Food Safety and Inspection Service 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), are sponsoring a public meeting on January 23, 2007. 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 Twentieth Session of the Codex Committee on Fats and Oils (CCFO) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), which will be held in London, United Kingdom, from February 19-23, 2007. The Under Secretary for Food Safety and FDA recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 20th Session of CCFO and to address items on the agenda.

The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), are sponsoring a public meeting on November 9, 2006. 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 Thirty-eighth Session of the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (CCFH) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), which will be held in Houston, Texas, from December 4-9, 2006. The Under Secretary for Food Safety and FDA recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 38th Session of CCFH and to address items on the agenda.

The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Food And Drug Administration (FDA) are sponsoring a public meeting on November 14, 2006 to discuss the agenda items coming before the Sixth Session of the Codex ad hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Foods Derived from Biotechnology (FBT) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex) and present draft U.S. positions on the agenda items. The Sixth Session of the FBT will be held in Chiba, Japan, November 27-December 1, 2006. The Under Secretary and FDA recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to comment on the agenda items that will be debated at this forthcoming Session of the FBT.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is publishing this notice to inform federally-inspected meat and poultry establishments that the Agency has determined that, under certain circumstances, the installation of a satellite dish on establishment premises by the Agency is essential to the efficient conduct of inspection. FSIS is also advising these establishments that, where these circumstances exist, FSIS expects that the establishments will provide space on their premises for FSIS to install a satellite dish. Because the use of information technology has become an integral part of FSIS' inspection process, FSIS has determined that inspection personnel must have reliable, high-speed Internet access to more efficiently and effectively perform their duties. The Agency intends to use satellite technology to provide high-speed Internet access to inspection personnel in approximately 2000 establishments nationwide.

The National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMPI) will hold a public meeting on October 12-13, 2006, to review and discuss the following issues: (1) Using Risk to Direct In-Plant Inspection Activities in Processing Assignments, and (2) Using Risk in Slaughter Operations. Two subcommittees will also meet on October 12, 2006, to work on these issues after discussion during the full committee session.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is reopening and extending the comment period for the 2005 updated Harvard Risk Assessment of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). The original comment period closed on August 11, 2006. The Agency is taking this action in response to a comment that was submitted after the Agency held its July 25, 2006, technical meeting to provide information on the updated risk assessment model and report.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) published a document in the Federal Register on June 23, 2006, concerning Nominations for Membership on the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF). Correction: In the Federal Register of June 23, 2006, Volume 71, Number 121, on page 36056, the last paragraph of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section states that ``Members (of the committee) are required to attend all meetings in- person as this is necessary for the functioning of the advisory committee.'' As a point of clarification, the physical presence of members at subcommittee working groups and at plenary sessions is critical to the continued success of the work of NACMCF. However, we realize that unexpected events or extenuating circumstances (e.g., a personal or family emergency) may result in a member's inability to attend a meeting in-person, and that attendance through teleconferencing may be necessary. Since this has been a less than optimal means to contribute to the work of the committee, members should make efforts to attend all meetings to the extent that it is possible to do so. In-person attendance is expected but is not a requirement. The Agency is publishing this corrected notice and is accepting nominations 30 calendar days from the date of the publication of this corrected notice. FSIS is republishing in this notice the entire contents from the prior Federal Register notice published on June 23, 2006Nominations for Membership on the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods. The only changes in this correction notice are about the in-person attendance of NACMCF members at NACMCF meetings and the date for accepting nominations. This corrected notice announces that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is soliciting nominations for membership on the NACMCF. Nominations for membership are being sought from individuals with scientific expertise in the fields of epidemiology, food technology, microbiology (food, clinical, and predictive), risk assessment, infectious disease, biostatistics, and other related sciences. Persons from State and Federal governments, industry, consumer groups, and academia, as well as all other interested persons, are invited to submit nominations. Members who are not federal government employees will be appointed to serve as non-compensated special government employees (SGEs). SGEs will be subject to appropriate conflict of interest statutes and standards of ethical conduct. The nominee's typed resume or curriculum vitae must be limited to five one-sided pages and should include educational background, expertise, and a select list of publications. For submissions received that are more than five one-sided pages in length, only the first five pages will be considered.

The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, are sponsoring a public meeting on September 6, 2006. 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 Committee on Fish and Fishery Products (CCFFP) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), which will be held in Beijing, China from September 18-22, 2006. The Under Secretary for Food Safety and FDA recognize the importance of providing interested parties with the opportunity to obtain background information on the 28th Session of the CCFFP and to address items on the agenda.

The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) are sponsoring a public meeting on September 7, 2006 to provide draft U.S. positions and receive public comments on agenda items that will be discussed at the 23rd Session of the Codex Committee on Processed Fruits and Vegetables (CCPFV) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), which will be held in Arlington, VA, on October 16- 21, 2006. The Under Secretary and AMS recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to comment on the agenda items that will be debated at this forthcoming Session of the CCPFV.

The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) are sponsoring a public meeting on August 3, 2006 to provide draft U.S. positions and receive public comments on agenda items that will be discussed at the 13th Session of the Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (CCFFV) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), which will be held in Mexico City, Mexico, on September 25-29, 2006. The Under Secretary and AMS recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to comment on the agenda items that will be debated at this forthcoming Session of the CCFFV.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, this notice announces the Food Safety and Inspection Service's (FSIS) intention to request a new information collection regarding data on meat, poultry, exotic animal, and rabbit slaughter for the Agency's electronic Animal Disease Reporting System.

This notice announces that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is soliciting nominations for membership on the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF). Nominations for membership are being sought from individuals with scientific expertise in the fields of epidemiology, food technology, microbiology (food, clinical, and predictive), risk assessment, infectious disease, biostatistics, and other related sciences. Persons from State and Federal governments, industry, consumer groups, and academia, as well as all other interested persons, are invited to submit nominations. Members who are not Federal government employees will be appointed to serve as non-compensated special government employees (SGEs). SGEs will be subject to appropriate conflict of interest statutes and standards of ethical conduct. The nominee's typed resume or curriculum vitae must be limited to five one-sided pages and should include educational background, expertise, and a select list of publications. For submissions received that are more than five one-sided pages in length, only the first five pages will be considered.

This is an attachment that was inadvertently left out of the notice that published on June 6, 2006. (71 FR 32504). For the readers convenience this goes with Attachment 1.

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, Public Law 103- 465, 108 Stat. 4809. 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 the time periods from June 1, 2005, to May 31, 2006, and June 1, 2006, to May 31, 2007, seeks comments on standards currently under consideration and recommendations for new standards.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is reopening and extending the comment period for the proposed rulemaking ``Availability of Lists of Retail Consignees During Meat or Poultry Product Recalls,'' which closed on May 8, 2006. This action is based upon requests made by individuals who attended the Agency's April 24, 2006, public meeting to solicit comments on the proposal.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is adding the People's Republic of China to the list of countries eligible to export processed poultry products to the United States. Reviews of the People's Republic of China's laws, regulations, and other materials show that its poultry processing system includes requirements equivalent to the provisions of the Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA) and its implementing regulations. Processed poultry products from the People's Republic of China may be imported into the United States only if they are processed in certified establishments in the People's Republic of China from poultry slaughtered in certified slaughter establishments in other countries eligible to export poultry to the United States. China is not currently eligible to export poultry products to the United States that include birds that were slaughtered in China's domestic establishments. All poultry products exported from China must comply with all other U.S. requirements, including the restrictions under the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). All poultry products exported from the People's Republic of China to the United States will be subject to reinspection at the U.S. ports of entry by FSIS inspectors as required by law.

This document corrects the preamble and regulatory text to a proposed rule published in the Federal Register of March 28, 2006, concerning net weight compliance for meat and poultry products. These corrections reference the revised version of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Handbook 133, dated January 2005. The March 28, 2006, proposed rule incorrectly referenced the NIST Handbook 133, dated January 2002. The standards in the January 2005 NIST Handbook 133 that are being proposed to be incorporated by reference in FSIS' meat and poultry inspection regulations remain substantively unchanged from those currently incorporated by reference in FSIS' regulations and are no different than the standards in the January 2002 version.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) will hold a public meeting to solicit comments on its proposal to make available to the public lists of the retail consignees of meat and poultry products that have voluntarily been recalled by a federally inspected meat or poultry establishment if product has been distributed to the retail level. FSIS has proposed to routinely post these retail consignee lists on its Web site as they are developed by the Agency during its recall verification activities. There will be a five-minute time limit for each commenter who presents at the meeting.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is proposing to amend the Federal meat and poultry products inspection regulations in order that they reference the revised version of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Handbook 133 that contains standards for determining the reasonable variations allowed for the declared net weight on labels of immediate containers of meat and poultry products; the procedures to be used to determine the net weight and net weight compliance of meat and poultry products; and related definitions. The Agency also is proposing to consolidate the separate net weight regulations for meat and poultry products in a new CFR part, applicable to both meat and poultry products.

This notice announces that the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) will hold public meetings of the full Committee and subcommittees on March 21-24, 2006. The Committee will discuss: (1) Determination of Cooking Parameters for Safe Seafood for Consumers, (2) Consumer Guidelines for the Safe Cooking of Poultry Products, and (3) Assessment of the Food Safety Importance and Public Health Significance of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is proposing to amend the federal meat and poultry products inspection regulations to provide that the Agency will make available to the public lists of the retail consignees of meat and poultry products that have been voluntarily recalled by a federally inspected meat or poultry products establishment if product has been distributed to the retail level. FSIS is proposing to routinely post these retail consignee lists on its Web site as they are developed by the Agency during its recall verification activities. FSIS is proposing this action because it believes that the efficiency of recalls will be improved if there is more information available as to where products that have been recalled were sold. By providing consumers more information about the locations where recalled products have been sold, FSIS believes that consumers will be more likely to identify and return such products to those locations or to dispose of them. This action will apply only to meat and poultry products.

The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is sponsoring a public meeting on March 21, 2006. 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 23rd Session of the Codex Committee on General Principles (CCGP) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), which will be held in Paris, France, April 10-14, 2006. The Under Secretary for Food Safety recognizes the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 23rd Session of CCGP and to address items on the agenda.

The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), United States Department of Health and Human Services, are sponsoring a public meeting on March 6, 2006, to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items that will be discussed at the meeting of the Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants (CCFAC), which will be held in The Hague, The Netherlands, on April 24-28, 2006. The Under Secretary and FDA recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the agenda items that will be discussed at this forthcoming session of the CCFAC.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is amending the Federal meat inspection regulations to provide for a voluntary fee-for- service program under which official establishments that slaughter horses will be able to apply for and pay for ante-mortem inspection. The fiscal year (FY) 2006 Appropriations Act prohibits the use of appropriated funds to pay the salaries or expenses of FSIS personnel to conduct ante-mortem inspection of horses. The Joint Explanatory Statement of the Committee of Conference on the FY 2006 appropriations bill for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, however, provides that the Department of Agriculture is obliged to provide for inspection of meat for human consumption. FSIS is establishing this fee-for-service program under the Agricultural Marketing Act (AMA). Post-mortem inspection and other inspection activities authorized by the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) at official establishments that slaughter horses would continue to be paid for with appropriated funds, except for overtime or holiday inspection services.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is proposing to revise, edit, and consolidate provisions of the standards and procedures for the accreditation of non-Federal analytical chemistry laboratories. Laboratories in the Accredited Laboratory Program (ALP) are accredited to analyze official meat and poultry samples for specific chemical residues or classes of chemical residues, and moisture, protein, fat, and salt. In particular, FSIS is proposing to amend its current regulations regarding the accreditation of non- Federal analytical chemistry laboratories to accommodate the adoption of newer methods for analyzing chemical residues and to correct some data. In addition, FSIS is proposing to make editorial changes to its accredited laboratory regulations to reflect Agency reorganizations and program changes and to improve the clarity and consistency of application for all laboratories participating in the ALP. Finally, FSIS is proposing to consolidate the accredited laboratory regulations from 9 CFR Part 318.21 of the meat inspection regulations and 9 CFR Part 381.153 of the poultry products inspection regulations into a single new part, 9 CFR Part 439, that is applicable to both meat and poultry establishments. Along with the consolidation, redundancies within the regulations have been reduced, with the net result being a more succinct set of regulations.