[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 122 (Tuesday, June 25, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53039-53040]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-13842]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket Number FSIS-2022-0032]


Availability of Guidance for Residue Prevention

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

ACTION: Notice of availability.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: FSIS is announcing the availability of its updated guideline 
for the prevention of violative residues in meat and poultry slaughter 
establishments.

DATES: Comments on the guideline must be received on or before August 
26, 2024.

ADDRESSES: A downloadable version of the revised compliance guide is 
available to view and print at https://www.fsis.usda.gov/inspection/compliance-guidance.
    FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments on this 
document. 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 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-2022-0032. 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, 
call 202-720-5046 to schedule a time to visit the FSIS Docket Room at 
1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-3700.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rachel Edelstein, Assistant 
Administrator, Office of Policy and Program Development, FSIS, USDA; 
Telephone: (202) 205-0495.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. National Residue Program (NRP) is 
administered by FSIS to collect data on chemical residues in domestic 
and imported meat, poultry, and egg products and to keep products that 
are adulterated because of illegal residues out of commerce. FSIS 
collects samples of meat, poultry, and egg products at egg products 
plants, official establishments and official import inspection 
establishments and analyzes the samples at FSIS laboratories for 
chemical residues of veterinary drugs, pesticides, and environmental 
contaminants. Through this testing, FSIS verifies that establishments 
maintain adequate residue control in their Hazard Analysis and Critical 
Control Point (HACCP) systems. As part of the HACCP regulation under 9 
CFR part 417, establishments are required to conduct a hazard analysis 
and to consider the food safety hazards that are reasonably likely to 
occur, including drug and other chemical residues.
    FSIS is announcing that it has revised its FSIS Guideline for 
Residue Prevention, which was last issued on May 29, 2013 (78 FR 
32235). The guideline is intended to help establishments meet FSIS 
requirements regarding violative residue prevention. FSIS updated the 
guideline in response to frequent askFSIS questions. FSIS also revised 
the guideline to provide updates based on up-to-date science, 
incorporate new information on purchase specifications and 
documentation that can be used to support that violative residues are 
not reasonably likely to occur and provide guidance for establishments 
that perform residue testing. Additionally, FSIS updated the guideline 
to clarify how residues influence New Swine Inspection System sorting 
procedures and FSIS Kidney Inhibition Swab (KISTM) testing 
procedures. Furthermore, FSIS made changes to the guideline to improve 
its readability. The updated guideline is available at: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/inspection/compliance-guidance.
    This guideline represents FSIS' current thinking on residue 
prevention and should be considered usable as of the date of its 
issuance. The information in the guideline is provided to assist meat 
and poultry establishments in meeting regulatory requirements. The 
contents of the guideline do not have the force and effect of law and 
are not meant to bind the public in any way. The guideline is intended 
only to provide clarity to industry regarding existing requirements 
under the regulations.

Additional Public Notification

    Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy 
development is important. Consequently, FSIS will announce this Federal 
Register publication online through the FSIS web page located at: 
https://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 Constituent 
Update is available on the FSIS web page. Through the web page,

[[Page 53040]]

FSIS provides 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: https://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

    In accordance with Federal civil rights law and 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.usda.gov/forms/electronic-forms, 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;
    (2) Fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
    (3) Email: [email protected]. USDA is an equal opportunity 
provider, employer, and lender.

    Done at Washington, DC.
Paul Kiecker,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2024-13842 Filed 6-24-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P