[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 46 (Tuesday, March 10, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12618-12620]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-05494]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. FSIS-2014-0023]


Changes to the Salmonella and Campylobacter Verification Testing 
Program: Proposed Performance Standards for Salmonella and 
Campylobacter in Not-Ready-to-Eat Comminuted Chicken and Turkey 
Products and Raw Chicken Parts and Related Agency Verification 
Procedures and Other Changes to Agency Sampling

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is extending the 
comment period for the Federal Register notice ``Changes to the 
Salmonella and Campylobacter Verification Testing Program: Proposed 
Performance Standards for Salmonella and Campylobacter in Not-Ready-to-
Eat Comminuted Chicken and Turkey Products and Raw Chicken Parts and 
Related Agency Verification Procedures and Other Changes to Agency 
Sampling'' until May 26, 2015. The Agency is taking this action in 
response to a request made by a coalition of trade associations.

DATES: Comments are due by May 26, 2015.

ADDRESSES: FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments. Comments 
may be submitted by one of the following methods:
    Federal eRulemaking Portal: This Web site provides the ability to 
type short comments directly into the comment field on this Web page or 
attach a file for lengthier comments. Go to http://www.regulations.gov/
. Follow the on-line instructions at that site for submitting comments.
    Mail, CD-ROMs: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Patriots Plaza 3, 355 
E Street, SW., Mailstop 3782, Room 8-163B, Washington, DC 20250-3700.
    Hand- or courier-delivered submittals: Deliver to Patriots Plaza 3, 
355 E Street SW., Room 8-163A, Washington, DC 20250-3700.
    Instructions: All items submitted by mail or electronic mail must 
include the Agency name and docket number FSIS-2014-0023. Comments 
received in response to this docket will be made available for public 
inspection and posted without change, including any personal 
information, to http://www.regulations.gov.
    Docket: For access to background documents or to comments received, 
go to the FSIS Docket Room at Patriots Plaza 3, 355 E Street SW., Room 
164-A, Washington, DC 20250-3700 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., 
Monday through Friday.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Daniel L. Engeljohn, Ph.D., Assistant 
Administrator, Office of Policy and Program Development; Telephone: 
(202) 205-0495, or by Fax: (202) 720-2025.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On January 26, 2015, FSIS published a notice 
in the Federal Register to announce and request comment on new pathogen 
reduction performance standards for Salmonella and Campylobacter in raw 
chicken parts and not-ready-to-eat (NRTE) comminuted chicken and turkey 
products (80 FR 3940). The Agency also announced its plans to begin 
sampling raw chicken parts in March 2015 to gain additional information 
on the prevalence and the microbiological characteristics of Salmonella 
and Campylobacter in those products (80 FR at 3945). In addition, FSIS 
announced that it will begin exploratory sampling of raw pork products 
in March 2015 for pathogens of public health concern, as well as for 
indicator organisms (80 FR at 3942). FSIS also announced that it will 
begin sampling imported poultry carcasses, imported raw chicken parts, 
and imported NRTE comminuted chicken and turkey for Salmonella and 
Campylobacter in March 2015 (80 FR at 3944).
    In addition, starting in March 2015, for products that are 
currently subject to Salmonella or Campylobacter performance standards, 
FSIS announced that it plans to use routine sampling throughout the 
year rather than the current set-based approach, whereby

[[Page 12619]]

FSIS collects a given number of samples consecutive days to assess 
whether establishments' processes are effectively addressing these 
pathogens. FSIS stated that it would perform this assessment using a 
moving window of sampling results (80 FR at 3946).
    FSIS also announced that, after reviewing the comments received on 
the notice, beginning July 1, 2015, the Agency plans to begin web-
posting individual establishment category information for chicken and 
turkey carcasses. FSIS stated that it would assess what category 
establishments are in as of July 1, using combined historical set data 
and sample results beginning March 2015. Meanwhile, FSIS stated it will 
continue web-posting existing Category 3 poultry carcass 
establishments. Finally, starting in March 2015, the Agency announced 
that it would begin web-posting aggregate reports for chicken parts as 
data become available, and comminuted chicken and turkey using 
historical data and new results beginning in March (80 FR at 3948).
    In a letter addressed to FSIS Deputy Under Secretary Alfred V. 
Almanza, dated January 30, 2015, a coalition of trade associations 
requested that FSIS extend the comment period by 90 days to provide 
additional time to formulate meaningful comments. In addition, the 
trade associations requested that FSIS extend all implementation dates 
discussed above by 90 days to ensure the Agency has an opportunity to 
consider the comments and to ensure that the affected industry has 
enough time to prepare for changes in Agency actions.
    FSIS will extend the comment period by an additional 60 days; the 
comment period will now end on May 26, 2015. FSIS has determined that 
60 days should be sufficient because FSIS has made available much of 
the information in the January 2015 Federal Register notice in other 
Federal Register notices \1\ and in the Salmonella Action Plan.\2\ FSIS 
will fully consider all comments received in response to the notice. 
FSIS will not, however, delay implementation of actions announced in 
the notice.
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    \1\ 78 FR 53017; Aug. 28, 2013, 79 FR 32436; Jun. 5, 2014
    \2\ http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/foodborne-illness-and-disease/salmonella/sap
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    Therefore, in March 2015, FSIS intends to proceed with implementing 
sampling of raw chicken parts to gain additional information on the 
prevalence and the microbiological characteristics of Salmonella and 
Campylobacter in those products. FSIS will analyze this data and will 
discuss it in the Federal Register announcing final standards. In March 
2015, FSIS also intends to begin exploratory sampling of raw pork 
products for pathogens of public health concern, as well as for 
indicator organisms. Finally, FSIS intends to begin sampling imported 
poultry carcasses, imported raw chicken parts, and imported not-ready-
to-eat comminuted chicken and turkey for Salmonella and Campylobacter 
in March 2015.
    Similarly, in March 2015, for all products that are currently under 
Salmonella or Campylobacter performance standards, FSIS intends to 
proceed with using the moving window approach to assess whether 
establishment meet those standards. FSIS does not see a reason to delay 
analyzing standards according to the moving window approach because the 
Agency previously announced that it intended to do so and requested 
comments on this approach.\3\ FSIS responded to those comments \4\ and 
provided additional information on this approach in the January 2015 
Federal Register notice (80 FR at 3946). Furthermore, FSIS does not 
expect establishment categories to change greatly when the Agency 
discontinues the set approach and starts using the moving window 
approach. Therefore, this change should not have a significant effect 
on establishments.
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    \3\ 78 FR at 53019
    \4\ 79 FR at 32439
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    FSIS also intends to proceed with posting aggregate reports for 
chicken parts and comminuted chicken and turkey in March 2015 as 
announced in the January Federal Register notice. Until FSIS 
establishes final standards for these products, establishments may use 
these reports to increase their awareness of the pathogen incidence in 
these products and compare the on-going incidence in their 
establishments against the results made public by FSIS. Establishments 
may also choose to make changes in their procedures as necessary to 
control Salmonella and Campylobacter, particularly if the levels of 
these pathogens in their products are higher than the proposed 
standard.
    Finally, beginning July 1, 2015, the Agency plans to begin web-
posting individual establishment category information for chicken and 
turkey carcasses as announced in the January Federal Register notice. 
However, as stated in the notice, we will assess the comments on that 
issue prior to posting.

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement

    No agency, officer, or employee of the USDA shall, on the grounds 
of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual 
orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, 
income derived from a public assistance program, or political beliefs, 
exclude from participation in, deny the benefits of, or subject to 
discrimination any person in the United States under any program or 
activity conducted by the USDA.
    To file a complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program 
Discrimination Complaint Form, which may be accessed online at http://www.ocio.usda.gov/sites/default/files/docs/2012/Complain_combined_6_8_12.pdf, or write a letter signed by you or your 
authorized representative.
    Send your completed complaint form or letter to USDA by mail, fax, 
or email:

Mail

    U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 
1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-9410.

Fax

    (202) 690-7442.

Email

    [email protected].
    Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for 
communication (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact 
USDA's TARGET Center at (202)720-2600 (voice and TDD).

Additional Public Notification

    Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy 
development is important. Consequently, FSIS will announce this Federal 
Register publication on-line through the FSIS Web page located at: 
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/federal-register .
    FSIS also will make copies of this publication available through 
the FSIS Constituent Update, which is used to provide information 
regarding FSIS policies, procedures, regulations, Federal Register 
notices, FSIS public meetings, and other types of information that 
could affect or would be of interest to our constituents and 
stakeholders. The Update is available on the FSIS Web page. Through the 
Web page, FSIS is able to provide information to a much broader, more 
diverse audience. In addition, FSIS offers an email subscription 
service which provides automatic and customized access to selected food 
safety news and information. This service is available at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/subscribe . Options range from recalls to export

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information, regulations, directives, and notices. Customers can add or 
delete subscriptions themselves, and have the option to password 
protect their accounts.

    Done at Washington, DC on: March 4, 2015.
Alfred V. Almanza,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2015-05494 Filed 3-9-15; 08:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P