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

The Office of Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) are sponsoring a public meeting on April 7, 2017. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States (U.S.) positions to be discussed at the 38th Session of the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling (CCMAS) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), taking place in Budapest, Hungary, between May 8 and 12, 2017. The Administrator and Acting Deputy Under Secretary, Office of Food Safety, Office of Food Safety and the FDA recognize the importance of providing interested parties with the opportunity to obtain background information on the 38th Session of the CCMAS and to address items on the agenda.

The Office of Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are sponsoring a public meeting on April 4, 2017. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States (U.S.) positions to be discussed at the 49th Session of the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues (CCPR) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), taking place in Beijing, China April 24-29, 2017. The Administrator and Acting Deputy Under Secretary, Office of Food Safety and the EPA recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 49th Session of the CCPR and to address items on the agenda.

Consistent with the memorandum of January 20, 2017, to the heads of executive departments and agencies from the Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff entitled ``Regulatory Freeze Pending Review,'' the Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is extending by 30 days the public comment period for this proposed rule, which was published on January 19, 2017.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing its intention to request a revision of the approved information collection regarding nutrition labeling of the major cuts of single-ingredient raw meat or poultry products and ground or chopped meat and poultry products. OMB approval will expire on May 31, 2017. Based on the latest available data, FSIS has increased its total annual burden estimate by 2,693 hours, to account for an increase in the number of retail operations making products subject to nutrition labeling requirements.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing its intention to collect information from federally-assisted State Meat and Poultry Inspection programs to ensure that their programs operate in a manner that is at least equal to FSIS's Federal inspection program in the protection of public interest; comply with requirements of Federal Civil Rights laws and regulations; meet necessary laboratory quality assurance standards and testing frequencies; and have the capability to perform microbiology and food chemistry methods that are ``at least equal to'' methods performed in the FSIS laboratories.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing its intention to request a revision of the approved information collection regarding the procedures for notifying the Agency about new technology and requests for waivers because the OMB approval will expire on April 30, 2017. Based on the latest available data, FSIS has increased its total annual burden estimate by 9,184 hours to account for in-plant trials, and monthly data collection and recordkeeping for establishments operating under a waiver.

The Office of the Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) are sponsoring a public meeting on January 24, 2017. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States (U.S.) positions that will be discussed at the 25th Session of the Codex Committee on Fats and Oils (CCFO) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), taking place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, February 27-March 3, 2017. The Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety and the FDA recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 25th Session of the CCFO and to address items on the agenda.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is establishing January 1, 2020, as the uniform compliance date for new meat and poultry product labeling regulations that are issued between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2018. FSIS periodically announces uniform compliance dates for new meat and poultry product labeling regulations to minimize the economic impact of label changes.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is soliciting nominations for membership on the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF). There are 15 vacancies. Advisory Committee members serve a two-year term, renewable for two consecutive terms. USDA is seeking nominees with scientific expertise in the fields of microbiology, epidemiology, food technology (food, clinical, and predictive), toxicology, risk assessment, infectious disease, biostatistics, and other related sciences. USDA is seeking nominations for NACMCF from persons in academia, industry, State governments, and the Federal Government, as well as all other interested persons with the required expertise. Please note that federally registered lobbyists cannot be considered for USDA advisory committee membership. USDA is also seeking nominations for one individual affiliated with a consumer group to serve on the NACMCF. This member will serve as a representative member to provide a consumer viewpoint to the committee. This member will not be required to have a scientific background and will not be subject to a conflict of interest review. Members can serve on only one USDA advisory committee at a time. All nominees will undergo a USDA background check. With the exception of the consumer representative member, any member who is not a Federal government employee will be appointed to serve as a non-compensated special government employee (SGE). SGEs will be subject to appropriate conflict of interest statutes and standards of ethical conduct. Nominations for membership on the NACMCF must be addressed to the Secretary of USDA and accompanied by a cover letter addressing the nomination, a resume or curriculum vitae, and a completed USDA Advisory Committee Membership Background Information form AD-755 available online at: https://www.ocio.usda.gov/document/ad-755. A person may self-nominate, or a nomination can be made on behalf of someone else. The resume or curriculum vitae must be limited to five one-sided pages and should include educational background, expertise, and a list of select publications, if available, that confirm the nominee's expertise for this work. For submissions received that are more than five one- sided pages in length, only the first five pages will be reviewed.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is soliciting nominations for membership for the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMPI). The full Committee consists of 20 members, and each person selected is expected to serve a 2-year term. The current Committee consists of 17 members, with 4 members retiring. USDA is soliciting nominations for seven available positions.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) intends to re- establish the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMPI). The purpose of the Committee is to provide advice to the Secretary of Agriculture concerning State and Federal programs with respect to meat, poultry and processed egg products inspection, food safety, and other matters that fall within the scope of the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA), the Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA), and the Egg Products Inspection Act (EPIA).

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing its intention to renew the approved information collection regarding the voluntary cooperative interstate shipment program. The approval for this information collection will expire on January 31, 2017.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is amending its regulations on ante-mortem inspection to remove a provision that permits establishments to set apart and hold for treatment veal calves that are unable to rise from a recumbent position and walk because they are tired or cold. FSIS is also amending its regulations to require all non-ambulatory disabled cattle to be promptly disposed of after they have been condemned. In addition, after review and consideration of comments to the proposed rule, FSIS is amending the regulations by removing a provision that requires ante-mortem inspection to be conducted in pens. This final rule makes clear that FSIS inspectors have the authority to conduct ante-mortem inspection and condemn non- ambulatory disabled veal calves the moment they arrive on the premises of the establishment. These amendments will improve compliance with the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act of 1978 (HMSA) and the humane slaughter implementing regulations. The amendments will also improve the Agency's inspection efficiency by eliminating the time that FSIS inspectors spend re-inspecting non-ambulatory disabled veal calves.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is amending the Federal meat inspection regulations to add Namibia to the list of countries eligible to export meat and meat products to the United States. FSIS has reviewed Namibia's laws, regulations, and inspection system as implemented, and has determined that they are equivalent to the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA), the regulations implementing this statute, and the United States food safety system for meat and meat products. Under this final rule, Namibia will only be able to export to the United States boneless (not ground) raw beef products, such as primal cuts, chuck, blade, and beef trimmings, processed in certified Namibian establishments, because FSIS only assessed Namibia's meat inspection system with respect to these products. Namibia would need to submit additional information for FSIS to review before FSIS would allow Namibia to export other beef product or product from other types of livestock to the United States. All products that Namibia exports to the United States will be subject to reinspection at United States ports-of-entry by FSIS inspectors.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing its intention to renew the approved information collection regarding industry responses to noncompliance records. The approval for this information collection will expire on December 31, 2016.

The Office of the Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), are sponsoring a public meeting on August 1, 2016. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States (U.S.) positions to be discussed at the 28th Session of the Codex Committee on Processed Fruits and Vegetables (CCPFV) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), taking place in Washington, DC, September 12-16, 2016. The Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety and the AMS recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 28th Session of the CCPFV and to address items on the agenda.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is amending the meat and poultry inspection regulations to provide for an electronic export application and certification system. The electronic export application and certification system will be a component of the Agency's Public Health Information System (PHIS). The PHIS Export Component will be available as an alternative to the paper-based export application and certification process. FSIS will charge an application fee to exporters that use the PHIS Export Component. FSIS is establishing a formula for calculating the fee. On an annual basis, the Agency will use the formula to update the fee and publish the new fee in the Federal Register. The updated fee will apply at the start of each calendar year. FSIS is also amending the meat and poultry export regulations to provide flexibility in the requirements for official export inspection marks, devices, and certificates. In addition, FSIS is amending the egg product export regulations to parallel the meat and poultry product export regulations.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing the dollar limitations on the amount of meat and meat food products, poultry, and poultry products that a retail store can sell to hotels, restaurants, and similar institutions without disqualifying itself for exemption from Federal inspection requirements. In accordance with FSIS's regulations, for calendar year 2016, the dollar limitation for meat and meat food products is being increased from $76,900 to $79,200. The new value for the dollar limitation for poultry and poultry products remains unchanged at $58,200. FSIS is changing the dollar limitations from calendar year 2015 based on price changes for these products evidenced by the Consumer Price Index. FSIS has provided an 18-month transitional period for mandatory inspection of Siluriformes fish and fish products. FSIS is currently considering the retail dollar limitations for this product. At this time, FSIS will not apply the meat retail dollar limitations to Siluriformes fish and fish products sold at retail because FSIS is assessing retail and similar institutions that produce this product during the 18-month period and because the Consumer Price Index for meat and meat products does not apply to Siluriformes fish and fish products.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is proposing to add the Republic of Poland (Poland) to the list of countries in the regulations eligible to export poultry products to the United States. FSIS has reviewed Poland's poultry laws, regulations, and inspection system as implemented and has tentatively determined that they are equivalent to the Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA), the regulations implementing this statute, and the U.S. food safety system for poultry. Should this rule become final, slaughtered poultry, or parts or other products thereof, processed in certified Polish establishments, would be eligible for export to the United States. Although Poland may be listed in FSIS's regulations as eligible to export poultry products to the United States, the products must also comply with all other applicable requirements of the United States, including those of USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), before any products can enter the United States. All such products would be subject to re- inspection at U.S. ports-of-entry by FSIS inspectors.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is proposing to add Honduras to the list of countries eligible to export poultry products to the United States. The FSIS review of Honduras' laws, regulations, and inspection system demonstrated that its poultry slaughter inspection system is equivalent to the system FSIS has established under the Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA) and its implementing regulations. At this time, because Honduras advised FSIS that it intends to export raw poultry products, such as whole carcasses, to the United States, FSIS has only assessed Honduras' poultry slaughter establishments. Thus, should this proposed rule become final, Honduras would only be eligible to export raw poultry products to the United States. Should Honduras express interest in exporting processed poultry product, such as cooked or canned product, to the United States, they would need to request an equivalence determination. Honduras would be required to submit additional records for FSIS to review and conduct an audit as appropriate. Under this proposal, slaughtered poultry or parts thereof produced in certified Honduran establishments would be eligible for export to the United States. All such products would be subject to re-inspection at United States ports of entry by FSIS inspectors.

This document announces a change to the date of the public meeting on the Codex Committee on Food Labeling that was announced in the Federal Register of February 26, 2016. The Office of the Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), will convene the public meeting on April 21, 2016. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States (U.S.) positions that will be discussed at the 43rd Session of the Codex Committee on Food Labeling (CCFL) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), taking place in Ottawa, Canada May 9- 13, 2016.