[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 240 (Friday, December 15, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59577-59579]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-27097]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. FSIS-2017-0050]


Notice of Request for Renewal of an Approved Information 
Collection (Marking, Labeling and Packaging)

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, the Food Safety and 
Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing its intention to renew an 
approved information collection regarding the regulatory requirements 
for marking, labeling, and packaging of meat, poultry, and egg products 
and for establishments that produce mechanically separated poultry. 
This approval covers the labeling approval process whereby 
establishments are to submit their labels to FSIS for approval or 
maintain files related to generic labeling. This collection also covers 
the recordkeeping burden for packaging material letters of guarantee 
for safety. Lastly, this collection contains the recordkeeping burden 
imposed on establishments that produce mechanically separated poultry. 
There are no changes to the existing information collection.

DATES: Submit comments on or before February 13, 2018.

ADDRESSES: FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments on this 
information collection. Comments may be submitted by one of the 
following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: This website 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, including CD-ROMs, etc.: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Docket 
Clerk, Patriots Plaza 3, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Mailstop 3782, 
Room 8-163A, 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-2017-0050. 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 comments received, go 
to the FSIS Docket Room at Patriots Plaza 3, 355 E Street SW, Room 8-
164, Washington, DC 20250-3700 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday 
through Friday.

[[Page 59578]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gina Kouba, Office of Policy and 
Program Development, Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW, Room 6065, South Building, Washington, DC 
20250-3700; (202) 720-5627.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Marking, Labeling, and Packaging of Meat, Poultry, and Egg 
Products.
    OMB Number: 0583-0092.
    Expiration Date of Approval: 04/30/2018.
    Type of Request: Renewal of an approved information collection.
    Abstract: FSIS has been delegated the authority to exercise the 
functions of the Secretary (7 CFR 2.18, 2.53) as specified in the 
Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) (21 U.S.C. 601, et seq.), the 
Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA) (21 U.S.C. 451, et seq.), and 
the Egg Products Inspection Act (EPIA) (21 U.S.C. 1031, et seq.). FSIS 
protects the public by verifying that meat, poultry, and egg products 
are safe, wholesome, not adulterated, and correctly labeled and 
packaged.
    FSIS is requesting renewal of an approved information collection 
addressing paperwork requirements specified in the regulations related 
to marking, labeling, and packaging of meat, poultry, and egg products.
    To control the manufacture of marking devices bearing official 
marks, FSIS requires official meat and poultry establishments and the 
manufacturers of such devices to submit an Authorization Certificate to 
the Agency (FSIS Form 5200-7). Such certification is necessary to help 
prevent the manufacture and use of counterfeit marks of inspection (9 
CFR 312.1, 317.3, 381.96 & 381.131).
    Meat and poultry establishments and egg products plants must 
develop labels in accordance with FSIS regulations (9 CFR 317.1, 
381.115, & 590.410). Unless its labels are generically approved, 
establishments must complete an application for approval (``Application 
for Approval of Labels, Marking or Device,'' FSIS Form 7234-1). 
Respondents must submit duplicate copies of the labels when submitting 
the applications by paper. Establishments may also submit labels 
through the Label Submission and Approval System or LSAS. LSAS is an 
internet-based application that allows respondents to gain label 
approval through a secure website. The establishment must maintain a 
copy of all the labeling used, along with product formulation and 
processing procedures (9 CFR 320.1(b)(11) and 381.175(b)(6)). 
Additionally, establishments requesting reconsideration of a label 
application that the Agency has modified or rejected must use the 
``Request for Label Reconsideration,'' FSIS Form 8822-4.
    Labels that FSIS has approved but change for such reasons as, 
holiday season designs, addition or deletion of coupons, UPC production 
codes, or recipe suggestions; newly assigned or revised establishment 
numbers; changes in the arrangement or language of directions for 
opening containers or serving the product; or the substitution of 
abbreviations for words or vice versa, do not need additional FSIS 
approval (9 CFR 317.5). Establishments must keep a copy of the labeling 
used, along with the product formulation and processing procedures on 
file.
    FSIS has made the following estimates based upon an information 
collection assessment:
    Estimate of Burden: FSIS estimates that it will take respondents an 
average of 4 minutes per response related to marking; 75 minutes per 
response related to labeling applications and recordkeeping; 120 
minutes per response related to labeling reconsideration requests; 15 
minutes per response related to generically approved labeling 
recordkeeping; 2 minutes per response related to packaging materials 
recordkeeping; and 5 minutes per response related to mechanically 
separated poultry recordkeeping.
    Respondents: Official meat and poultry establishments, official egg 
plants, and foreign establishments.
    Estimated No. of Respondents: 5,736 related to marking; 3,682 
related to labeling applications and recordkeeping; 74 related to 
labeling reconsideration requests; 6,333 related to generically 
approved labeling recordkeeping; 5,735 related to packaging materials 
recordkeeping; and 82 related to mechanically separated poultry 
recordkeeping.
    Estimated No. of Annual Responses per Respondent: 1 related to 
marking; 20 related to labeling applications and recordkeeping; 2 
related to labeling reconsideration requests; 20 related to generically 
approved labeling recordkeeping; 2 related to packaging materials 
recordkeeping; and 455 related to mechanically separated poultry 
recordkeeping.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 128,267 hours. Copies 
of this information collection assessment can be obtained from Gina 
Kouba, Office of Policy and Program Development, Food Safety and 
Inspection Service, USDA, 1400 Independence SW, Room 6077, South 
Building, Washington, DC 20250, (202)690-6510.
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of FSIS's 
functions, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of FSIS's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
method and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, 
and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to 
minimize the burden of the collection of information, including through 
the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other 
technological collection techniques, or other forms of information 
technology. Comments may be sent to both FSIS, at the addresses 
provided above, and the Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 
Washington, DC 20253.
    Responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of 
public record.

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

USDA Non-Discrimination 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/

[[Page 59579]]

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.

How To File a Complaint of Discrimination

    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).

    Done at Washington, DC, on December 12, 2017.
Paul Kiecker,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2017-27097 Filed 12-14-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P