Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)

73 Fed. Reg. 73240 (December 2, 2008) (notice of request for comment). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is requesting public comment on a draft quantitative food safety risk assessment for highly pathogenic avian influenza virus associated with the consumption of poultry products, shell eggs, and egg products. View this document.

73 Fed. Reg. 63425 (October 24, 2008) (notice; request for comments). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is announcing its intention to request an extension of an approved information collection regarding the voluntary recalls from commerce of meat and poultry products because the approval for this information collection is due to expire. View this document.

73 Fed. Reg. 61394 (October 16, 2008) (notice of public meeting; request for comments). This notice announces a public meeting on October 30, 2008 to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States positions that will be discussed at the 40th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. View this document.

73 Fed. Reg. 60228 (October 10, 2008) (notice). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is issuing this notice to initiate a public process to review its policies regarding the approval of animal raising claims in the labeling of meat and poultry products. View this document.

73 Fed. Reg. 60230 (October 10, 2008) (notice). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is announcing that it will hold a public meeting on October 14 and 15, 2008, to discuss sampling and testing procedures for Escherichia coli O157:H7 in beef manufacturing trimmings and draft guidance to industry concerning this pathogen. View this document.

73 Fed. Reg. 54361 (September 19, 2008) (notice). This notice announces a public meeting on September 25, 2008, to discuss the agenda items coming before the 2nd session of the Codex ad hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance and to present draft U.S. positions on the agenda items. View this document.

73 Fed. Reg. 54135 (September 18, 2008) (notice). This notice announces a public meeting on September 24, 2008, to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States positions that will be discussed at the 30th Session of the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses. In addition, a working group will meet to discuss agenda items on the Scientific Basis of Health Claims and Nutrient Reference Values for food labeling purposes, and any other matters related to the World Health Organization's Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health which are under consideration. View this document.

73 Fed. Reg. 53406 (September 16, 2008) (notice). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is announcing that, since January 28, 2008, its laboratories have implemented a revised laboratory methodology for detecting and identifying E. coli O157:H7 in regulatory verification samples. View this document.

73 Fed. Reg. 52903 (September 12, 2008) (final rule) (to be codified at 7 C.F.R. Parts 210 and 220). This final rule implements a legislative provision on milk substitutes that is consistent with current regulations on menu exceptions for students with disabilities and adds requirements for the optional substitution of nondairy beverage for fluid milk for children with medical or special dietary needs in the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program. View this document.

73 Fed. Reg. 52193 (September 9, 2008) (final rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Parts 318, 381, and 439). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is revising, editing, and consolidating provisions of the standards and procedures for the accreditation of non-Federal analytical chemistry laboratories. View this document.

73 Fed. Reg. 52189 (September 9, 2008) (final rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Parts 317, 381, and 442). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is amending its regulations to reference the most recent version of the National Institute of Standards and Technology 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 is also consolidating the separate net weight regulations for meat and poultry products in a new CFR part, applicable to both meat and poultry products. View this document.

73 Fed. Reg. 51899 (September 8, 2008) (final rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Part 381). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is amending the Federal poultry products inspection regulations to provide that turkey slaughter establishments that open turkey carcasses with Bar-type cuts may operate at the maximum line speeds established for J-type cuts if the establishment uses the specific type of shackle described in this final rule. View this document.

73 Fed. Reg. 52001 (September 8, 2008) (notice). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is announcing that it has received a petition from the American Meat Institute to recognize the use of low penetration and low dose electron beam irradiation on the surface of chilled beef carcasses as a processing aid. View this document.

73 Fed. Reg. 51355 (September 3, 2008) (interim final rule; schedule for review under section 610 requirements). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is announcing that it did not conduct a review of the interim final rule, Control of Listeria monocytogenes in Ready-to-Eat Meat and Poultry Products, in 2007 as stated in its amended schedule plan for reviewing regulations under Section 610 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act. The Agency has decided to wait before amending its plan so it can conduct a review of that final rule instead of the interim final rule. View this document.

73 Fed. Reg. 50889 (August 29, 2008) (proposed rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Part 309). FSIS is proposing to amend the Federal meat inspection regulations to remove the provision that states that FSIS inspection personnel will determine the disposition of cattle that become non-ambulatory disabled after they have passed ante-mortem inspection on a case-by-case basis. This proposed rule will require that all cattle that are non-ambulatory disabled at the time they are presented for ante-mortem inspection at an official establishment, and all those that become non-ambulatory disabled after passing ante-mortem inspection, be condemned and properly disposed of. View this document.

73 Fed. Reg. 50701 (August 28, 2008) (interim final rule with request for comments) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Parts 317 and 381). FSIS is conforming its regulations to the Agricultural Marketing Service regulations entitled, "Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling of Beef, Pork, Lamb, Chicken, Goat Meat, Perishable Agricultural Commodities, Peanuts, Pecans, Ginseng, and Macademia Nuts." They will require that a country of origin statement on the label of any meat or poultry product that is a covered commodity and is to be sold by a retailer must comply with AMS' interim final regulations. FSIS is also amending its regulations to provide that the addition of country of origin statements on labels of meat or poultry product covered commodities that are to be sold by covered retailers and that comply with the country of origin labeling requirements will be considered to be generically approved. View this document.

73 Fed. Reg. 49643 (August 22, 2008) (notice). This notice announces that the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods will hold public meetings of the full Committee and Subcommittees on September 22-26, 2008. View this document.

73 Fed. Reg. 48190 (August 18, 2008) (notice). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is announcing that the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection will hold a public meeting on August 27-28, 2008, to review and discuss international equivalence and the approach to verifying the equivalence of foreign food regulatory systems as the means of ensuring the safety of imported food products. View this document.

73 Fed. Reg. 48191 (August 18, 2008) (notice). This notice announces that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is soliciting nominations for membership on the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods. View this document.

73 Fed. Reg. 45937 (August 7, 2008) (notice). This notice announces the re-chartering of the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods by the Secretary of Agriculture on June 5, 2008. View this document.

73 Fed. Reg. 43912 (July 29, 2008) (notice; request for comments). This notice announces a public meeting on August 14th, 2008 to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States positions for the 24th Session of the Codex Committee on Processed Fruits and Vegetables. View this document.

73 Fed. Reg. 40939 (July 17, 2008) (final rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Part 390). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is amending the Federal meat and poultry products inspection regulations to provide that the Agency will make available to the public the names and locations of the retail consignees of meat and poultry products that have been recalled by a federally-inspected meat or poultry establishment if the recalled product has been distributed to the retail level. View this document.

73 Fed. Reg. 36035 (June 25, 2008) (notice). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is soliciting applications for one or more cooperative agreements for a collaborative outreach program on food safety and defense. The program will target Spanish-speaking owners and operators of small and very small establishments producing meat and poultry products. View this document.

73 Fed. Reg. 31950 (June 5, 2008) (notice). This notice informs the public of the sanitary and phytosanitary standard-setting activities of the Codex Alimentarius Commission and provides a list of other standard-setting activities of Codex, including commodity standards, guidelines, codes of practice, and revised texts. This notice seeks comments on standards under consideration and recommendations for new standards. View this document.

73 Fed. Reg. 24039 (May 1, 2008) (notice). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is announcing new dollar limitations on the amount of meat, 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. View this document.

73 Fed. Reg. 22919 (April 28, 2008) (notice). This notice announces a two-day summit that will include a public meeting on May 15, 2008, and an invitation-only simulation exercise on May 16, 2008. The purpose is to have a discussion with stakeholders on improved information sharing and coordination during multi-jurisdictional foodborne outbreak investigations. View this document.

73 Fed. Reg. 21304 (April 21, 2008) (notice). This notice announces a public meeting on April 25, 2008 to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States positions that will be discussed at the 14th Session of the Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables. View this document.

73 Fed. Reg. 18257 (April 3, 2008) (notice). This notice is announcing a public meeting on April 9-10, 2008 to have a discussion with stakeholders on recent spikes in recalls and illnesses related to Escherichia coli O157:H7, provide updates on FSIS initiatives related to E. coli O157:H7, review perspectives, research progress, and build a foundation for establishing solutions to address the challenges this pathogen causes. View this document.

73 Fed. Reg. 11384 (March 3, 2008) (notice). This notice announces a public meeting on March 5, 2008, to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States positions that will be discussed at the 2nd Session of the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. View this document.

73 Fed. Reg. 11385 (March 3, 2008) (notice). This notice announces a public meeting on March 12, 2008, to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States positions that will be discussed at the 40th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Additives of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. View this document.

73 Fed. Reg. 8645 (February 14, 2008) (notice). This notice announces a public meeting on February 28, 2008, to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States positions that will be discussed at the 29th Session of the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which will be held in Budapest, Hungary on March 10-14, 2008. View this document.

73 Fed. Reg. 4767 (January 28, 2008) (notice). This notice announces new policies for the Agency's Salmonella Verification Sampling Program including the publication of certain completed FSIS verification sample set results, a voluntary incentive-based program for meat and poultry establishments to yield data on human illness, and an increase in the use of targeted sampling approaches and collaborative serotype and subtype data. View this document.

73 Fed. Reg. 4516 (January 25, 2008) (notice). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is announcing that the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection will hold a public meeting on February 5-6, 2008, to review and discuss: (1) the planned public health-based slaughter inspection system for young chickens and (2) how a similar approach could be used for inspection in processing and other slaughter establishments. View this document.

73 Fed. Reg. 2441 (January 15, 2008) (notice). This notice announces a public meeting on February 5, 2008, to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States positions that will be discussed at the First Session of Ad Hoc Codex Intergovernmental Task Force on the Processing and Handling of Quick Frozen Foods of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, to be held in Bangkok, Thailand on February 25-29, 2008. View this document.

73 Fed. Reg. 2001 (January 11, 2008) (notice). This notice announces a public meeting on January 16, 2008, to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States positions that will be discussed at the 8th Session of the Codex Committee on Natural Mineral Waters of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, to be held in Lugano, Switzerland on February 11-15, 2008. View this document.

72 Fed. Reg. 62623 (November 6, 2007) (notice). This notice announces that the Secretary of Agriculture signed the charter of the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection on July 25, 2007. View this document.

72 Fed. Reg. 61793 (November 1, 2007) (final rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Part 381). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is adding Chile to the list of countries eligible to export poultry and poultry products to the United States. All such products will be subject to reinspection at United States ports-of-entry by FSIS inspectors. View this document.

72 Fed. Reg. 61324 (October 30, 2007) (notice). The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety and the Agricultural Marketing Service are sponsoring a public meeting on January 17, 2008 to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States positions that will be discussed at the 8th Session of the Codex Committee on Milk and Milk Products. View this document.

72 Fed. Reg. 57285 (October 9, 2007) (notice). This notice announces that the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition and the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will co-sponsor a public meeting to consider the public health significance of non-Escherichia coli O157:H7 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli. on October 17, 2007. View this document.

72 Fed. Reg. 50260 (August 31, 2007) (proposed rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Part 304, 308, 310, 320, 327, 381, 416, and 417). The agency is announcing the availability of its report entitled "Review of the Pathogen Reduction; Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point Systems Final Rule Pursuant to Section 610 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, as Amended." View this document.

72 Fed. Reg. 42375 (August 2, 2007) (notice). The National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection will hold a public meeting on August 8-9, 2007, to review and discuss several issues enumerated in the notice. View this document.

72 Fed. Reg. 41702 (July 31, 2007) (notice). The agency will hold a public meeting to discuss public health based inspection in poultry slaughter to address Campylobacter, Salmonella, and other issues of public health concern. View this document.

72 Fed. Reg. 38700 (July 13, 2007) (final rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Parts 309, 310, and 318). The agency is affirming, with changes, the interim final rule "Prohibition of the Use of Specified Risk Materials for Human Food and Requirements for the Disposition of Non-Ambulatory Cattle," which was published in the Federal Register on January 12, 2004. The Agency is also affirming the interim final rule "Prohibition of the Use of Certain Stunning Devices Used to Immobilize Cattle During Slaughter," also published on January 12, 2004. View this document.

72 Fed. Reg. 38467 (July 13, 2007) (final rule) (ro be codified at 9 C.F.R. Parts 331 and 381). The agency is announcing that it is designating the State of New Mexico as a State to receive Federal inspection with respect to operations and transactions involving meat and poultry products within the State because representatives of the State have requested such designation. View this document.

72 Fed. Reg. 30743 (June 4, 2007) (notice). 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. View this document.

72 Fed. Reg. 30333 (May 31, 2007) (notice). The agency is announcing the availability of an electronic Web-based version of FSIS Form 10,240-1, Production Information on Post-Lethality Exposed Ready-to-Eat Products. View this document.

72 Fed. Reg. 26567 (May 10, 2007) (notice). The agency is providing additional information about the basis on which it has tentatively concluded that Chile's inspection system for poultry and poultry products is equivalent to that of the United States. View this document.

72 Fed. Reg. 16327 (April 4, 2007) (notice). The Food Safety and Inspection will hold a series of public meetings on specific topics relating to risk-based inspection in processing. View this document.

72 Fed. Reg. 15861 (April 4, 2007) (notice). The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, are sponsoring a public meeting on April 10, 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 Thirty- fifth Session of the Codex Committee on Food Labelling of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which will be held in Ottawa, Canada, on April 30-May 4, 2007. View this document.

72 Fed. Reg. 15096 (March 30, 2007) (notice). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is announcing new dollar limitations on the amount of meat and meat food products and poultry products that a retail store can sell to hotels, restaurants, and similar institutions without disqualifying itself for exemption from Federal inspection requirements. View this document.

72 Fed. Reg. 10135 (March 5, 2007) (notice). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is announcing its intention to request a revision of an approved information collection regarding Listeria Control for Ready-to-Eat products to reflect its most recent plant data, which support a finding of fewer total burden hours. View this document.

72 Fed. Reg. 9651 (March 5, 2007) (final rule) (to be codified as 9 C.F.R. Parts 317 and 381). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is establishing January 1, 2010, as the uniform compliance date for new food labeling regulations that are issued between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2008. View this document.

72 Fed. Reg. 8688 (February 27, 2007) (notice). The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, are sponsoring a public meeting on March 8, 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 Thirty-ninth Session of the Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), which will be held in Beijing, China, on April 24-28, 2007. View this document.

72 Fed. Reg. 8293 (February 26, 2007) (proposed rules) (to be codified as 9 C.F.R. Part 381). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is proposing to add Chile to the list of countries eligible to export poultry and poultry products to the United States. View this document.

72 Fed. Reg. 6709 (February 13, 2007) (notice). The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration are sponsoring a public meeting on February 22, 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 Twenty-Eighth Session of the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. View this document.

72 Fed. Reg. 6710 (February 13, 2007) (notice). The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, are sponsoring a public meeting on March 8, 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 First Session of the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which will be held in Beijing, China, on April 16-20, 2007. View this document.

72 Fed. Reg. 6708 (February 13, 2007) (notice). The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture, is sponsoring a public meeting on March 7, 2007 to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States positions that will be discussed at the Twenty-fourth Session of the Codex Committee on General Principles of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which will be held in Paris, France, April 2-6, 2007. View this document.

72 Fed. Reg. 3779 (January 26, 2007) (notice). This notice clarifies that flavor products, e.g., flavor bases, and blended and reaction/process flavors, with greater than 3 percent raw meat or poultry, or 2 percent or more cooked meat or poultry, in their formulation are amenable to Food Safety and Inspection Service jurisdiction. Recent findings show that some manufacturers of flavor products formulated with significant levels of meat, meat byproducts, poultry, and poultry byproducts (e.g., 30-70 percent) are not aware that such products are under FSIS jurisdiction. These manufacturers need to take necessary steps to come under inspection. View this document.

72 Fed. Reg. 2852 (January 23, 2007) (notice). This notice announces that the Food Safety and Inspection Service intends to request a revision of an approved information collection on Pathogen Reduction and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Systems. View this document.

72 Fed Reg. 2257 (January 18, 2007) (notice). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is re-opening and extending the comment period on a petition submitted by Hormel Foods on the voluntary labeling claim "natural" and on the broader question of how to define this claim. The original comment period closed on January 11, 2007. The Agency is taking this action in response to requests that were made at and after a public meeting that the Agency held on December 12, 2006, to discuss both the Hormel petition and issues associated with the claim "natural" in general. View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 75708 (December 18, 2006) (notice). The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 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 of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), which will be held in London, United Kingdom, from February 19-23, 2007. View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 70503 (December 5, 2006) (notice). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is announcing receipt of a petition from Hormel Foods to establish a definition for the voluntary claim "natural" and to delineate the conditions under which the claim can be used on the labels of meat and poultry products. View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 64920 (November 6, 2006) (notice). The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 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 of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which will be held in Houston, Texas, from December 4-9, 2006. View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 63280 (October 30, 2006) (notice). The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, United States Department of Agriculture, and the Food And Drug Administration 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 and present draft U.S. positions on the agenda items. View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 60468 (October 13, 2006) (notice). This notice is announcing the re-chartering of the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods. The Committee is being renewed in cooperation with the Department of Health and Human Services. View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 59005 (October 6, 2006) (final rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Parts 307 and 381). The Food Safety and Inspection Service 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. View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 56469 (September 27, 2006) (notice). The National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection 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. View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 56470 (September 27, 2006) (notice). The Food Safety and Inspection Service will hold a public meeting on October 10-11, 2006, to review and discuss the following issues: (1) Measuring product inherent risk for risk-based inspection, and (2) Measuring establishment risk control for risk-based inspection. In addition, FSIS will begin a discussion on how these two measures of risk might be used to implement a Risk-Based Inspection System. FSIS will use Resolve, a national non-profit organization, to assist with the stakeholder input process. Resolve specializes in mediating, facilitating, and building consensus on solutions to scientifically complex public policy issues, including those in the areas of food safety, agriculture, and public health. View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 53649 (September 12, 2006) (notice). The U.S. Department of Agriculture is soliciting nominations for membership on the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection. View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 53649 (September 12, 2006) (notice). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is reopening and extending the comment period for the 2005 updated Harvard Risk Assessment of bovine spongiform encephalopathy. 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. View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 53077 (September 8, 2006) (notice). This notice announces that the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods will hold public meetings of the full Committee and subcommittees on September 18-22, 2006. The Committee will discuss: (1) Determination of Cooking Parameters for Safe Seafood for Consumers, and (2) Assessment of the Food Safety Importance of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis. View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 49411 (August 23, 2006) (notice). This corrected notice announces that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is soliciting nominations for membership on the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods. View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 48907 (August 22, 2006) (notice). The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are sponsoring a public meeting on September 12, 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 Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which will be held in Chiang Mai, Thailand on October 30-November 3, 2006. View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 46889 (August 15, 2006) (notice). The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Food and Drug Administration, 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, which will be held in Beijing, China from September 18-22, 2006. View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 43958 (August 3, 2006) (final rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Parts 327 and 381). The Food Safety and Inspection Service FSIS is amending 9 C.F.R. Parts 327 and 381 to bring the frequency with which foreign inspection systems are required to make supervisory visits to certified establishments into agreement with the frequency with which the Agency makes supervisory visits to domestic establishments. View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 43433 (August 1, 2006) (notice). The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, United States Department of Agriculture, and the Agricultural Marketing Service 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 of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which will be held in Arlington, VA, on October 16- 21, 2006. View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 43095 (July 31, 2006) (notice). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is reviewing the organization, operations, and services provided by its Technical Service Center (TSC) in Omaha, Nebraska, with the intent of improving TSC programs that provide technical advice, guidance, and information to FSIS personnel, the regulated industry, and the general public. FSIS is particularly interested in improving TSC programs that assist small businesses. View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 42075 (July 26, 2006) (notice). The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, United States Department of Agriculture, and the Agricultural Marketing Service 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 of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, 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. View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 39282 (July 12, 2006) (notice). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is announcing the availability of an updated risk assessment model and report for BSE. The previous risk assessment, released in October 2003, was revised to incorporate information available through December 2003, including the discovery of a BSE-infected cow in Washington State. The revised risk assessment model evaluates the impact of measures implemented after the discovery of the BSE-positive cow and recommendations made by an international BSE panel. FSIS will also hold a technical meeting to discuss the updated risk assessment model and report. View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 38356 (July 6, 2006) (notice). This notice announces the Food Safety and Inspection Service's 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. View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 38130 (July 5, 2006) (notice). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is requesting information on studies related to cross-contamination by bacterial foodborne pathogens of foods that are not likely to undergo cooking or additional cooking in food handling and preparation. Specifically, FSIS is interested in quantitative data obtained by observation of retail (commercial and institutional settings) and home food handlers. View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 33435 (June 9, 2006) (notice). This announcement sets forth an attachment that was inadvertently left out of the notice that published on June 6, 2006 regarding international standard-setting activities. View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 32504 (June 6, 2006) (notice). The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture is sponsoring a public meeting on June 15, 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 29th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, that will be held in Geneva, Switzerland, July 3-7, 2006. View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 31142 (June 1, 2006) (notice). 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. View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 27668 (May 12, 2006) (notice). The National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection will hold a public meeting on May 23-24, 2006 to discuss issues related to building a more robust risk-based inspection system. Subcommittees will also meet on May 23, 2006, to discuss issues covered during the full committee session.     View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 27211 (May 12, 2006) (proposed rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Part 390). The Food Safety and Inspection Service 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.     View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 26677 (May 8, 2006) (final rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Part 417). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is publishing this document to inform establishments that prepare meat and poultry products of the need to ensure that they maintain proper control over the use of ingredients, especially those that present a potential public health concern, and over the ingredient labeling of their products. Establishments should ensure that their systems provide such control as part of their next reassessment of their HACCP systems.     View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 27668 (May 12, 2006) (notice). The National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection will hold a public meeting on May 23-24, 2006 to discuss issues related to building a more robust risk-based inspection system. Subcommittees will also meet on May 23, 2006, to discuss issues covered during the full committee session.     View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 27211 (Ma7y 12, 2006) (proposed rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Part 390). The Food Safety and Inspection Service 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.     View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 26677 (May 8, 2006) (final rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Part 417). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is publishing this document to inform establishments that prepare meat and poultry products of the need to ensure that they maintain proper control over the use of ingredients, especially those that present a potential public health concern, and over the ingredient labeling of their products. Establishments should ensure that their systems provide such control as part of their next reassessment of their HACCP systems.     View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 20867 (April 24, 2006) (final rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Part 381). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is adding the People’s Republic of China to the list of countries eligible to export processed poultry products to the United States.     View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 20041 (April 19, 2006) (proposed rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Parts 317, 381, and 442). 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 Handbook 133, dated January 2005.     View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 20049 (April 19, 2006) (notice). The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, United States Department of Agriculture, and the Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, are sponsoring a public meeting on May 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 Twenty-seventh Session of the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which will be held in Budapest, Hungary, May 15-19, 2006.     View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 17384 (April 6, 2006) (proposed rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Part 390). The Food Safety and Inspection Service 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.       View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 17435 (April 6, 2006) (notice). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is announcing new dollar limitations on the amount of meat and meat food products and poultry products that a retail store can sell to hotels, restaurants, and similar institutions without disqualifying itself for exemption from Federal inspection requirements.       View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 15340 (March 28, 2006) (proposed rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Part 317, 381, and 442). The Food Safety and Inspection Service 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.       View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 12998 (March 15, 2006) (final rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Part 352). This document corrects the preamble to an interim final rule published in the Federal Register on February 8, 2006, 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. This correction states that the FY 2006 Appropriations Act will be in effect until October 1, 2006 (the first day of FY 2007).       View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 13070 (March 15, 2006) (notice). This notice announces that the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods 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.       View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 12998 (March 15, 2006) (final rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Part 352). This document corrects the preamble to an interim final rule published in the Federal Register on February 8, 2006, 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. This correction states that the FY 2006 Appropriations Act will be in effect until October 1, 2006 (the first day of FY 2007).       View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 13070 (March 15, 2006) (notice). This notice announces that the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods 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.       View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 12277 (March 10, 2006) (final rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Part 312). This final rule sets forth that in Title 9 of the Code of Federal Regulations, part 200 to end, revised as of January 1, 2006, the illustration on page 144 contained in Sec. 312.8(a), should be interchanged with the illustration on page 145 contained in Sec. 312.10.       View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 11326 (March 7, 2006) (proposed rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Part 390). The Food Safety and Inspection Service 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.       View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 10468 (March 1, 2006) (notice). The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, United States Department of Agriculture, and the Food And Drug Administration are sponsoring a public meeting on April 7, 2006 to provide draft U.S. positions and receive public comments on agenda items that will be discussed at the 34th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Labelling of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which will be held in Ottawa, Canada on May 1-5, 2006.       View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 9777 (February 27, 2006) (notice). The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture 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 of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which will be held in Paris, France, April 10-14, 2006.       View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 9772 (February 27, 2006) (notice). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is announcing changes in how it uses the results from its Salmonella verification sampling program for meat and poultry establishments to enhance public health protection.       View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 7505 (February 13, 2006) (notice). The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, United States Department of Agriculture, and the Food and Drug Administration, 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, which will be held in The Hague, The Netherlands, on April 24-28, 2006.       View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 7507 (February 13, 2006) (notice). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is announcing that it will hold a public meeting on Salmonella Interventions in Poultry Slaughter and Processing on February 23 and February 24, 2006, in Atlanta, Georgia. The meeting will consist of presentations on research and practical experiences aimed at reducing the presence of Salmonella and other enteric microorganisms in poultry slaughter and processing.       View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 6337 (February 8, 2006) (final rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Part 352). The Food Safety and Inspection Service 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.       View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 4892 (January 31, 2006) (notice). The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA, and the Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, are sponsoring a public meeting on March 14, 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 Seventh Session of the Codex Committee on Milk and Milk Products of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which will be held in Queenstown, New Zealand, March 27-April 1, 2006.       View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 2483 (January 17, 2006) (proposed rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Parts 318, 381, and 439). The Food Safety and Inspection Service 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 are accredited to analyze official meat and poultry samples for specific chemical residues or classes of chemical residues, and moisture, protein, fat, and salt.       View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 2135 (January 13, 2006) (final rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Parts 391, 590, and 592). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is changing the fees that it charges meat and poultry establishments, egg products plants, importers, and exporters for providing voluntary inspection, identification, and certification services; overtime and holiday inspection services; and laboratory services.       View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 1988 (January 12, 2006) (proposed rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Part 392). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is proposing to adopt regulations governing the submission to FSIS of petitions for rulemaking.       View this document.

71 Fed. Reg. 1683 (January 11, 2006) (interim final rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Parts 317 and 381). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is announcing that its regulations will continue to provide that individual meat and poultry products bearing the claim "healthy" (or any other derivative of the term "health") must contain no more than 480 milligrams (mg) of sodium; and that meal-type products bearing the claim "healthy" (or any other derivative of the term "health") must contain no more than 600 mg of sodium. FSIS is deferring indefinitely, until further notice, implementation of the requirements that individual meat and poultry products bearing the claim "healthy" (or any other derivative of the term "health") contain no more than 360 milligrams (mg) of sodium and that meal-type products bearing the claim "healthy" (or any other derivative of the term "health") contain no more than 480 mg of sodium.       View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 74759 (December 16, 2005) (notice). This notice announces the Food Safety and Inspection Service’s intention to request a new information collection regarding the application for the return of exported meat, poultry, and egg products to the United States.       View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 70746 (November 23, 2005) (proposed rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Part 381). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is proposing to add the People's Republic of China to the list of countries eligible to export processed poultry and poultry products to the United States.       View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 70033 (November 21, 2005) (final rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Part 327). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is adding Chile to the list of countries eligible to export meat and meat products to the United States.       View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 67490 (November 7, 2005) (notice). The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Food Safety Inspection Service, in the United States Department of Agriculture, are jointly announcing a public meeting to discuss and solicit information on an approach for providing consistency and predictability with respect to which of the two agencies should have jurisdiction over certain types of food products that contain meat and poultry as ingredients, as well as the opening of a joint agency docket to receive written comments.       View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 62091 (October 28, 2005) (notice). The National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection will hold a public meeting on November 15-16, 2005. At this meeting, the Agency will present and seek input on matters it will address in moving to a more risk-based approach to inspection as well as how to use data to enhance the effectiveness and the efficiency of this approach. Subcommittees will also meet on November 15, 2005, to discuss issues covered during the full committee session.       View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 69784 (October 19, 2005) (notice). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is announcing the availability on its Web site of information regarding new technologies for use in the production of meat, poultry, and egg products that the Agency has received and for which FSIS has written a "No Objection" letter. The Web site will include brief descriptions of the new technologies.       View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 57725 (October 4, 2005) (final rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Part 327). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is adding San Marino to the list of countries eligible to export meat products to the United States.       View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 56624 (September 28, 2005) (notice). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is reminding all poultry slaughter establishments that, under the Poultry Products Inspection Act and Agency regulations, live poultry must be handled in a manner that is consistent with good commercial practices, which means they should be treated humanely. Although there is no specific federal humane handling and slaughter statute for poultry, under the PPIA, poultry products are more likely to be adulterated if, among other circumstances, they are produced from birds that have not been treated humanely, because such birds are more likely to be bruised or to die other than by slaughter.       View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 56626 (September 28, 2005) (notice). The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, United States Department of Agriculture, and the Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, are sponsoring a public meeting on November 10, 2005. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft U.S. positions that will be discussed at the 14th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which will be held in Melbourne, Australia, November 28-December 2, 2005. The Under Secretary for Food Safety and FDA recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 14th Session of CCFICS and to address items on the agenda.       View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 54894 (September 19, 2005) (notice). This notice announces that the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods will hold public meetings of the full Committee and subcommittees on September 26-29, 2005. The Committee will discuss: (1) Consumer guidelines for the safe cooking of poultry products, (2) analytical utility of Campylobacter methodologies, and (3) determination of cooking parameters for safe seafood for consumers.       View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 53582 (September 9, 2005) (proposed rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Part 381). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is proposing to amend the Federal poultry products inspection regulations to provide that turkey slaughter establishments that open turkey carcasses with Bar-type cuts may operate at the maximum line speeds established for J-type cuts, if the establishment uses the specific type of shackle described in this proposed rule.       View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 53617 (September 9, 2005) (notice). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is announcing that it will hold a public meeting on September 29-30, 2005, in Miami, Florida, to review and discuss the progress made by the Food Safety Institute of the Americas.       View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 53043 (September 7, 2005) (final rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Parts 310 and 318). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is amending its interim final rule, "Prohibition of the Use of Specified Risk Materials for Human Food and Requirements for the Disposition of Non- Ambulatory Cattle," published in the Federal Register on January 12, 2004. The amendments permit beef small intestine, excluding the distal ileum, to be used for human food, provided that such product is derived from cattle that were slaughtered in an official establishment in the United States or in a certified foreign establishment from a foreign country that is eligible to export beef products to the United States.       View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 47147 (August 12, 2005) (proposed rule) (to be codified at 9 CFR Parts 304, 308, 310, 320, 327, 381, 416, and 417). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is conducting a review of the regulations established by the Pathogen Reduction/Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point final rule under Section 610 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, as amended. These provisions require that all Federal agencies review existing regulations that have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities to determine whether the associated impact can be minimized. FSIS is seeking comment from the public, especially from small meat and poultry establishments, on the regulations established by the Pathogen Reduction; Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point Systems final rule.       View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 46809 (August 11, 2005) (notice). The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, United States Department of Agriculture, and the Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, are sponsoring a public meeting on October 18, 2005. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft U.S. positions that will be discussed at the 27th Session of the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which will be held in Bonn, Germany, November 21-25, 2005.       View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 46132 (August 9, 2005) (notice). The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, United States Department of Agriculture, and the Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, are sponsoring a public meeting on August 30, 2005, to provide draft U.S. positions and receive public comments on agenda items that will be discussed at the Fifth Session of the Codex ad hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Foods Derived from Biotechnology of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which will be held in Chiba, Japan, September 19-23, 2005.       View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 44544 (August 3, 2005) (notice). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is announcing that it will hold a public meeting on Advances in Pre-Harvest Reduction of Salmonella in Poultry on August 25 and August 26, 2005, in Athens, Georgia. The meeting will consist of presentations on research and practical experiences aimed at reducing Salmonella at the poultry production level, before poultry reaches federally inspected plants. This meeting is the first in a series of public meetings that FSIS intends to hold to discuss new approaches for strengthening food safety.       View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 44324 (August 2, 2005) (notice). This notice announces the Food Safety and Inspection Service's intention to request a new information collection regarding the voluntary recalls from commerce of meat and poultry products.       View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 41635 (July 20, 2005) (proposed rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Parts 391, 590, and 592). The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is proposing to change the fees that it charges meat and poultry establishments, egg products plants, importers, and exporters for providing voluntary inspection, identification and certification services, overtime and holiday inspection services, and laboratory services. The FSIS is also proposing to increase the annual fee for its Accredited Laboratory Program.       View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 39233 (July 7, 2005) (notice). This notice announces that the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods will hold public meetings of the full Committee and subcommittees on July 12-15, 2005. The Committee will discuss: (1) Analytical utility of Campylobacter methodologies, (2) Determination of cooking parameters for safe seafood for consumers, and (3) Consumer guidelines for the safe cooking of poultry products.       View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 35165 (June 17, 2005) (final rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Part 381). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is amending the poultry products inspection regulations by terminating the designation of the State of North Dakota under sections 1 through 4, 6 through 10, 11(b), 11(c), and 12 through 22 of the Poultry Products Inspection Act.       View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 34627 (June 15, 2005) (final rule) (to be codified at 7 C.F.R. Parts 210 and 220). This interim rule reflects amendments made by section 111 of the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 which require schools participating in the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program to increase the number of food safety inspections from the one inspection currently required to two inspections per year; to post the most recent inspection report in a visible location; and to release a copy of the report to members of the public upon request. This interim rule also reflects the statutory amendment which requires State agencies to annually monitor schools' compliance with the inspection requirement (through a consolidated report from the school food authority), and to submit a report on the results of the review to the Food and Nutrition Service.       View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 33803 (June 10, 2005) (final rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Parts 319 and 381). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is amending the Federal meat and poultry products inspection regulations to establish a general definition and standard of identity for standardized meat and poultry products that have been modified to qualify for use of an expressed nutrient content claim in their product names.       View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 31413 (June 1, 2005) (notice). The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture 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.       View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 31414 (June 1, 2005) (notice). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is announcing the availability of two question and answer 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"). 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.       View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 30923 (May 31, 2005) (notice). The National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMPI) will hold a public meeting on June 16-17, 2005, to review and discuss the following issues: (1) How can FSIS best share information on new technology with small and very small plants? (2) What guidance can be provided to industry to ensure that plants hold product when FSIS tests product for an adulterant? (3) How can risk based sampling most effectively be conducted in small and very small plants?       View this document.

69 Fed. Reg. 30675 (May 27, 2005) (notice). This notice informs the public of the sanitary and phytosanitary standard-setting activities of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, 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.       View this document.

69 Fed. Reg. 30331 (May 26, 2005) (final rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Part 417). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is publishing this notice to inform establishments that produce mechanically tenderized beef products that their next annual HACCP plan reassessment for these products must take into account the fact that there have been three relatively recent Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7 outbreaks associated with consumption of mechanically tenderized beef. This requirement applies to HACCP plan reassessments for raw and cooked mechanically tenderized beef products, including such products that are injected with marinade (or ``enhanced'' products).       View this document.

69 Fed. Reg. 29214 (May 20, 2005) (proposed rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Part 410). The Food Safety and Inspection Service and the Food and Drug Administration are proposing to establish a set of general principles for food standards. The adherence to these principles will result in standards that will better promote honesty and fair dealing in the interest of consumers and protect the public, allow for technological advances in food production, be consistent with international food standards to the extent feasible, and be clear, simple, and easy to use for both manufacturers and the agencies that enforce compliance with the standards.       View this document.

69 Fed. Reg. 24485 (May 10, 2005) (proposed rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Part 327). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is proposing to add Chile to the list of countries eligible to export meat and meat products to the United States.       View this document.

70 Fed. Reg 21731 (April 28, 2005)(notice). This notice announces the Food Safety and Inspection Service's intention to request a new information collection regarding its Consumer Complaint Monitoring System web portal and its electronic Food Safety Mobile questionnaire.       View this document.

69 Fed. Reg. 19920 (April 15, 2005) (notice). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is announcing new dollar limitations on the amount of meat and meat food products and poultry products that a retail store can sell to hotels, restaurants, and similar institutions without disqualifying itself for exemption from Federal inspection requirements.       View this document.

69 Fed. Reg. 19920 (April 15, 2005) (notice). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is announcing a series of workshops from May through June 2005, to discuss food security awareness, the FSIS Industry Self-Assessment Checklist for Food Security, food security plans, and FSIS Directive 5420.1, Revision 1, Food Security Verification Procedures.       View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 17644 (April 7, 2005) (notice). The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, United States Department of Agriculture, and the Food and Drug Administration, United States Department of Health and Human Services, are sponsoring a public meeting on April 7, 2005, to provide information and receive public comments on the draft U.S. responses to Codex Circular Letter CL 2005/2-FBT: Proposals for new work to be undertaken by the Codex Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Foods Derived from Biotechnology.       View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 12647(March 15, 2005) (notice). The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, United States Department of Agriculture, and the Food and Drug Administration, United States Department of Health and Human Services, are sponsoring a public meeting on April 26, 2005, to provide draft U.S. positions and receive public comments on agenda items that will be discussed at the 33rd Session of the Codex Committee on Food Labelling of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which will be held in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, May 9-13, 2005.       View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 12646(March 15, 2005) (notice). The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, United States Department of Agriculture, and the Food and Drug Administration, United States Department of Health and Human Services, are sponsoring a public meeting on March 29, 2005, to provide draft U.S. positions and receive public comments on agenda items that will be discussed at the 22nd Session of the Codex Committee on General Principles of the Codex Alimentarius Commission.       View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 12420 (March 14, 2005) (proposed rule) (to be codified at 9 C.F.R. Part 381). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is proposing to amend the poultry products inspection regulations by terminating the designation of the State of North Dakota under sections 1 through 4, 6 through 10, 11(b), 11(c), and 12 through 22 of the Poultry Products Inspection Act. The Commissioner of Agriculture of the State of North Dakota has advised this Department that effective November 8, 2004, the State will be in a position to administer a State poultry inspection program that includes requirements that are at least equal to those imposed under the Federal poultry products inspection program.       View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 10591 (March 4, 2005) (notice). The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is requesting comments and scientific data and information that would assist the agency in its plans to conduct a risk assessment for Listeria monocytogenes in smoked finfish (smoked finfish risk assessment), and evaluate the provisions of the 2001 Food Code that address preventive controls for L. monocytogenes in retail and foodservice establishments. View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 9515 (February) 28, 2005 (final rule) (to be codified at 21 C.F.R. Part 526). The Food and Drug Administration is amending the animal drug regulations to reflect approval of a new animal drug application filed by Pharmacia & Upjohn Co., a Division of Pfizer, Inc. The NADA provides for the veterinary prescription use of ceftiofur hydrochloride suspension, by intramammary infusion, for the treatment of clinical mastitis in lactating dairy cattle. View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 5413 (February 2, 2005) (notice). The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, United States Department of Agriculture, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), United States Department of Health and Human Services, are sponsoring a public meeting on March 15, 2005, to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items that will be discussed at the Twenty-sixth Session of the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 4812 (January 31, 2005) (notice). The Food Safety and Inspection Service is providing notice that it will not provide reimbursable voluntary inspection, certification, and identification services to persons who have delinquent accounts. FSIS charges fees for a variety of voluntary reimbursable inspection, certification, and identification services that it provides to official establishments and plants and non-official establishments, e.g., warehouses, importers, and exporters. View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 4813 (January 31, 2005) (notice). 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 February 1, 2005, to provide information and receive public comments on all agenda items that will be discussed at the Nineteenth Session of the Codex Committee on Fats and Oils of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 4814 (January 31, 2005) (notice). 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 February 9, 2005, to provide information and receive public comments on all agenda items that will be discussed at the Twenty-seventh Session of the Codex Committee on Fish and Fishery Products of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 4087 (January 28, 2005) (notice). The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, United States Department of Agriculture, and the Food and Drug Administration, United States Department of Health and Human Services, are sponsoring a public meeting on March 9, 2005, to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items that will be discussed at the Thirty-seventh Session of the Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants, which will be held in The Hague, The Netherlands, on April 25-29, 2005. View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 2995 (January 19, 2005) (notice). The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, United States Department of Agriculture, is sponsoring a public meeting on January 21, 2005, to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items that will be discussed at the Eleventh Session of the Codex Committee on Meat Hygiene. View this document.

70 Fed. Reg. 2842 (January 18, 2005) (notice). The Office of the Acting Under Secretary for Food Safety, United States Department of Agriculture, and the Food and Drug Administration, United States Department of Health and Human Services, are sponsoring a public meeting on February 2, 2005, to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items that will be discussed at the Thirty-seventh Session of the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. View this document.