[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 168 (Wednesday, August 31, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51747-51748]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-17268]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Number DA-03-07]


Milk for Manufacturing Purposes and Its Production and 
Processing: Requirements Recommended for Adoption by State Regulatory 
Agencies

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Final notice.

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SUMMARY: This document is a final notice that modifies the recommended 
manufacturing milk requirements (Recommended Requirements) by 
establishing provisions for sheep milk, modifying follow-up procedures 
when plant-commingled milk in storage tanks exceeds the maximum 
allowable bacterial estimate, and defining heat-treated cream. The 
notice to modify the Recommended Requirements was requested by the 
Dairy Division of the National Association of State Departments of 
Agriculture (NASDA). This document makes certain other changes to the 
Recommended Requirements for clarity and consistency. Also, a second 
notice published in error on August 18, 2005, in the Federal Register 
is withdrawn.

EFFECTIVE DATE: September 1, 2005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Reginald Pasteur, Marketing 
Specialist, Standardization Branch, Dairy Programs, AMS, USDA, 
telephone (202) 720-7473 or email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the authority of the Agricultural 
Marketing Act of 1946, as amended (7 U.S.C. 1621-1627), the United 
States Department of Agriculture maintains a set of model regulations 
relating to quality and sanitation requirements for the production and 
processing of manufacturing grade milk. These Recommended Requirements 
are developed by AMS and recommended for adoption and enforcement by 
the various States that regulate manufacturing grade milk. The purpose 
of the model requirements is to promote uniformity in State dairy laws 
and regulations relating to manufacturing grade milk.
    In consultation with representatives from NASDA, State regulatory 
agencies,

[[Page 51748]]

Food and Drug Administration, and dairy industry trade associations, 
the Department prepared the Recommended Requirements to promote 
uniformity in State dairy laws and regulations for manufacturing grade 
milk. To accommodate changes that have occurred in the dairy industry, 
NASDA and various State officials have from time-to-time requested USDA 
to update the Recommended Requirements.
    During its July 2003 annual meeting, the Dairy Division of NASDA 
passed resolutions requesting USDA to provide provisions for sheep 
milk, add follow-up procedures used when plant-commingled milk in 
storage tanks exceeds the maximum allowable bacterial estimate, and 
providing a definition for heat-treated cream. AMS reviewed these 
resolutions and developed a draft that identified the changes 
associated with this request. This draft was provided to State 
regulatory officials and dairy trade association representatives for 
informal discussion prior to publication in the Federal Register.
    Subsequently, a notice of proposal to change the document, ``Milk 
for Manufacturing Purposes and Its Production and Processing 
Requirements Recommended for Adoption by State Regulatory Agencies'' 
was published in the Federal Register on Thursday, April 21, 2005 (70 
FR 20730). The notice of proposal to change the document provided for a 
60-day comment period that ended on June 20, 2005. No comments were 
received. A second notice published on August 18, 2005 (70 FR 48515) is 
hereby withdrawn. The August 18th notice duplicates the original notice 
and was published in error.
    Accordingly, the changes proposed in the Milk for Manufacturing 
Purposes and It's Production and Processing: Recommended Requirements 
for Adoption by State Regulatory Agencies are incorporated in the 
revised Recommended Requirements. The Recommended Requirements 
(incorporating the changes herein adopted) are available either from 
the above address or by accessing the information on the Internet at 
the following address: http://www.ams.usda.gov/dairy/manufmlk.pdf.

    Authority: (7 U.S.C. 1621-1627).

    Dated: August 25, 2005.
Kenneth C. Clayton,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 05-17268 Filed 8-30-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P