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Comment Period Extended for Modernization of Poultry Slaughter Inspection Proposed Rule
FSIS announced yesterday that it will extend the comment period 30 days for a proposed rule to modernize the way
young chickens and turkeys are inspected. The original deadline to submit comments was April 26; the new deadline
to receive comments is 30 days after the notice announcing the extension publishes in the Federal Register. The
request to extend the comment period was made by constituents and the agency agreed.
The notice clarifies answers to questions from several groups; the posting of those answers ensures that the groups
and the public have access to the same information. The notice also specifies that FSIS is seeking information and
data on potential impacts of line speed on worker safety.
The notice announcing the extension will be posted on the FSIS website at
www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations_&_policies/
Proposed_Rules/index.asp
and will publish in the Federal Register.
Comments may be submitted through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov,
or by mail to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), FSIS, Docket Clerk, Patriots Plaza III, 355 E. St S.W.,
8-163A, Mailstop 3782, Washington, DC 20250-3700. All items submitted by mail or electronic mail must include the
agency name and docket number, which will be assigned when it is published in the Federal Register.
FSIS Posts Fourth Quarter Salmonella and Campylobacter Report
Today, the agency posted on its website the fourth quarterly progress report of calendar year (CY) 2011 on
Salmonella testing of selected raw meat and poultry products.
This report provides preliminary data from October to December 2011, on all establishments eligible for Salmonella
testing that have completed at least two sampling verification sets since June 2006.
As of December 2011, of all establishments in all product classes, 84.5 percent are in category 1, which
illustrates a slight decrease from third quarter CY11.
From 137 broiler establishments, 1,537 samples were analyzed with a 4.3 percent positive rate, representing a
decrease from the 8.2 percent positive rate for third quarter CY11. This table lists percentages of broiler
establishments by category as of December 2011.
| Plant Category |
Category 1 |
Category 2T |
Category 2 |
Category 3 |
| Percentage of Broiler Establish- ments |
87 |
4 |
9 |
0 |
FSIS continues to post monthly the names of broiler establishments demonstrating variable or inconsistent process
control. The agency highlights performance for the broiler class because of its negative impact on foodborne illness.
Since April 2008, FSIS has been posting category 2 and category 3 broiler carcass establishment names. FSIS is not
currently posting names for turkey carcass establishments because this product class is meeting the criteria of at
least 90 percent of all establishments in category 1 and no establishments in category 3.
FSIS will continue to post monthly the names of poultry establishments demonstrating variable or inconsistent process
control.
The complete report and program details are at www.fsis.usda.gov/Science/
Quarterly_Salmonella_Results/index.asp.
Note: This is also the second quarter to include Campylobacter sampling results for young chicken
and turkey carcasses. A follow-up Constituent Update will be issued to discuss these results in greater detail as
more data becomes available.
Export Requirement Updates
The Library of Export Requirements has been updated to reflect changes in export requirements for the following countries:
- Bahrain
- Indonesia
- Kuwait
- Oman
- Qatar
- Republic of Korea
- Saudi Arabia
- United Arab Emirates
Complete information can be found at
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations_&_Policies/
Export_Information/index.asp.
NACMCF Subcommittee to Hold Public Meetings
The National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods, Subcommittee on Control Strategies for
Reducing Foodborne Norovirus Infections will meet May 8 through May 10, to discuss improving control of the
transmission of foodborne Human Noroviruses (HuNoV).
The group will consider HuNoV incidence of infection, attribution in foods, detection methodology as well as the
most effective control practices and interventions.
The meetings will take place Tuesday, May 8, through Thursday May 10, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Patriots
Plaza III, Rm 9-131, 355 E St., S.W., Washington D.C. 20024. Due to increased security measures, all persons
wishing to attend must RSVP in advance. To register, contact Karen Thomas-Sharp at (202) 690-6620 or
karen.thomas-sharp@fsis.usda.gov.
Seeking Nominations
USDA is seeking applications and nominations for membership to the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological
Criteria for Foods. Membership is encouraged for individuals with scientific expertise in the fields of epidemiology,
food technology, microbiology (food, clinical and predictive), risk assessment, infectious disease, biostatistics
and other related sciences.
For consideration, submit a resume and USDA Advisory Committee Membership Background Information form AD-755. 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. For submissions received that are more than five, one-sided pages
in length, only the first five pages will be reviewed. USDA Advisory Committee Membership Background Information
form AD-755 is available at http://www.ocio.usda.gov/forms/doc/AD-755.pdf.
Nomination packages can be mailed to Secretary Tom Vilsack, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Ave., S.W., Washington,
D.C. 20250, Attn: National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods. Nominations must be received by April 23. Self
nominations are also welcome.
For additional information, contact Karen Thomas-Sharp, Advisory Committee Specialist, at (202) 690-6620 or
karen.thomas-sharp@fsis.usda.gov.
To read the Federal Register notice, go to www.fsis.usda.gov/About_FSIS/NACMCF/index.asp.
Get Answers at askFSIS
AskFSIS is a web-based technology and policy question-and-answer forum on topics such as exporting,
labeling, inspection, programs and procedures.
In addition, askFSIS offers Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds that link back to the Q&As.
The agency recently provided a series of updates concerning the following topic: 2010 Nutrition Labeling Rule.
To view these, visit http://askfsis.custhelp.com/.
FSIS Policy Update
FSIS issues notices and directives to protect public health. The following policy updates were recently issued:
- Notice 27-12, Changes in Sampling Frequency for E. Coli O157:H7 Testing of Beef Manufacturing Trimmings (Mt60)
All notices and directives are available at www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations_&_Policies/index.asp.
FSIS to Launch Label Submission and Approval System
As mentioned in previous issues of the Constituent Update, the
Labeling and Program Delivery Division
is preparing to launch the Label Submission and Approval System (LSAS). The launch of this system will have a
significant impact on the speed and accuracy of label review, as well as the ability to develop data-specific
reports based on labeling information.
To use the system, users will need to have USDA "Level 2" e-Authentication (eAuth). Below are the steps
to create an account.
Log onto www.eauth.egov.usda.gov, and complete the on-line
application for approval. USDA will notify you when your account is approved.
After you receive your notification of approval, you are required to have a Licensed Registration Agent (LRA)
verify your identity in person. You must do this before you can receive a password for your eAuth account.
Find an agent in your area using the map provided by eAuth at www.eauth.egov.usda.gov
and click on the "Find an LRA" button at the top right corner of the page.
Codex Public Meeting on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Food
FSIS and the FDA will hold a public meeting to receive comments on agenda items and draft U.S. positions to be
discussed at the 20th Session of the Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods
(CCRVDF), which will be held in San
Juan, Puerto Rico.
The public meeting will be held on April 23 from 1 to 4 p.m. ET in the Jamie L. Whitten Bldg., USDA, 1400
Independence Ave., S.W., Rm. 107-A, Washington, D.C. 20250. Documents and agenda items related to the 20th Session
of the CCRVDF are available on the Codex website at www.codexalimentarius.org.
For more information or to submit written comments about the 20th Session of the CCRVDF, contact Kevin Greenlees at (240) 276-8214 or
kevin.greenlees@fda.hhs.gov.
For more information about the public meeting, contact Kenneth Lowery at (202) 690-4042 or
kenneth.lowery@fsis.usda.gov.
Webinars Available for Generic Labeling Approval Processes
FSIS will hold webinars on its generic labeling regulations on April 24 and May 22 at 2 p.m. ET.
The webinars are intended to provide guidance on the types of labeling and modifications to previously approved
labels that are generically approved by FSIS.
In addition, the webinars will provide an overview of the agency's proposed rule to allow establishments to label
a broader range of products without first submitting the label to FSIS for approval.
To access the webinar, go to
https://connect16.uc.att.com/usda/meet/?ExEventID=85277207.
Updates on FSIS Testing for E. coli
Weekly updates for the agency's raw beef E. coli sampling program are posted to the FSIS website.
For comparative previous and current year results, go to
www.fsis.usda.gov/Science/
Ground_Beef_E.coli_Testing_Results/index.asp.
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Last Modified:
April 20, 2012 |
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