-line through the FSIS Web page located at:
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/federal-register.
FSIS also will make this publication available through the FSIS
Constituent Update, which is used to provide information regarding FSIS
policies, procedures, regulations, Federal Register notices, FSIS
public meetings, and other types of information that could affect or
would be of interest to our constituents and stakeholders. The
Constituent Update is available on the FSIS Web page. Through the Web
page, FSIS is able to provide information to a much broader, more
diverse audience. In addition, FSIS offers an email subscription
service which provides automatic and customized access to selected food
safety news and information. This service is available at: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/subscribe. Options range from recalls to export
information, regulations, directives, and notices. Customers can add or
delete subscriptions themselves, and have the option to password
protect their accounts.
USDA Non-Discrimination Statement
No agency, officer, or employee of the USDA shall, on the grounds
of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual
orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status,
income derived from a public assistance program, or political beliefs,
exclude from participation in, deny the benefits of, or subject to
discrimination any person in the United States under any program or
activity conducted by the USDA.
How To File a Complaint of Discrimination
To file a complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program
Discrimination Complaint Form, which may be accessed online at https://www.ocio.usda.gov/sites/default/files/docs/2012/Complain_combined_6_8_12.pdf, or write a letter signed by you or your
authorized representative.
Send your completed complaint form or letter to USDA by mail, fax,
or email:
Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of
Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue SW.,
[[Page 42061]]
Washington, DC 20250-9410, Fax: (202) 690-7442, Email:
program.intake@usda.gov.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for
communication (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.), should contact
USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).
Done, at Washington, DC, August 31, 2017.
Paul Kiecker,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2017-18847 Filed 9-5-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P
