[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 36 (Monday, February 24, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10402-10403]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-03555]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. FSIS-2020-0002]


Notice of Request for Renewal of an Approved Information 
Collection (Sanitation SOPs and Pathogen Reduction/HACCP)

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 request 
renewal of the approved information collection regarding Sanitation 
Standard Operating Procedures (Sanitation SOPs) and pathogen testing 
and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Systems 
requirements. There are no changes to the existing information 
collection. The approval for this information collection will expire on 
May 31, 2020.

DATES: Submit comments on or before April 24, 2020.

ADDRESSES: FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments on this 
Federal Register notice. Comments may be submitted by one of the 
following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: This website provides 
commenters the ability to type short comments directly into the comment 
field on the web page or to 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, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW, Mailstop 3758, Room 6065, Washington, DC 20250-
3700.
     Hand- or courier-delivered submittals: Deliver to 1400 
Independence Avenue SW, Room 6065, Washington, DC 20250-3700.
    Instructions: All items submitted by mail or electronic mail must 
include the Agency name and docket number FSIS-2020-0002. 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, 
call (202)720-5627 to schedule a time to visit the FSIS Docket Room at 
1400 Independence Avenue SW, Room 6065, Washington, DC 20250-3700.

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: Sanitation SOPs and Pathogen Reduction/HACCP.
    OMB Number: 0583-0103.
    Expiration Date of Approval: 5/31/2020.
    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 and 2.53), as specified in the 
Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) (21 U.S.C. 601, et seq.), and the 
Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA) (21 U.S.C. 451, et seq.). These 
statutes mandate that FSIS protect the public by verifying that meat 
and poultry products are safe, wholesome, unadulterated, and properly 
labeled and packaged.
    FSIS is announcing its intention to request renewal of the approved

[[Page 10403]]

information collection regarding Sanitation Standard Operating 
Procedures (Sanitation SOPs), pathogen testing, and Hazard Analysis and 
Critical Control Point (HACCP) Systems requirements. There are no 
changes to the existing information collection. The approval for this 
information collection will expire on May 31, 2020.
    FSIS has established requirements applicable to meat and poultry 
establishments designed to reduce the occurrence and numbers of 
pathogenic microorganisms on meat and poultry products, reduce the 
incidence of foodborne illness associated with the consumption of those 
products, and provide a framework for modernization of the meat and 
poultry inspection system. The regulations (1) require that each 
establishment develop, implement, and revise, as needed, written 
Sanitation SOPs (9 CFR part 416); (2) require regular microbial testing 
for generic Escherichia coli by livestock establishments (except swine 
which are sampled under 9 CFR 310.18) to verify the adequacy of the 
establishment's process controls for the prevention and removal of 
fecal contamination and associated bacteria (9 CFR 310.25(a)); and (3) 
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 (9 CFR part 417).
    Establishments may have programs that are prerequisite to HACCP 
that are designed to provide the basic environmental and operating 
conditions necessary for the production of safe, wholesome food. 
Because of its prerequisite programs, an establishment may decide that 
a food safety hazard is not reasonably likely to occur in its 
operations. The establishment would need to document this determination 
in its Hazard Analysis and include the procedures it employs to ensure 
that the program is working and that the hazard is not likely to occur 
(9 CFR 417.5 (a)(1)).
    FSIS has made the estimates below based upon an information 
collection assessment.
    Estimate of Burden: FSIS estimates that it will take respondents an 
average of 1,157 hours each year to comply with the information request 
associated with this collection.
    Respondents: Meat and poultry establishments.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 6,087.
    Estimated Number of Annual Responses per Respondent: 6,087.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 7,045,303 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 Avenue SW, Room 6065, 
South Building, Washington, DC 20250-3700; (202) 720-5627.
    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 
(OMB), 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 will also announce and provide a link to this Federal Register 
publication 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 Constituent Update is available on 
the FSIS web page. Through the web page, FSIS can 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/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).

Paul Kiecker,
Deputy Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2020-03555 Filed 2-21-20; 8:45 am]
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