[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 155 (Friday, August 12, 2005)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 47147-47148]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-16027]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

9 CFR Parts 304, 308, 310, 320, 327, 381, 416, and 417

[Docket No. 05-024N]


Notice of a Section 610 Regulatory Flexibility Act Review of the 
Pathogen Reduction/Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) 
Systems Final Rule

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), USDA.

ACTION: Request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The FSIS is conducting a review of the regulations established 
by the Pathogen Reduction/Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point 
(HACCP) 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 (HACCP) final rule.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before October 
11, 2005.

[[Page 47148]]


ADDRESSES: FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments on this 
notice. Comments may be submitted by the following methods:
     Mail, including floppy disks or CD-ROM's, and hand- or 
courier-delivered items: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, 300 12th Street, SW., 
Room 102 Cotton Annex, Washington, DC 20250.
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Electronic mail: 
[email protected]. Follow the online instructions 
at that site for submitting comments.
    All submissions received must include the Agency name and docket 
number 05-024N.
    All comments submitted in response to this notice, as well as 
research and background information used by developing this document 
will be available for public inspection in the FSIS Docket Room at the 
address listed above between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays. The comments will also be posted on 
the Agency's Web site at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations_&_policies/2005_Proposed_Rules_Index/index.asp.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Quita Bowman Blackwell, Director, 
Directives and Economic Analysis Staff, FSIS, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, 300 12th Street, SW., Room 112, Washington, DC 20250-3700, 
(202) 720-5627.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Section 610 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA), as amended (5 
U.S.C. 601-612), requires that all Federal agencies review any 
regulations that have been identified as having a significant economic 
impact upon a substantial number of small entities as a means to 
determine whether the associated impact can be minimized.
    On January 28, 2005, FSIS published an Amended Plan for Reviewing 
Regulations Under Section 610 Requirements (70 FR 4047). According to 
this plan, FSIS would review the regulations established by the 
Pathogen Reduction; Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) 
Systems final rule in 2005. The Agency is now conducting this review.
    The Pathogen Reduction; Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point 
(HACCP) Systems final rule (61 FR 38806) was published on July 25, 
1996. These regulations did (1) require that each establishment develop 
and implement written Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures; (2) 
require regular microbial testing by slaughter establishments to verify 
the adequacy of the establishment's process controls for the prevention 
and removal of fecal contamination and associated bacteria; (3) 
establish pathogen reduction performance standards for Salmonella that 
slaughter establishments and establishments producing raw ground 
products must meet; and (4) require that all meat and poultry 
establishments develop and implement a system of preventive controls 
designed to improve the safety of their products, known as HACCP 
(Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point).
    The Agency is requesting comments, especially from small meat and 
poultry establishments, on the regulations established by the final 
rule. Specifically, FSIS is asking comments on the continued need for 
the rule; the complexity of the rule; the extent to which the rule may 
overlap, duplicate, or conflict with other Federal rules; and the 
degree to which technology, economic conditions, or other factors have 
changed in the area affected by the rule since its implementation.

Additional Public Notification

    Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy 
development is important. Consequently, in an effort to ensure that the 
public, and in particular minorities, women, and persons with 
disabilities are aware of this notice, FSIS will announce it on-line 
through the FSIS Web page located at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations_&_policies/2005_Proposed_Rules_Index/index.asp.
    FSIS also will make copies of this Federal Register publication 
available through the FSIS Constituent Update, which is used to provide 
information regarding FSIS policies, procedures, regulations, Federal 
Register notices, FSIS public meetings, recalls, and other types of 
information that could affect or would be of interest to our 
constituents and stakeholders. The update is communicated via Listserv, 
a free electronic mail subscription service for industry, trade, and 
farm groups, consumer interest groups, allied health professionals, 
scientific professionals, and other individuals who have requested to 
be included. The update also is available on the FSIS Web page. Through 
Listserv and the Web page, FSIS is able to provide information to a 
much broader, more diverse audience.
    In addition, FSIS offers an electronic mail subscription service 
which provides an automatic and customized notification when popular 
pages are updated, including Federal Register publications and related 
documents. This service is available at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/news_and_events/email_subscription/ and allows FSIS customers to sign up 
for subscription options across eight categories. Options range from 
recalls to export information to regulations, directives, and notices.
    Customers can add or delete subscriptions themselves and have the 
option to protect their accounts with passwords.

    Done at Washington, DC, on August 9, 2005.
Barbara J. Masters,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 05-16027 Filed 8-11-05; 8:45 am]
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