Department of Agriculture June 1, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is sponsoring a public meeting on June 9, 2005. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States' positions that will be discussed at the 28th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) to be held in Rome, Italy, July 4-9, 2005. The Under Secretary for Food Safety recognizes the importance of providing interested parties with the opportunity to obtain background information on the 28th Session of CAC and to address items on the agenda.

This order amends certain features of the pooling standards and transportation credit provisions of the Upper Midwest (UMW) milk marketing order on an interim basis. More than the required number of producers in the UMW marketing area have approved the issuance of the interim order as amended.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service is announcing the availability of two question and answer (Q&A) documents concerning FSIS Directives 5000.2 (``Review of Establishment Data by Inspection Program Personnel''), 6420.2 (``Verification of Procedures for controlling Fecal Material, Ingesta, and Milk in Slaughter Operations''), and 10,010.1, Revision 1 (``Microbiological Testing Program and Other Verification Activities for Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Raw Ground Beef Products and Raw Ground Beef Components and Beef Patty Components'') (see ADDRESSES). The Agency is announcing the availability of these documents now because they contain information about Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7, which is particularly relevant at this time because the United States is in the seasonal period when the prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 may be higher than during other times of the year.

GIPSA requests comments on the applicants for designation to provide official services in the geographic area currently assigned to the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (Wisconsin).

The designations of the official agencies listed below will end in December 2005. Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) is asking persons interested in providing official services in the areas served by these agencies to submit an application for designation. GIPSA is also asking for comments on the quality of services provided by these currently designated agencies: Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (Alabama); Kankakee Grain Inspection, Inc. (Kankakee); Springfield Grain Inspection, Inc. (Springfield); and Washington Department of Agriculture (Washington).