Food Safety and Inspection Service March 29, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing the availability of and requesting comments on a draft compliance guide for U.S. importers and brokers on the electronic filing of import inspection applications for certain meat, poultry, and egg products through the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE). ACE is the Web- based portal for the collection and use of international trade data maintained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). FSIS is also announcing a pilot program intended to test the transfer of data from the Participating Government Agency (PGA) Message Set in ACE to FSIS's Web-based data analytics system, the Public Health Information System (PHIS). The PGA Message Set is the data that CBP will collect electronically from U.S. importers and brokers from PGAs. This data will enable agencies to make decisions about which products can come into the U.S. without the multiple paper forms currently used. FSIS encourages U.S. importers and brokers to review the draft compliance guide and, if they are interested, to request participation in FSIS's pilot program. The Agency will consider all comments submitted and will revise the draft compliance guide as necessary.