[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 199 (Monday, October 17, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62784-62786]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-22254]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. FSIS-2022-0029]


Proposed Framework for Controlling Salmonella in Poultry

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), U.S. Department of 
Agriculture (USDA).

ACTION: Notification of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: FSIS is hosting a virtual public meeting to discuss a 
regulatory framework that the Agency is considering for a new strategy 
to control Salmonella in poultry products and more effectively reduce 
foodborne Salmonella infections linked to these products. The framework 
under consideration has been shaped by months of information-gathering 
and discussions with a wide range of stakeholders, researchers, and 
scientists. FSIS is seeking input from stakeholders on this proposed 
framework, both at the public meeting and in written comments submitted 
in response to this Federal Register notice before FSIS moves forward 
with any proposed changes to the Agency's Salmonella strategy.

DATES: The virtual public meeting will be held on Thursday, November 3, 
2022, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. EST. Submit comments on or before November 
16, 2022.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be virtual and will be viewed via the Zoom 
link provided by email when you register for the meeting. Attendees 
must be pre-registered for the meeting. See the pre-registration 
instructions under ``Registration and Meeting Materials.''
    Comments on this notice may be 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 https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the on-line instructions at that site for 
submitting comments.
     Mail: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, 1400 Independence 
Avenue SW, Mailstop 3758, Washington, DC 20250-3700.
     Hand- or courier-delivered submittals: Deliver to 1400 
Independence Avenue SW, Jamie L. Whitten Building, Room 350-E, 
Washington, DC 20250-3700.
    Instructions: All items submitted by mail or electronic mail must 
include the Agency name and docket number FSIS-2022-0029. Comments 
received in response to this docket will be made available for public 
inspection and posted without change, including any personal 
information, to https://www.regulations.gov.
    Docket: For access to background documents or comments received, 
email [email protected] or call 202-692- 4235 to schedule a time to 
visit the FSIS Docket Room at 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, 
DC 20250-3700.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Email Congressional and Public Affairs 
at: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    FSIS is the public health agency in USDA whose mission is to ensure 
that meat, poultry, and egg products are safe, wholesome, and properly 
labeled and packaged. FSIS has used the U.S. Department of Health and 
Human Services' Healthy People \1\ target to set pathogen reduction 
goals for FSIS-regulated products over the past few decades. However, 
the 2010 and 2020 Healthy People targets for a reduction in Salmonella 
infections from all sources were not met.\2\ The Healthy People 2030 
target is to reduce Salmonella infections to a national case rate of no 
more than 11.5 per 100,000 consumers per year. To reach the 2030 
target, illnesses must be reduced by 25%. Although this target is for 
Salmonella infections from all sources, FSIS has adopted the same 
target and aims to reduce Salmonella infections linked to all FSIS-
regulated products by 25%.
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    \1\ The Healthy People initiative guides national health 
promotion and disease prevention efforts to improve the health of 
the nation. Led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 
(HHS) every decade since 1980, Healthy People identifies science-
based objectives with targets to monitor progress and motivate and 
focus action.
    \2\ The Healthy People 2010 and 2020 targets were 6.8 and 11.4 
Salmonella infections per 100,000 population, respectively. Between 
2010 and 2017, infection rates averaged 15.8 Salmonella infections 
per 100,000 population.
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    Despite FSIS sampling data showing reductions in Salmonella 
contamination in poultry products, our current approach to Salmonella 
has not led to a demonstrable reduction in Salmonella infections to 
meet the Healthy People target. For example, during the five-year 
period from 2017 to 2021, the number of chicken product samples in 
which FSIS detected Salmonella decreased by more than 50%.\3\ However, 
the

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estimated rate of human Salmonella infections from all sources has 
remained consistent over the last two decades, with an estimated 1.35 
million infections in the U.S. each year.\4\ The most recent report 
from the Interagency Food Safety Analytics Collaboration estimates that 
over 23% of foodborne Salmonella illnesses are attributable to poultry 
consumption--almost 17% from chicken and over 6% from turkey.\5\
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    \3\ FSIS Salmonella verification sampling. Available at: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/science-data/data-sets-visualizations/microbiology/salmonella-verification-testing-program-monthly.
    \4\ Salmonella: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 
Available at: Salmonella https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/index.html.
    \5\ Foodborne illness source attribution estimates for 2019 for 
Salmonella, Escherichia coli O157, Listeria monocytogenes, and 
Campylobacter using multi-year outbreak surveillance data, United 
States. IFAC October 2021. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/ifsac/pdf/P19-2019-report-TriAgency-508.pdf.
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Proposed Regulatory Framework To Reduce Salmonella Illnesses 
Attributable to Poultry

    FSIS is considering a regulatory framework for a new strategy to 
control Salmonella in poultry products and more effectively reduce 
foodborne Salmonella infections linked to these products. At the same 
time, FSIS is gathering scientific evidence relevant to the approaches 
presented in this framework. The National Advisory Committee on 
Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMF) \6\ has been charged with 
providing guidance on what types of microbiological criteria FSIS might 
use to better prevent Salmonella infections associated with poultry 
products. FSIS is also completing a risk profile for pathogenic 
Salmonella subtypes in poultry and is collaborating on quantitative 
risk assessments \7\ for Salmonella in chicken and turkey that will 
address key risk management questions associated with this framework. 
FSIS also expanded its exploratory sampling program for young chicken 
carcasses \8\ to generate microbial data to help inform future 
policies.
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    \6\ 2021-2023 National Advisory Committee on Microbiological 
Criteria for Food. FSIS Charge: Enhancing Salmonella Control in 
Poultry Products. Available at: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/policy/advisory-committees/national-advisory-committee-microbiological-criteria-foods-nacmcf/2021.
    \7\ FSIS Constituent Update July 1, 2022: FSIS Announces 
Cooperative Agreement on Salmonella Risk Assessment. Available at: 
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/news-events/news-press-releases/constituent-update-july-1-2022.
    \8\ FSIS Notice 44-2 Revised Young Chicken Exploratory Sampling 
Program (August 11, 2022) Available at: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/policy/fsis-notice/44-22.
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    While awaiting results from these activities, FSIS is sharing the 
key elements that the Agency is currently considering as part of a new 
regulatory strategy in this framework. FSIS is soliciting additional 
feedback from stakeholders addressing specific questions associated 
with this document before moving forward with any proposed changes to 
regulations or other actions.
    The proposed framework that is currently under consideration is 
available on the FSIS website at: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/news-events/events-meetings/public-meeting-reducing-salmonella-poultry.

Public Meeting

    FSIS is announcing that it will hold a virtual public meeting on 
November 3, 2022, to discuss issues related to the regulatory framework 
to control Salmonella in poultry products under consideration. At this 
meeting, FSIS will accept public comment on the framework under 
consideration, which consists of three components that, together, 
support a comprehensive approach to controlling Salmonella in poultry. 
The three components under consideration are:
    1. Requiring that incoming flocks be tested for Salmonella before 
entering an establishment;
    2. Enhancing establishment process control monitoring and FSIS 
verification; and
    3. Implementing an enforceable final product standard.
    The proposed framework also addresses cross-cutting issues 
associated with testing for Salmonella, considerations for small and 
very small establishments, and data sharing.
    An agenda will be published online before the public meeting. FSIS 
will finalize the agenda on or before the meeting date and post it on 
the FSIS website at: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/news-events/events-meetings/public-meeting-reducing-salmonella-poultry.

Registration and Meeting Materials

    There is no fee to register for the public meeting, but pre-
registration is mandatory for participants attending. All attendees 
must register online by visiting https://www.fsis.usda.gov/news-events/events-meetings/public-meeting-reducing-salmonella-poultry, after which 
they will receive an email acknowledging their registration. 
Stakeholders who wish to speak at the meeting must notify FSIS during 
registration and must register by October 24, 2022. Attendees that do 
not plan to speak at the public meeting may register at any time up to 
the day of the meeting.

Public Comments and Participation in Meetings

Public Comments: Oral Comments

    Stakeholders will have an opportunity to provide oral comments on 
any of the 4 components of the framework under consideration, i.e., the 
3 components and cross-cutting issues, during the public meeting. Oral 
comments will be limited to two minutes per component. Attendees must 
identify which component (s) they will be commenting on when they 
register for the public meeting and will be allowed to comment on as 
many components as they wish. Due to the anticipated high level of 
interest in the opportunity to make public comments and the limited 
time available to do so, FSIS will do its best to accommodate all 
persons who pre-registered and requested to provide oral comments. 
Attendees that pre-register will be allotted time to speak in the order 
of registration. FSIS will notify stakeholders that register to speak 
of the approximate time(s) they are scheduled to speak in advance of 
the meeting. As noted above, stakeholders will be allotted a maximum of 
2 minutes to comment on each framework component, but the comment 
periods will take place at different times over the course of the day. 
FSIS encourages persons and groups who have similar interests to 
consolidate their information for presentation by a single 
representative.
    Stakeholders who do not notify FSIS during registration of their 
wish to speak will not have the opportunity to comment on a specific 
framework component on the day of the public meeting. However, there 
will be an open comment period for general questions or comments at the 
end of the meeting. Stakeholders may also submit written comments using 
the instructions in the Addresses section above.

Panel Discussions

    During the meeting, stakeholders will be organized into groups to 
present their oral comments for each framework component to panels 
comprised of FSIS leadership and experts. The primary purpose of the 
panels is to listen to stakeholder input, but panelists may ask 
questions of the stakeholders if clarification is needed.

Transcripts

    As soon as the meeting transcripts are available, they will be 
accessible on the FSIS website at: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/news-events/events-meetings/public-meeting-reducing-salmonella-poultry. The 
transcripts may

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also be viewed at the FSIS Docket Room at the address listed above.

USDA Non-Discrimination Statement

    In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, USDA, its 
Mission Areas, agencies, staff offices, employees, and institutions 
participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from 
discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, 
gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, 
disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived 
from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or 
retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity 
conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). 
Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.
    Program information may be made available in languages other than 
English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of 
communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large 
print, audiotape, American Sign Language) should contact the 
responsible Mission Area, agency, or staff office; the USDA TARGET 
Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY); or the Federal Relay Service 
at (800) 877-8339.
    To file a program discrimination complaint, a complainant should 
complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, 
which can be obtained online at https://www.ocio.usda.gov/document/ad-3027, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a 
letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant's 
name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the 
alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the 
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date 
of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or 
letter must be submitted to USDA by:
    (1) Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant 
Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 
20250-9410; or
    (2) Fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
    (3) Email: [email protected].
    USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Paul Kiecker,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2022-22254 Filed 10-14-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P