Eligibility of Thailand To Export Siluriformes Fish and Fish Products to the United States, 47532-47536 [2018-20380]
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 182 / Wednesday, September 19, 2018 / Proposed Rules
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assist the country in organizing its
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0583–0153. The proposed rule contains
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Imported products.
For the reasons set out in the
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PART 557—IMPORTATION
1. The authority citation for part 557
continues to read as follows:
■
Authority: 21 U.S.C. 601–602, 606–622,
624–695; 7 CFR 2.7, 2.18, 2.53.
§ 557.2
[Amended]
2. Section 557.2 is amended by adding
‘‘Socialist Republic of Vietnam’’ in
alphabetical order to the list of countries
in paragraph (b)(1).
■
Paul Kiecker,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2018–20376 Filed 9–14–18; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3410–DM–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
9 CFR Part 557
[Docket No. FSIS–2018–0031]
RIN [0583–AD75]
Eligibility of Thailand To Export
Siluriformes Fish and Fish Products to
the United States
Food Safety and Inspection
Service, USDA.
ACTION: Proposed rule.
AGENCY:
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The Food Safety and
Inspection Service (FSIS) is proposing
to amend the Siluriformes fish
inspection regulations to list Thailand
as a country eligible to export
Siluriformes fish and fish products to
the United States. FSIS is proposing this
action because the Agency has reviewed
Thailand’s laws, regulations, and
inspection system as implemented and
has determined that Thailand’s
Siluriformes fish inspection system is
equivalent to the system that the United
States has established under the Federal
Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) and its
implementing regulations.
Under this proposal, only raw
Siluriformes fish and fish products
produced in certified Thailand
establishments would be eligible for
export to the United States. All such
products would continue to be subject
to re-inspection at U.S. points-of-entry
by FSIS inspectors.
DATES: Submit comments on or before
October 19, 2018.
ADDRESSES: FSIS invites interested
persons to submit comments on the
proposed rule. Comments may be
submitted by one of the following
methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: This
website provides the ability to type
short comments directly into the
comment field on this web page or to
attach a file for lengthier comments. Go
to https://www.regulations.gov. Follow
the on-line instructions at that site for
submitting comments.
• Mail, including CD–ROMs, etc.:
Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department
of Agriculture, Food Safety and
Inspection Service, 1400 Independence
Avenue SW, Mailstop 3758, Room 6065,
Washington, DC 20250–3700.
• Hand- or courier-delivered
submittals: Deliver to 1400
Independence Avenue SW, Room 6065,
Washington, DC 20250–3700.
Instructions: All items submitted by
mail or electronic mail must include the
Agency name and docket number FSIS–
2018–0031. 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.
Docket: For access to background
documents or comments received, call
(202) 720–5627 to schedule a time to
visit the FSIS Docket Room at 1400
Independence Avenue SW, Room 6065,
Washington, DC 20250–3700.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Roberta Wagner, Assistant
Administrator, Office of Policy and
SUMMARY:
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 182 / Wednesday, September 19, 2018 / Proposed Rules
Program Development; Telephone: (202)
205–0495.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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Background
FSIS is proposing to amend its
regulations at 9 CFR 557.2(b)(1) to add
Thailand as a country eligible to export
Siluriformes fish and fish products to
the United States (for convenience, in
this proposed rule, ‘‘Siluriformes fish
and fish products’’ will be shortened to
‘‘Siluriformes fish’’). Although Thailand
has been allowed to export these
products to the United States under the
conditions described below, Thailand is
not currently listed in the Code of
Federal Regulations (CFR) as eligible to
export Siluriformes fish to the United
States.
Transitional Period
On December 2, 2015, FSIS published
the final rule, ‘‘Mandatory Inspection of
Fish of the Order Siluriformes and
Products Derived from Such Fish’’ (80
FR 75590). The final rule established a
mandatory inspection system for fish of
the order Siluriformes and products
derived from these fish. The final
regulations implemented the provisions
of the 2008 and 2014 Farm Bills, which
amended the FMIA, mandating FSIS
inspection of Siluriformes fish.
The final rule provided an 18-month
period, from March 1, 2016, to
September 1, 2017, for both the U.S.
domestic Siluriformes fish industry and
international trading partners to
transition from the regulatory
requirements of the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA), the agency
formerly responsible for regulatory
oversight of Siluriformes fish, to the
regulatory requirements of FSIS. By
March 1, 2016, FSIS required foreign
countries to submit written
documentation identifying a list of
establishments that had been exporting
and would continue exporting
Siluriformes fish to the United States. In
addition, by March 1, 2016, FSIS
required foreign countries to submit
written documentation to demonstrate
that they had laws or other legal
measures in place that provide authority
to regulate the growing and processing
of fish for human food, and to assure
compliance with FDA’s good
manufacturing practices, Hazard
Analysis and Critical Control Point
(HACCP) requirements, sanitation
control procedures, and other regulatory
requirements in 21 CFR part 123, Fish
and Fishery Products.
FSIS recognized the foreign countries’
initial documentation until the end of
the transitional period on September 1,
2017. Foreign countries that wished to
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continue exporting after September 1,
2017, were required to submit
documentation substantiating the
equivalence of their Siluriformes fish
inspection system to that of the United
States. Foreign countries that submitted
complete equivalence documentation by
September 1, 2017, were permitted to
continue exporting Siluriformes fish
until such time that FSIS determines if
their Siluriformes fish inspection
systems are equivalent to the U.S.
system.
Thailand submitted its initial
documentation in February 2016, which
allowed it to continue exporting
Siluriformes fish during the transitional
period. In April 2017, Thailand
submitted a completed Self-Reporting
Tool (SRT), the questionnaire that FSIS
uses to assess the equivalence of a
foreign country’s food safety inspection
system.
FSIS stated in the final rule that,
during the transitional period, it would
reinspect imported Siluriformes fish
and test for species identification and
residues on at least a quarterly basis for
each foreign establishment eligible to
export Siluriformes fish to the U.S. (80
FR 75608). FSIS conducted random and
targeted sampling and testing of
imported Siluriformes fish during the
transitional period, and on August 2,
2017, began reinspecting all shipments
of Siluriformes fish, with random
sampling for species and residue testing.
As a result of the testing, FSIS found a
residue violation in a shipment of
Siluriformes fish exported from
Thailand. When imported product fails
FSIS testing, the product is refused
entry and the designated competent
authority of the foreign government’s
inspection system is notified and further
shipments of product from the foreign
establishment are placed under either
an increased or intensified level of
sampling. FSIS notified the Thailand
Department of Fisheries (DOF), the
central competent authority for food
inspection, of the residue violation, and
in response, DOF stated that the
processor would be suspended until
DOF inspectors could re-audit the
processor’s HACCP system.
Statutory and Regulatory Basis for
Proposed Action
Siluriformes fish are an amenable
species under the FMIA (21 U.S.C.
601(w)(2)). The FMIA prohibits
importation into the United States of
adulterated or misbranded meat and
meat food products (21 U.S.C. 620).
Under the FMIA and its implementing
regulations, Siluriformes fish imported
into the United States must be from
foreign countries that maintain an
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inspection system that ensures
compliance with requirements
equivalent to all the inspection,
sanitary, quality, species verification,
and residue standards, and all other
provisions of the FMIA which are
applied to official establishments in the
United States. The regulatory
requirements for foreign countries to
become eligible to export Siluriformes
fish and fish products to the United
States are provided in 9 CFR 557.2,
which cross-references 9 CFR 327.2, the
regulations for the import of other
products also subject to the FMIA. As
noted above, FSIS has allowed Thailand
to continue shipping product while
FSIS made the determination
concerning whether the country’s
inspection system is equivalent to that
of FSIS.
Section 557.2(a) (cross-referencing 9
CFR 327.2(a)(2)(i), (a)(2)(i), (a)(2)(ii)(C)–
(I), (a)(2)(iii)–(iv), and (a)(3)), requires a
foreign country’s inspection system be
authorized by legal authority that
imposes requirements equivalent to
those of the United States, specifically
with respect to: (1) Official controls by
the national government over
establishment construction, facilities,
and equipment; (2) direct official
supervision of the preparation of
product to assure that product is not
adulterated or misbranded; (3)
separation of establishment operations
for product certified for export from
product that is not certified; (4)
requirements for sanitation at certified
establishments and for sanitary
handling of product; (5) official controls
over condemned materials; (6) a HACCP
system; and (7) any other requirements
found in the FMIA and its
implementing regulations.
In addition to a foreign country’s legal
authority and regulatory requirements,
the inspection program must achieve a
level of public health protection
equivalent to that achieved by the U.S.
program. Specifically, the inspection
program organized and administered by
the national government must impose
requirements equivalent to those of the
United States with respect to: (1)
Organizational structure and staffing, so
as to ensure uniform enforcement of the
requisite laws and regulations in all
certified establishments; (2) ultimate
control and supervision by the national
government over the official activities of
employees or licensees; (3) competent,
qualified inspectors; (4) enforcement
and certification; (5) administrative and
technical support; (6) inspection,
sanitation, quality, species verification,
and residue standards; and (7) any other
inspection requirements required by the
regulations in Subchapter F—
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 182 / Wednesday, September 19, 2018 / Proposed Rules
Mandatory Inspection of Fish of the
Order Siluriformes and Products of
Such Fish, which cross-references 9
CFR 327.2(a)(2)(i)).
The foreign country’s inspection
system must ensure that establishments
preparing Siluriformes fish for export to
the United States comply with
requirements equivalent to those of the
FMIA and the regulations promulgated
thereunder. The foreign country certifies
the establishments as having met the
required standards and notifies FSIS
about establishments that are certified
or removed from certification.
As discussed above, a foreign
country’s inspection system must be
evaluated by FSIS to determine its
eligibility to export Siluriformes fish to
the United States. This evaluation
consists of two processes: A document
review and an on-site review. The
document review is an evaluation of the
laws, regulations, and other written
materials used by the country to affect
its inspection program. FSIS requests
that countries provide information
about their inspection systems through
the Self Reporting Tool (SRT). The SRT
can be found on the FSIS website at
2016 Siluriformes SRT. The SRT is a
standardized questionnaire that FSIS
provides to foreign governments to
gather information that characterizes
foreign inspection systems. Through the
SRT, FSIS collects information on
practices and procedures in six areas,
known as equivalence components: (1)
Government Oversight (e.g.,
Organization and Administration), (2)
Government Statutory Authority and
Food Safety and Other Consumer
Protection Regulations (e.g., Inspection
System Operation, Product Standards
and Labeling), (3) Government
Sanitation, (4) Government HACCP
Systems, (5) Government Chemical
Residue Testing Programs, and (6)
Government Microbiological Testing
Programs. FSIS evaluates the
information submitted to verify that the
critical points in the six equivalence
components are addressed satisfactorily
with respect to standards, activities,
resources, and enforcement. If the
document review is satisfactory, an onsite review is scheduled using a multidisciplinary team to evaluate all aspects
of the country’s inspection program.
This comprehensive process is
described more fully on the FSIS
website at https://www.fsis.usda.gov/
wps/portal/fsis/topics/internationalaffairs/importing-products/equivalence/
equivalence-process-overview.
Under the regulations, foreign
countries must be listed in the CFR as
eligible to export Siluriformes fish to the
United States. FSIS engages in
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rulemaking to list a country as eligible.
Countries found eligible to export
Siluriformes fish to the United States
are listed in the regulations at 9 CFR
557.26(b)(1). Once listed, the eligible
country is required to certify that
establishments meet the requirements to
export Siluriformes fish to the United
States and to ensure that products from
these establishments are safe,
wholesome, and not misbranded. To
verify that products imported into the
United States are safe, wholesome, and
properly labeled and packaged, FSIS
conducts 100 percent re-inspection of
those products at points-of-entry before
they enter the U.S. commerce.
Evaluation of Thailand’s Siluriformes
Fish Inspection System
In April 2017, Thailand requested that
FSIS conduct a review of its
Siluriformes fish inspection system and
submitted the documentation to
formally establish its eligibility to
export Siluriformes fish to the United
States. FSIS conducted a document
review of Thailand’s Siluriformes fish
inspection system to determine whether
it was equivalent to that of the United
States. FSIS concluded, based review of
the submitted documentation, that
Thailand’s laws, regulations, control
programs, and procedures were
equivalent to those of the United States.
Accordingly, in May 2018, FSIS
proceeded with an on-site audit of
Thailand’s Siluriformes fish inspection
system. The purpose of the on-site audit
was to verify that DOF effectively
implemented a Siluriformes fish
inspection system equivalent to that of
the United States. FSIS audited each of
the four establishments then certified to
export Siluriformes fish to the United
States, one pre-harvest operation, and
one cold storage facility. During the
visits to the four establishments, none
were producing Siluriformes fish for
export to the United States. However,
FSIS auditors were able to conduct
observation of DOF inspection at two of
the four establishments and to perform
document reviews.
The May 2018 audit of Thailand’s
Siluriformes fish inspection system
identified several deficiencies that the
DOF was requested to address. Among
other things, the audit found that the
DOF did not have regulatory
requirements for establishments to
maintain daily records documenting the
monitoring of the Sanitation Standard
Operating Procedures (SOPs), although
the establishments did document and
maintain sanitation records. Also, the
DOF did not have regulatory
requirements for establishments to
develop HACCP verification procedures
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for direct observation of monitoring
activities and corrective actions,
resulting in no performance of the
procedure by the establishments.
Furthermore, because only two out of
the four establishments FSIS visited
during the May 2018 audit were
operational, auditors were unable to
verify the full implementation of
Thailand’s food safety inspections
system. At the audit exit meeting, the
DOF committed to addressing the
preliminary findings.
On June 27, 2018, FSIS sent the DOF
the draft final audit report, and advised
that, in order to verify the full
implementation of Thailand’s
Siluriformes fish inspection system, it
would be necessary to schedule a follow
up on-site visit.
On June 28, 2018, FSIS sent a followup letter proposing a follow-up on-site
audit of Thailand’s Siluriformes fish
inspection system in August 2018. The
letter explained that the objective of the
follow-up audit was to verify any
corrective actions or changes to
Thailand’s food safety inspection
system as a result of the findings of the
first audit and that the scope of the
audit would be limited to aspects of
Thailand’s national inspection system.
FSIS conducted the follow-up audit
between August 27 and 31, 2018,
visiting the three establishments
currently certified to export
Siluriformes fish to the United States
(Thailand delisted one establishment
prior to the follow-up audit). The
follow-up audit focused on the
inspections system’s ability to control
hazards and prevent non-compliances
that threaten food safety. FSIS auditors
visited all three establishments certified
by the DOF to export products to the
United States. During this audit, all
certified establishments were able to
perform operations. The FSIS auditors
were able to see production of
Siluriformes fish, in addition to the
implementation of corrective actions in
response to the deficiencies found in the
May onsite audit.
The FSIS auditors determined that
Thailand’s food safety inspection
system governing fish of the order
Siluriformes and their products are
being implemented as documented in
the SRT and according to their
corrective actions responses. A review
and analysis of each component with
corrective actions by the FSIS auditors
did not identify any findings
representing an immediate threat to
public health.
In summary, FSIS has completed the
document review, on-site audit, followup audit with verification of corrective
actions as part of the equivalence
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 182 / Wednesday, September 19, 2018 / Proposed Rules
process, and determined that all
outstanding issues have been resolved.
FSIS has concluded that, as
implemented, Thailand’s inspection
system for Siluriformes fish is
equivalent to that of the United States.
The full report on Thailand’s
Siluriformes fish inspection system can
be found on the FSIS website at https://
www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/
topics/international-affairs/importingproducts/eligible-countries-productsforeign-establishments/foreign-auditreports/foreign-audit-reports.
At this time, Thailand intends to
certify three establishments as eligible
to export Siluriformes fish to the United
States. Thailand’s eligibility applies to
the export of raw Siluriformes fish only.
Should this rule become final, the
government of Thailand must certify to
FSIS those establishments that wish to
export Siluriformes fish to the United
States and that operate in accordance
with requirements equivalent to that of
the United States (9 CFR 557.2(a)). FSIS
will verify that the establishments
certified by Thailand’s government are
meeting the United States requirements
through verification audits of Thailand’s
Siluriformes fish inspection system.
Although a foreign country may be
listed in FSIS regulations as eligible to
export Siluriformes fish products to the
United States, the exporting country’s
products must be found to comply with
all other applicable requirements of the
United States. Accordingly, Siluriformes
fish exported from Thailand will
continue to be subject to re-inspection at
U.S. points-of-entry for, but not limited
to, transportation damage, product and
container defects, labeling, proper
certification, general condition, and
accurate count. In addition, FSIS is, and
will continue, to conduct other types of
re-inspection activities, such as taking
product samples for laboratory analysis
for the detection of drug and chemical
residues, pathogens, species, and
product composition for a subset of
Thailand’s Siluriformes fish imported
into the United States. Products that
pass re-inspection will be stamped with
the official mark of inspection and
allowed to enter U.S. commerce. If they
do not meet U.S. requirements, they will
be refused entry and within 45 days
must be exported to the country of
origin, destroyed, or converted to
animal food (subject to approval of
FDA), depending on the violation. The
import re-inspection activities can be
found on the FSIS website at https://
www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/
topics/international-affairs/importingproducts/phis-import-component/phisimplementation-letter-to-importers/ct_
index.
Executive Orders 12866 and 13563, and
the Regulatory Flexibility Act
Executive Orders 12866 and 13563
direct agencies to assess all costs and
benefits of available regulatory
alternatives and, if regulation is
necessary, to select regulatory
approaches that maximize net benefits
(including potential economic,
environmental, public health and safety
47535
effects, distributive impacts, and
equity). Executive Order (E.O.) 13563
emphasizes the importance of
quantifying both costs and benefits, of
reducing costs, of harmonizing rules,
and of promoting flexibility. This
proposed rule has been designated as a
‘‘non-significant’’ regulatory action
under section 3(f) of E.O. 12866.
Accordingly, the rule has not been
reviewed by the Office of Management
and Budget under E.O. 12866.
Expected Costs of the Proposed Rule
If this rule is finalized, establishments
in Thailand would be listed as eligible
to export raw Siluriformes fish to the
United States. Adoption of this rule is
not expected to have quantified costs
associated with it because the rule
would maintain existing trade between
the United States and Thailand in
Siluriformes fish. The United States has
historically imported Siluriformes fish
from Thailand. Over the last 5 years,
total sales from Thailand Siluriformes
fish imports only averaged 0.017
percent of U.S. domestic production,
and constituted only 0.009 percent of
total United States consumption, Table
1. In 2016, Thailand exported 3.5 times
more Siluriformes fish to the United
States than average, but these exports
still accounted for only 0.027 percent of
total domestic consumption, Table 1.
These amounts are unlikely to have any
substantive effect on U.S. production or
prices for domestically harvested
Siluriformes fish.
TABLE 1—SUMMARY OF SILURIFORMES FISH SALES
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
5 year
average
Millions of dollars
Total U.S. Imports 1 ..........................................................
Total U.S. Domestic Production 2 ....................................
Total U.S. Exports 1 .........................................................
Total U.S. Consumption 3 ................................................
Total U.S. Imports 1 from Thailand ..................................
Thailand as % of U.S. Imports ........................................
Thailand as % of U.S. Domestic Production ...................
Thailand as % of U.S. Consumption ...............................
$363.42
356.73
4.69
715.46
0.04
0.012%
0.012%
0.006%
$346.66
351.94
3.99
694.60
0.02
0.005%
0.005%
0.002%
$351.13
363.61
4.95
709.79
0.01
0.003%
0.003%
0.002%
$405.61
385.99
4.80
786.80
0.21
0.052%
0.054%
0.027%
$381.89
379.71
6.18
755.43
0.04
0.010%
0.010%
0.005%
$369.74
367.60
4.92
732.41
0.06
0.017%
0.017%
0.009%
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Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau Trade Data.
1 Import and Export Data Accessed from USDA Foreign Agricultural Service: Global Agricultural Trade System: https://apps.fas.usda.gov/gats/
default.aspx.
2 U.S. Production Data Accessed from USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service: Quick Stats: https://quickstats.nass.usda.gov/.
3 U.S. Consumption data is assumed to equal Imports + Domestic Production¥Exports.
Expected Benefits of the Proposed Rule
If finalized, this rule would result in
the continued opportunity for trade
between the United States and
Thailand. The volume of trade is likely
to continue to be small and is expected
to have little or no effect on U.S.
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Siluriformes fish production or prices.
U.S. consumers, however, are expected
to continue to have access to more
choices when purchasing Siluriformes
products. The rule would, therefore,
maintain choices for U.S. consumers
and promote economic competition.
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Regulatory Flexibility Act Assessment
The FSIS Administrator has made a
preliminary determination that this
proposed rule would not have a
significant economic impact on a
substantial number of small entities in
the United States, as defined by the
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 182 / Wednesday, September 19, 2018 / Proposed Rules
Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601
et seq.) because, as stated above, the rule
would maintain existing trade.
Executive Order 13771
Consistent with E.O. 13771 (82 FR
9339, February 3, 2017), this proposed
rule facilitates regulatory cooperation
with foreign governments. Therefore, if
finalized as proposed, this rule is
expected to be an E.O. 13771
deregulatory action.
Paperwork Reduction Act
No new paperwork requirements are
associated with this proposed rule.
Foreign countries wanting to export
Siluriformes fish to the United States
are required to provide information to
FSIS certifying that their inspection
system provides standards equivalent to
those of the United States, and that the
legal authority for the system and their
implementing regulations are equivalent
to those of the United States. FSIS
provided Thailand with a questionnaire,
referred to as the self-reporting tool
(SRT), asking for detailed information
about the country’s inspection practices
and procedures to assist that country in
organizing its materials. This
information collection was approved
under OMB number 0583–0153. The
proposed rule contains no other
paperwork requirements.
E-Government Act
FSIS and the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) are committed to
achieving the purposes of the EGovernment Act (44 U.S.C. 3601, et
seq.) by, among other things, promoting
the use of the internet and other
information technologies and providing
increased opportunities for citizen
access to Government information and
services, and for other purposes.
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with PROPOSALS3
Additional Public Notification
Public awareness of all segments of
rulemaking and policy development is
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:00 Sep 18, 2018
Jkt 244001
important. Consequently, FSIS will
announce this Federal Register
publication and officially notify the
World Trade Organization’s Committee
on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures
(WTO/SPS Committee) in Geneva,
Switzerland, of this proposal on-line
through the FSIS web page located at:
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/federalregister.
FSIS also will make copies of 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.
Constituent Updates are 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.
PO 00000
Frm 00014
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 9990
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, 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).
List of Subjects in 9 CFR Part 557
Imported products.
For the reasons set out in the
preamble, FSIS is proposing to further
amend 9 CFR part 557, as proposed to
be amended elsewhere in this issue of
the Federal Register, as follows:
PART 557—IMPORTATION
1. The authority citation for part 557
continues to read as follows:
■
Authority: 21 U.S.C. 601–602, 606–622,
624–695; 7 CFR 2.7, 2.18, 2.53.
§ 557.2
[Amended]
2. Section 557.2 is amended by adding
‘‘Thailand’’ in alphabetical order to the
list of countries in paragraph (b)(1).
■
Paul Kiecker,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2018–20380 Filed 9–14–18; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3410–DM–P
E:\FR\FM\19SEP3.SGM
19SEP3
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 182 (Wednesday, September 19, 2018)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 47532-47536]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-20380]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
9 CFR Part 557
[Docket No. FSIS-2018-0031]
RIN [0583-AD75]
Eligibility of Thailand To Export Siluriformes Fish and Fish
Products to the United States
AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Proposed rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is proposing to
amend the Siluriformes fish inspection regulations to list Thailand as
a country eligible to export Siluriformes fish and fish products to the
United States. FSIS is proposing this action because the Agency has
reviewed Thailand's laws, regulations, and inspection system as
implemented and has determined that Thailand's Siluriformes fish
inspection system is equivalent to the system that the United States
has established under the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) and its
implementing regulations.
Under this proposal, only raw Siluriformes fish and fish products
produced in certified Thailand establishments would be eligible for
export to the United States. All such products would continue to be
subject to re-inspection at U.S. points-of-entry by FSIS inspectors.
DATES: Submit comments on or before October 19, 2018.
ADDRESSES: FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments on the
proposed rule. Comments may be submitted by one of the following
methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: This website provides the
ability to type short comments directly into the comment field on this
web page or to attach a file for lengthier comments. Go to https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the on-line instructions at that site for
submitting comments.
Mail, including CD-ROMs, etc.: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, 1400
Independence Avenue SW, Mailstop 3758, Room 6065, Washington, DC 20250-
3700.
Hand- or courier-delivered submittals: Deliver to 1400
Independence Avenue SW, Room 6065, Washington, DC 20250-3700.
Instructions: All items submitted by mail or electronic mail must
include the Agency name and docket number FSIS-2018-0031. 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.
Docket: For access to background documents or comments received,
call (202) 720-5627 to schedule a time to visit the FSIS Docket Room at
1400 Independence Avenue SW, Room 6065, Washington, DC 20250-3700.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Roberta Wagner, Assistant
Administrator, Office of Policy and
[[Page 47533]]
Program Development; Telephone: (202) 205-0495.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
FSIS is proposing to amend its regulations at 9 CFR 557.2(b)(1) to
add Thailand as a country eligible to export Siluriformes fish and fish
products to the United States (for convenience, in this proposed rule,
``Siluriformes fish and fish products'' will be shortened to
``Siluriformes fish''). Although Thailand has been allowed to export
these products to the United States under the conditions described
below, Thailand is not currently listed in the Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) as eligible to export Siluriformes fish to the United
States.
Transitional Period
On December 2, 2015, FSIS published the final rule, ``Mandatory
Inspection of Fish of the Order Siluriformes and Products Derived from
Such Fish'' (80 FR 75590). The final rule established a mandatory
inspection system for fish of the order Siluriformes and products
derived from these fish. The final regulations implemented the
provisions of the 2008 and 2014 Farm Bills, which amended the FMIA,
mandating FSIS inspection of Siluriformes fish.
The final rule provided an 18-month period, from March 1, 2016, to
September 1, 2017, for both the U.S. domestic Siluriformes fish
industry and international trading partners to transition from the
regulatory requirements of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA),
the agency formerly responsible for regulatory oversight of
Siluriformes fish, to the regulatory requirements of FSIS. By March 1,
2016, FSIS required foreign countries to submit written documentation
identifying a list of establishments that had been exporting and would
continue exporting Siluriformes fish to the United States. In addition,
by March 1, 2016, FSIS required foreign countries to submit written
documentation to demonstrate that they had laws or other legal measures
in place that provide authority to regulate the growing and processing
of fish for human food, and to assure compliance with FDA's good
manufacturing practices, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point
(HACCP) requirements, sanitation control procedures, and other
regulatory requirements in 21 CFR part 123, Fish and Fishery Products.
FSIS recognized the foreign countries' initial documentation until
the end of the transitional period on September 1, 2017. Foreign
countries that wished to continue exporting after September 1, 2017,
were required to submit documentation substantiating the equivalence of
their Siluriformes fish inspection system to that of the United States.
Foreign countries that submitted complete equivalence documentation by
September 1, 2017, were permitted to continue exporting Siluriformes
fish until such time that FSIS determines if their Siluriformes fish
inspection systems are equivalent to the U.S. system.
Thailand submitted its initial documentation in February 2016,
which allowed it to continue exporting Siluriformes fish during the
transitional period. In April 2017, Thailand submitted a completed
Self-Reporting Tool (SRT), the questionnaire that FSIS uses to assess
the equivalence of a foreign country's food safety inspection system.
FSIS stated in the final rule that, during the transitional period,
it would reinspect imported Siluriformes fish and test for species
identification and residues on at least a quarterly basis for each
foreign establishment eligible to export Siluriformes fish to the U.S.
(80 FR 75608). FSIS conducted random and targeted sampling and testing
of imported Siluriformes fish during the transitional period, and on
August 2, 2017, began reinspecting all shipments of Siluriformes fish,
with random sampling for species and residue testing. As a result of
the testing, FSIS found a residue violation in a shipment of
Siluriformes fish exported from Thailand. When imported product fails
FSIS testing, the product is refused entry and the designated competent
authority of the foreign government's inspection system is notified and
further shipments of product from the foreign establishment are placed
under either an increased or intensified level of sampling. FSIS
notified the Thailand Department of Fisheries (DOF), the central
competent authority for food inspection, of the residue violation, and
in response, DOF stated that the processor would be suspended until DOF
inspectors could re-audit the processor's HACCP system.
Statutory and Regulatory Basis for Proposed Action
Siluriformes fish are an amenable species under the FMIA (21 U.S.C.
601(w)(2)). The FMIA prohibits importation into the United States of
adulterated or misbranded meat and meat food products (21 U.S.C. 620).
Under the FMIA and its implementing regulations, Siluriformes fish
imported into the United States must be from foreign countries that
maintain an inspection system that ensures compliance with requirements
equivalent to all the inspection, sanitary, quality, species
verification, and residue standards, and all other provisions of the
FMIA which are applied to official establishments in the United States.
The regulatory requirements for foreign countries to become eligible to
export Siluriformes fish and fish products to the United States are
provided in 9 CFR 557.2, which cross-references 9 CFR 327.2, the
regulations for the import of other products also subject to the FMIA.
As noted above, FSIS has allowed Thailand to continue shipping product
while FSIS made the determination concerning whether the country's
inspection system is equivalent to that of FSIS.
Section 557.2(a) (cross-referencing 9 CFR 327.2(a)(2)(i),
(a)(2)(i), (a)(2)(ii)(C)-(I), (a)(2)(iii)-(iv), and (a)(3)), requires a
foreign country's inspection system be authorized by legal authority
that imposes requirements equivalent to those of the United States,
specifically with respect to: (1) Official controls by the national
government over establishment construction, facilities, and equipment;
(2) direct official supervision of the preparation of product to assure
that product is not adulterated or misbranded; (3) separation of
establishment operations for product certified for export from product
that is not certified; (4) requirements for sanitation at certified
establishments and for sanitary handling of product; (5) official
controls over condemned materials; (6) a HACCP system; and (7) any
other requirements found in the FMIA and its implementing regulations.
In addition to a foreign country's legal authority and regulatory
requirements, the inspection program must achieve a level of public
health protection equivalent to that achieved by the U.S. program.
Specifically, the inspection program organized and administered by the
national government must impose requirements equivalent to those of the
United States with respect to: (1) Organizational structure and
staffing, so as to ensure uniform enforcement of the requisite laws and
regulations in all certified establishments; (2) ultimate control and
supervision by the national government over the official activities of
employees or licensees; (3) competent, qualified inspectors; (4)
enforcement and certification; (5) administrative and technical
support; (6) inspection, sanitation, quality, species verification, and
residue standards; and (7) any other inspection requirements required
by the regulations in Subchapter F--
[[Page 47534]]
Mandatory Inspection of Fish of the Order Siluriformes and Products of
Such Fish, which cross-references 9 CFR 327.2(a)(2)(i)).
The foreign country's inspection system must ensure that
establishments preparing Siluriformes fish for export to the United
States comply with requirements equivalent to those of the FMIA and the
regulations promulgated thereunder. The foreign country certifies the
establishments as having met the required standards and notifies FSIS
about establishments that are certified or removed from certification.
As discussed above, a foreign country's inspection system must be
evaluated by FSIS to determine its eligibility to export Siluriformes
fish to the United States. This evaluation consists of two processes: A
document review and an on-site review. The document review is an
evaluation of the laws, regulations, and other written materials used
by the country to affect its inspection program. FSIS requests that
countries provide information about their inspection systems through
the Self Reporting Tool (SRT). The SRT can be found on the FSIS website
at 2016 Siluriformes SRT. The SRT is a standardized questionnaire that
FSIS provides to foreign governments to gather information that
characterizes foreign inspection systems. Through the SRT, FSIS
collects information on practices and procedures in six areas, known as
equivalence components: (1) Government Oversight (e.g., Organization
and Administration), (2) Government Statutory Authority and Food Safety
and Other Consumer Protection Regulations (e.g., Inspection System
Operation, Product Standards and Labeling), (3) Government Sanitation,
(4) Government HACCP Systems, (5) Government Chemical Residue Testing
Programs, and (6) Government Microbiological Testing Programs. FSIS
evaluates the information submitted to verify that the critical points
in the six equivalence components are addressed satisfactorily with
respect to standards, activities, resources, and enforcement. If the
document review is satisfactory, an on-site review is scheduled using a
multi-disciplinary team to evaluate all aspects of the country's
inspection program. This comprehensive process is described more fully
on the FSIS website at https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/international-affairs/importing-products/equivalence/equivalence-process-overview.
Under the regulations, foreign countries must be listed in the CFR
as eligible to export Siluriformes fish to the United States. FSIS
engages in rulemaking to list a country as eligible. Countries found
eligible to export Siluriformes fish to the United States are listed in
the regulations at 9 CFR 557.26(b)(1). Once listed, the eligible
country is required to certify that establishments meet the
requirements to export Siluriformes fish to the United States and to
ensure that products from these establishments are safe, wholesome, and
not misbranded. To verify that products imported into the United States
are safe, wholesome, and properly labeled and packaged, FSIS conducts
100 percent re-inspection of those products at points-of-entry before
they enter the U.S. commerce.
Evaluation of Thailand's Siluriformes Fish Inspection System
In April 2017, Thailand requested that FSIS conduct a review of its
Siluriformes fish inspection system and submitted the documentation to
formally establish its eligibility to export Siluriformes fish to the
United States. FSIS conducted a document review of Thailand's
Siluriformes fish inspection system to determine whether it was
equivalent to that of the United States. FSIS concluded, based review
of the submitted documentation, that Thailand's laws, regulations,
control programs, and procedures were equivalent to those of the United
States.
Accordingly, in May 2018, FSIS proceeded with an on-site audit of
Thailand's Siluriformes fish inspection system. The purpose of the on-
site audit was to verify that DOF effectively implemented a
Siluriformes fish inspection system equivalent to that of the United
States. FSIS audited each of the four establishments then certified to
export Siluriformes fish to the United States, one pre-harvest
operation, and one cold storage facility. During the visits to the four
establishments, none were producing Siluriformes fish for export to the
United States. However, FSIS auditors were able to conduct observation
of DOF inspection at two of the four establishments and to perform
document reviews.
The May 2018 audit of Thailand's Siluriformes fish inspection
system identified several deficiencies that the DOF was requested to
address. Among other things, the audit found that the DOF did not have
regulatory requirements for establishments to maintain daily records
documenting the monitoring of the Sanitation Standard Operating
Procedures (SOPs), although the establishments did document and
maintain sanitation records. Also, the DOF did not have regulatory
requirements for establishments to develop HACCP verification
procedures for direct observation of monitoring activities and
corrective actions, resulting in no performance of the procedure by the
establishments. Furthermore, because only two out of the four
establishments FSIS visited during the May 2018 audit were operational,
auditors were unable to verify the full implementation of Thailand's
food safety inspections system. At the audit exit meeting, the DOF
committed to addressing the preliminary findings.
On June 27, 2018, FSIS sent the DOF the draft final audit report,
and advised that, in order to verify the full implementation of
Thailand's Siluriformes fish inspection system, it would be necessary
to schedule a follow up on-site visit.
On June 28, 2018, FSIS sent a follow-up letter proposing a follow-
up on-site audit of Thailand's Siluriformes fish inspection system in
August 2018. The letter explained that the objective of the follow-up
audit was to verify any corrective actions or changes to Thailand's
food safety inspection system as a result of the findings of the first
audit and that the scope of the audit would be limited to aspects of
Thailand's national inspection system.
FSIS conducted the follow-up audit between August 27 and 31, 2018,
visiting the three establishments currently certified to export
Siluriformes fish to the United States (Thailand delisted one
establishment prior to the follow-up audit). The follow-up audit
focused on the inspections system's ability to control hazards and
prevent non-compliances that threaten food safety. FSIS auditors
visited all three establishments certified by the DOF to export
products to the United States. During this audit, all certified
establishments were able to perform operations. The FSIS auditors were
able to see production of Siluriformes fish, in addition to the
implementation of corrective actions in response to the deficiencies
found in the May onsite audit.
The FSIS auditors determined that Thailand's food safety inspection
system governing fish of the order Siluriformes and their products are
being implemented as documented in the SRT and according to their
corrective actions responses. A review and analysis of each component
with corrective actions by the FSIS auditors did not identify any
findings representing an immediate threat to public health.
In summary, FSIS has completed the document review, on-site audit,
follow-up audit with verification of corrective actions as part of the
equivalence
[[Page 47535]]
process, and determined that all outstanding issues have been resolved.
FSIS has concluded that, as implemented, Thailand's inspection system
for Siluriformes fish is equivalent to that of the United States. The
full report on Thailand's Siluriformes fish inspection system can be
found on the FSIS website at https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/international-affairs/importing-products/eligible-countries-products-foreign-establishments/foreign-audit-reports/foreign-audit-reports.
At this time, Thailand intends to certify three establishments as
eligible to export Siluriformes fish to the United States. Thailand's
eligibility applies to the export of raw Siluriformes fish only. Should
this rule become final, the government of Thailand must certify to FSIS
those establishments that wish to export Siluriformes fish to the
United States and that operate in accordance with requirements
equivalent to that of the United States (9 CFR 557.2(a)). FSIS will
verify that the establishments certified by Thailand's government are
meeting the United States requirements through verification audits of
Thailand's Siluriformes fish inspection system.
Although a foreign country may be listed in FSIS regulations as
eligible to export Siluriformes fish products to the United States, the
exporting country's products must be found to comply with all other
applicable requirements of the United States. Accordingly, Siluriformes
fish exported from Thailand will continue to be subject to re-
inspection at U.S. points-of-entry for, but not limited to,
transportation damage, product and container defects, labeling, proper
certification, general condition, and accurate count. In addition, FSIS
is, and will continue, to conduct other types of re-inspection
activities, such as taking product samples for laboratory analysis for
the detection of drug and chemical residues, pathogens, species, and
product composition for a subset of Thailand's Siluriformes fish
imported into the United States. Products that pass re-inspection will
be stamped with the official mark of inspection and allowed to enter
U.S. commerce. If they do not meet U.S. requirements, they will be
refused entry and within 45 days must be exported to the country of
origin, destroyed, or converted to animal food (subject to approval of
FDA), depending on the violation. The import re-inspection activities
can be found on the FSIS website at https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/international-affairs/importing-products/phis-import-component/phis-implementation-letter-to-importers/ct_index.
Executive Orders 12866 and 13563, and the Regulatory Flexibility Act
Executive Orders 12866 and 13563 direct agencies to assess all
costs and benefits of available regulatory alternatives and, if
regulation is necessary, to select regulatory approaches that maximize
net benefits (including potential economic, environmental, public
health and safety effects, distributive impacts, and equity). Executive
Order (E.O.) 13563 emphasizes the importance of quantifying both costs
and benefits, of reducing costs, of harmonizing rules, and of promoting
flexibility. This proposed rule has been designated as a ``non-
significant'' regulatory action under section 3(f) of E.O. 12866.
Accordingly, the rule has not been reviewed by the Office of Management
and Budget under E.O. 12866.
Expected Costs of the Proposed Rule
If this rule is finalized, establishments in Thailand would be
listed as eligible to export raw Siluriformes fish to the United
States. Adoption of this rule is not expected to have quantified costs
associated with it because the rule would maintain existing trade
between the United States and Thailand in Siluriformes fish. The United
States has historically imported Siluriformes fish from Thailand. Over
the last 5 years, total sales from Thailand Siluriformes fish imports
only averaged 0.017 percent of U.S. domestic production, and
constituted only 0.009 percent of total United States consumption,
Table 1. In 2016, Thailand exported 3.5 times more Siluriformes fish to
the United States than average, but these exports still accounted for
only 0.027 percent of total domestic consumption, Table 1. These
amounts are unlikely to have any substantive effect on U.S. production
or prices for domestically harvested Siluriformes fish.
Table 1--Summary of Siluriformes Fish Sales
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 year
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 average
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Millions of dollars
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total U.S. Imports \1\............ $363.42 $346.66 $351.13 $405.61 $381.89 $369.74
Total U.S. Domestic Production \2\ 356.73 351.94 363.61 385.99 379.71 367.60
Total U.S. Exports \1\............ 4.69 3.99 4.95 4.80 6.18 4.92
Total U.S. Consumption \3\........ 715.46 694.60 709.79 786.80 755.43 732.41
Total U.S. Imports \1\ from 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.21 0.04 0.06
Thailand.........................
Thailand as % of U.S. Imports..... 0.012% 0.005% 0.003% 0.052% 0.010% 0.017%
Thailand as % of U.S. Domestic 0.012% 0.005% 0.003% 0.054% 0.010% 0.017%
Production.......................
Thailand as % of U.S. Consumption. 0.006% 0.002% 0.002% 0.027% 0.005% 0.009%
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau Trade Data.
\1\ Import and Export Data Accessed from USDA Foreign Agricultural Service: Global Agricultural Trade System:
https://apps.fas.usda.gov/gats/default.aspx.
\2\ U.S. Production Data Accessed from USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service: Quick Stats: https://quickstats.nass.usda.gov/.
\3\ U.S. Consumption data is assumed to equal Imports + Domestic Production-Exports.
Expected Benefits of the Proposed Rule
If finalized, this rule would result in the continued opportunity
for trade between the United States and Thailand. The volume of trade
is likely to continue to be small and is expected to have little or no
effect on U.S. Siluriformes fish production or prices. U.S. consumers,
however, are expected to continue to have access to more choices when
purchasing Siluriformes products. The rule would, therefore, maintain
choices for U.S. consumers and promote economic competition.
Regulatory Flexibility Act Assessment
The FSIS Administrator has made a preliminary determination that
this proposed rule would not have a significant economic impact on a
substantial number of small entities in the United States, as defined
by the
[[Page 47536]]
Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) because, as stated
above, the rule would maintain existing trade.
Executive Order 13771
Consistent with E.O. 13771 (82 FR 9339, February 3, 2017), this
proposed rule facilitates regulatory cooperation with foreign
governments. Therefore, if finalized as proposed, this rule is expected
to be an E.O. 13771 deregulatory action.
Paperwork Reduction Act
No new paperwork requirements are associated with this proposed
rule. Foreign countries wanting to export Siluriformes fish to the
United States are required to provide information to FSIS certifying
that their inspection system provides standards equivalent to those of
the United States, and that the legal authority for the system and
their implementing regulations are equivalent to those of the United
States. FSIS provided Thailand with a questionnaire, referred to as the
self-reporting tool (SRT), asking for detailed information about the
country's inspection practices and procedures to assist that country in
organizing its materials. This information collection was approved
under OMB number 0583-0153. The proposed rule contains no other
paperwork requirements.
E-Government Act
FSIS and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are committed to
achieving the purposes of the E-Government Act (44 U.S.C. 3601, et
seq.) by, among other things, promoting the use of the internet and
other information technologies and providing increased opportunities
for citizen access to Government information and services, and for
other purposes.
Additional Public Notification
Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy
development is important. Consequently, FSIS will announce this Federal
Register publication and officially notify the World Trade
Organization's Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (WTO/
SPS Committee) in Geneva, Switzerland, of this proposal on-line through
the FSIS web page located at: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/federal-register.
FSIS also will make copies of 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. Constituent Updates are 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, Washington, DC 20250-9410.
Fax: (202) 690-7442.
Email: [email protected].
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).
List of Subjects in 9 CFR Part 557
Imported products.
For the reasons set out in the preamble, FSIS is proposing to
further amend 9 CFR part 557, as proposed to be amended elsewhere in
this issue of the Federal Register, as follows:
PART 557--IMPORTATION
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1. The authority citation for part 557 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 21 U.S.C. 601-602, 606-622, 624-695; 7 CFR 2.7, 2.18,
2.53.
Sec. 557.2 [Amended]
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2. Section 557.2 is amended by adding ``Thailand'' in alphabetical
order to the list of countries in paragraph (b)(1).
Paul Kiecker,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2018-20380 Filed 9-14-18; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P