[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 217 (Thursday, November 8, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56533-56534]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-28064]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. 00-026R]


Residue Policy

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; reopening of comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is reopening the 
comment period for the Federal Register publication ``Residue Policy''

[[Page 56534]]

notice for an additional 30 days. This action responds to a request to 
allow additional time for comments.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before December 10, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Submit one original and two copies of written comments to: 
FSIS Docket Room, DOCKET # 00-026R, Room 102, Cotton Annex Building, 
300 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20250-3700. All comments received 
in response to this notice will be considered part of the public record 
and will be available for viewing in the FSIS Docket Room between 8:30 
a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. FSIS has made a technical 
paper available in the FSIS Docket Room and on the FSIS homepage 
(www.fsis.usda.gov).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Daniel L. Lazenby, Acting Director, 
Technical Analysis Staff, Office Policy, Program Development and 
Evaluation; (202) 205-0210.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 6, 2001, The Food Safety and 
Inspection Service (FSIS) announced its intention to harmonize its 
procedures with those of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with 
respect to the target tissue/marker residue policy in testing animal 
tissues for residues of new animal drugs (66 FR 40964).
    FSIS has reviewed its approach regarding the disposition of 
carcasses containing residues and has determined that its approach is 
not consistent with FDA's approach. To ensure that meat containing 
unsafe levels of chemical residues is not being released into commerce, 
FSIS intends to modify its approach to testing and disposition of 
carcasses for violative residues to be more consistent with FDA's 
target tissue/marker residue policy.
    In the August 6, 2001, Federal Register notice, FSIS provided 30 
days for comments and stated that it would review the comments and 
address them in another notice. FSIS has received requests to extend 
the comment period for 60 days to provide commenters additional time to 
consider the announced changes. FSIS has considered the request and 
will re-open the comment. However, FSIS is only re-opening the comment 
period for an additional 30 days from the publication of this notice. 
After additional comments are received, FSIS will review them and 
address them in the future notice that will announce FSIS' intentions.

Additional Public Notification

    Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy 
development is important. Consequently, in an effort to better ensure 
that minorities, women, and persons with disabilities are aware of this 
notice, FSIS will announce it and provide copies of this Federal 
Register publication in the FSIS Constituent Update. FSIS provides a 
weekly FSIS Constituent Update, which is communicated via fax to over 
300 organizations and individuals. In addition, the update is available 
on-line through the FSIS web page located at http://www.fsis.usda.gov. 
The update is used to provide information regarding FSIS policies, 
procedures, regulations, Federal Register notices, FSIS public 
meetings, recalls, and any other types of information that could affect 
or would be of interest to our constituents/stakeholders. The 
constituent fax list consists of industry, trade, and farm groups, 
consumer interest groups, allied health professionals, scientific 
professionals, and other individuals that have requested to be 
included. Through these various channels, FSIS is able to provide 
information to a much broader, more diverse audience.
    For more information and to be added to the constituent fax list, 
fax your request to the Congressional and Public Affairs Office, at 
(202) 720-5704.

    Done at Washington, DC on November 5, 2001.
Margaret O'K. Glavin,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 01-28064 Filed 11-7-01; 8:45 am]
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