Importation of Sliced and Pre-Packaged Dry-Cured Pork Products

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

9 CFR Part 94

[Docket No. 96-066-1]

Importation of Sliced and Pre-Packaged Dry-Cured Pork Products

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: We are proposing to allow dry-cured pork products that have

been sliced and packaged prior to shipment to the United States to be

imported into the United States under specified conditions. This action

would relieve some restrictions on the importation of pork into the

United States without presenting a significant risk of introducing any

serious communicable diseases of animals.

DATES: Consideration will be given only to comments received on or

before June 13, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Please send an original and three copies of your comments to

Docket No. 96-066-1, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS,

Suite 4C03, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238.

Comments received may be inspected at USDA, room 1141, South Building,

14th Street and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC, between 8 a.m.

and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. Persons wishing

to inspect comments are requested to call ahead on (202) 690-2817 to

facilitate entry into the comment reading room.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Julia Sturm, Supervisory Staff

Officer, Products Program, National Center for Import and Export, VS,

APHIS, Suite 3B66, 4700 River Road Unit 40, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231,

(301) 734-3277; or E-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The regulations in 9 CFR part 94 (referred to below as the

regulations) govern the importation into the United States of specified

animals and animal products to prevent the introduction of various

animal diseases, including rinderpest, foot-and-mouth disease, bovine

spongiform encephalopathy, hog cholera, African swine fever, and swine

vesicular disease, into the United States. These are dangerous and

destructive communicable diseases of ruminants and swine.

Under the regulations, certain animal products--whole hams, pork

shoulders, and pork loins--from countries where foot-and-mouth disease,

rinderpest, African swine fever, hog cholera, or swine vesicular

disease exists may be imported into the United States only under

certain conditions. To be eligible for importation, these products must

have been dry-cured and otherwise handled in accordance with procedures

specified in Sec. 94.17 of the regulations. However, under our current

regulations, these same products are not eligible for importation if

they have been sliced and packaged prior to shipment. We have

prohibited importation of sliced and packaged dry-cured hams, pork

shoulders, and pork loins because it is difficult to verify the origin

of the meat and how it has been processed. Without this information, we

cannot easily determine whether the meat has been treated and otherwise

handled in a manner that ensures it is free of disease agents.

The Italian Ministry of Health has petitioned us to allow presliced

and prepackaged dry-cured pork to be imported into the United States

from countries where foot-and-mouth disease, rinderpest, swine

vesicular disease, African swine fever, and hog cholera exist, if the

meat would, except for its having been sliced and packaged, meet all

current requirements for importation. The Italian Ministry proposed

various inspection, recordkeeping, and labeling requirements that would

allow verification of the meat's origin, treatment, and handling.

We have carefully considered this petition, and concluded that

presliced and prepackaged dry-cured pork can be imported into the

United States without undue risk, under conditions explained in this

document. We are therefore proposing to amend our regulations to allow

such importations.

Under our proposed rule, to be eligible for importation, presliced

and prepackaged dry-cured ham, pork shoulder, and pork loin must come

from whole dry-cured hams, pork shoulders, and pork loins that meet the

requirements of current Sec. 94.17. After the whole hams, pork

shoulders, and pork loins have been dry-cured in accordance with

Sec. 94.17(i), they must be transferred to an approved slicing/

packaging facility. The slicing/packaging facility must be located

within the same region of the same country as the establishment where

the whole hams, pork shoulders, and pork loins were dry-cured (see

proposed Sec. 94.17(p)). In the future, under the regulations in 9 CFR

part 94, some countries may be divided into different regions, based on

whether an animal disease is present in a region and the level of

disease risk presented by animals and products exported from that

region. If a country is divided into two or more regions for disease

risk classification with respect to foot-and-mouth disease, rinderpest,

African swine fever, hog cholera, or swine vesicular disease, having

the dry-curing establishment and the slicing/packaging facility in the

same region of the same country would ensure that meat in transit from

the processing facility to the slicing/packaging facility would not be

exposed and possibly contaminated with disease agents of concern.

The slicing/packaging facility must, under our proposed rule, be

approved by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of

the U.S. Department of Agriculture (see proposed Sec. 94.17(p)(1)(i)).

1 APHIS inspections are designed to ensure that meat and meat

products imported into the United States present negligible pest or

disease risk to livestock in this country.

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1 In addition, pork and pork products, as a condition of

entry into the United States, must meet all requirements of the

Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) and regulations

promulgated thereunder by the Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS)

of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. FSIS regulations require that

meat and meat products be prepared only in FSIS-approved

establishments (see 7 CFR part 327).

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Under our proposed rule, the operators of slicing/packaging

facilities would be required to sign cooperative service agreements

with APHIS, and be current in paying all costs for an APHIS

representative to inspect their

[[Page 18056]]

establishments (see proposed Secs. 94.17(p)(1)(vi) and

94.17(p)(1)(vii)). Slicing/packaging facilities would also be required

to allow APHIS personnel, or persons authorized by APHIS, to inspect

the facility and facility records without notice (see proposed

Sec. 94.17(p)(1)(viii)). These proposed requirements are virtually

identical to the requirements in our regulations that now apply to

facilities that process whole hams, pork shoulders, and pork loins. The

proposed cooperative service agreement requirements are designed to

ensure that slicing/packaging facilities are not only in compliance

with the regulations, but that the costs of compliance are born by the

facilities or their representatives, not by APHIS.

At slicing/packaging facilities, a full-time salaried veterinarian

employed by the national veterinary service of the government of the

country of origin, would be required, under our proposed rule, to

inspect each lot of dry-cured hams, pork shoulders, and pork loins

arriving at the facility and intended for export to the United States

(see proposed Sec. 94.17(p)(2)(i). The veterinarian would have to

inspect the pork products prior to slicing and packaging, and would

have to certify, in writing, that the products meet all the

requirements of Sec. 94.17 of the regulations. Such certification would

be part of the records maintained by the slicing/packaging facility.

Under our proposed rule, we would also require the entire slicing

and packaging process to be personally and continuously supervised by

either a full-time veterinarian employed by the national government of

the country of origin, or, if the government of the country of origin

recognizes a local consortium as responsible for product quality, by an

authorized representative of the recognized consortium (see proposed

Sec. 94.17(p)(2)(ii)). In most countries where dry-cured pork products

are produced in accordance with Sec. 94.17, local consortia are

responsible for ensuring product quality.

The individual supervising the slicing and packaging process would

be required to certify, in records maintained by the slicing/packaging

facility, that the sliced and packaged dry-cured hams, pork shoulders,

and pork loins are the products from the same whole hams, shoulders,

and loins inspected by the veterinarian at the time they entered the

facility (see proposed Sec. 94.17(p)(2)(ii)). The individual

supervising slicing and packaging would also be required to certify, in

records maintained by the slicing/packaging facility, that the meat was

sliced and packaged in accordance with our regulations. Under our

proposed regulations, any document or form of certification would be

acceptable as long as it is in English. These certifications are

necessary to help ensure that sliced and packaged dry-cured pork

products shipped to the United States are eligible for importation.

We are also proposing to prohibit pork products intended for

importation into the United States from being in the slicing/packaging

facility at the same time as pork products not intended for importation

into the United States (see proposed Sec. 94.17(p)(1)(x)). Local

consumers and other importing countries may not require these types of

pork products to be dry-cured for as long as products destined for the

United States. After meat has been sliced and packaged, it is no longer

possible to determine how long it was dry-cured. Our requirements are

therefore intended to prevent products intended for importation into

the United States from being commingled with other products. Under our

proposal, however, slicing/packaging facilities could handle other

products at times when they were not handling pork products intended

for importation into the United States.

We are proposing to require that slicing/packaging facilities be in

a separate building, physically detached from facilities where whole

hams, pork shoulders, or pork loins are dry-cured (see proposed

Sec. 94.17(p)(1)(ii). This is intended to ensure that dry-cured pork

products intended for importation into the United States are not

contaminated. We are also proposing to require that all areas in

slicing/packaging facilities where pork and pork products are handled,

such as holding areas and slicing and packaging areas, be cleaned and

disinfected. All equipment used to handle pork and pork products, such

as containers, work surfaces, slicing machines, and packaging

equipment, would also have to be cleaned and disinfected. Cleaning and

disinfecting of these areas and this equipment would be required after

sliced and packaged pork products not eligible for export to the United

States have left the facility, and before whole pork products intended

for importation into the United States enter the facility for slicing

and packaging (see Sec. 94.17(p)(1)(iii)). Cleaning and disinfecting

must be adequate to ensure that disease agents of concern are killed or

inactivated, and that pork products intended for importation into the

United States are not contaminated.

In addition, we are proposing to require that workers in slicing/

packaging facilities take precautions to ensure that they do not

contaminate dry-cured pork in the facility with any diseases of concern

(see proposed Sec. 94.17(p)(1)(ix)). We are proposing to require that

workers who handle dry-cured hams, pork shoulders, and pork loins in a

slicing/packaging facility either shower and put on a full set of clean

clothes, or wait 24 hours after handling other pork or pork products

before handling dry-cured pork hams, pork shoulders, or pork loins in

the facility that are intended for importation into the United States.

This is the same requirement that now applies to workers in

establishments where fresh hams, pork shoulders, and pork loins are

dry-cured in accordance with our regulations (see current

Sec. 94.17(h)).

Under our proposed regulations, slicing/packaging facilities would

have to maintain original records on each lot of dry-cured hams, pork

shoulders, and pork loins entering the facility intended for

importation into the United States (see proposed Secs. 94.17(p)(1)(iv)

and 94.17(p)(1)(v)). Records, which would have to be kept for a minimum

of 2 years, would have to include the establishment numbers of all

three facilities where the meat was handled--the slaughtering

establishment, the dry-curing establishment, and the slicing/packaging

facility. Records would also have to include the date dry-curing of the

pork started, the date dry-curing was completed, and the date the dry-

cured meat was sliced and packaged. We propose to require that the

records maintained at slicing/packaging facilities include the

certificate issued by the veterinarian at the facility and the

certification by either the veterinarian or the consortium

representative. Records would, in addition, have to be kept under lock

and key, with access restricted to officials of the national government

of the country of origin, officials of the United States Government,

and persons maintaining the records. Product labels 2 would be

required to show the date processing began under Sec. 94.17(i) and the

date of slicing and packaging (see proposed Sec. 94.17(p)(2)(iii)).

These proposed recordkeeping and labeling requirements are intended to

ensure that the presliced and prepackaged pork products fully comply

with our regulations. These proposed requirements would also allow us

to trace nonconforming products back to their source and help us better

enforce our regulations. We also considered requiring the lot number of

the meat to

[[Page 18057]]

appear on the label, or requiring that meat from only 1 lot be in a

package. However, current industry practice is to label packages with

the lot number and to package only meat from one lot in a package.

Under these circumstances, it appears unnecessary to include either

requirement in our proposed regulations.

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\2\ FSIS must also approve all labels for meat and meat food

products (see 9 CFR part 317).

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We believe this proposed system of inspections, recordkeeping and

labeling would provide us with the information we need to ensure that

sliced and packaged dry-cured hams, pork shoulders, and pork loins from

countries where various animal diseases exist would not pose a

significant disease or pest risk to livestock in the United States.

Miscellaneous

We are proposing to amend Sec. 94.17(n) to update the term ``trust

fund agreement'' by replacing it with the term ``cooperative service

agreement.'' Cooperative service agreement is the new name for the type

of agreement formerly known as a trust fund agreement.

We are also proposing to amend Sec. 94.17(g). This section

currently requires that facilities that dry-cure whole pork hams, pork

shoulders, and pork loins must have signed an agreement with APHIS

``within 12 months'' prior to receiving pork hams, pork shoulders, or

pork loins for processing. We have found this requirement to be

unnecessary. Facilities must maintain a current cooperative service

agreement with APHIS under Sec. 94.17(n), and facilities are subject to

unannounced inspections under Sec. 94.17(l). We have found these

requirements sufficient to ensure that dry-curing facilities comply

with the requirements of Sec. 94.17.

Executive Order 12866 and Regulatory Flexibility Act

This proposed rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12866.

The rule has been determined to be not significant for the purposes of

Executive Order 12866 and, therefore, has not been reviewed by the

Office of Management and Budget.

In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 603, we have performed an Initial

Regulatory Flexibility Analysis, which is set out below, regarding the

impact of this proposed rule on small entities. However, we do not

currently have all the data necessary for a comprehensive analysis of

the effects of this proposed rule on small entities. Therefore, we are

inviting comments. In particular, we are interested in determining: (1)

The quantity of specialty dry-cured hams produced domestically; (2) the

quantity of potential imports; and (3) the degree to which imported

presliced and prepackaged dry-cured pork products would displace

existing imported or domestic products.

This proposed rule would amend the regulations regarding

importation of dry-cured pork products from countries where certain

diseases of concern exist, by providing that certain sliced and

packaged products may be imported into the United States under

specified conditions. We have prohibited the importation of sliced and

packaged dry-cured hams, pork shoulders, and pork loins because of the

difficulty in verifying the origin of sliced and packaged meat and in

determining how the meat has been processed. This proposal would

establish inspections, recordkeeping, and labeling requirements that

would allow verification of the meat's origin, treatment, and handling.

We believe this action would relieve some restrictions on the

importation of dry-cured pork into the United States without presenting

a significant risk of introducing any serious communicable diseases of

animals.

The dry-cured pork products covered by the proposed rule are

specialty products, such as Parma hams from Italy. These products are

similar to other dry-cured pork products consumed in the United States,

some imported from other countries and some produced domestically.

Currently, only whole dry-cured pork hams, pork shoulders, and pork

loins are being imported into the United States. Slightly less than 3

million pounds of such whole products were imported in 1995, the most

recent year for which figures are available. Presliced and prepackaged

dry-cured pork products are not being imported into the United States

at this time.

We estimate that fewer than 15 domestic companies produce dry-cured

pork products similar to those covered by this proposed rule as a

primary or major product line. At least two of these companies are very

large, and these types of products constitute only a small fraction of

their overall business. Of the others, four are subsidiaries of Italian

or Swiss companies.

There are also a number of other producers of cured and smoked hams

who may produce similar products. If they do, adopting the proposed

rule could affect them. In addition, there are approximately 10

domestic establishments that buy cured hams and trim and dress them for

resale. Some of the resulting products might be similar to the

presliced and prepackaged products covered by this proposed rule. If

so, these businesses could also be affected if the proposed rule is

adopted.

This proposed rule contains various recordkeeping and reporting

requirements. These requirements are described in this document under

the heading ``Paperwork Reduction Act.''

Executive Order 12988

This proposed rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12988,

Civil Justice Reform. If this proposed rule is adopted: (1) All State

and local laws and regulations that are inconsistent with this rule

will be preempted; (2) no retroactive effect will be given to this

rule; and (3) administrative proceedings will not be required before

parties may file suit in court challenging this rule.

Paperwork Reduction Act

In accordance with section 3507(d) of the Paperwork Reduction Act

of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the information collection or

recordkeeping requirements included in this proposed rule have been

submitted for approval to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

Please send written comments to the Office of Information and

Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for APHIS, Washington,

DC 20503. Please state that your comments refer to Docket No. 96-066-1.

Please send a copy of your comments to: (1) Docket No. 96-066-1,

Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, suite 3C03, 4700 River

Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238, and (2) Clearance Officer,

OIRM, USDA, room 404-W, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW.,

Washington, DC 20250. A comment to OMB is best assured of having its

full effect if OMB receives it within 30 days of publication of this

proposed rule.

This rule would require that, to be eligible for importation into

the United States, presliced and prepackaged dry-cured pork hams, pork

shoulders, and pork loins from countries where rinderpest, foot-and-

mouth disease, African swine fever, hog cholera, or swine vesicular

disease exists, must be processed and sliced and packaged in the

country of origin under specific conditions. This rule would also

introduce various information collection requirements to enable us to

accurately assess whether products presented for importation comply

with all applicable regulations. We are soliciting comments from the

public concerning our proposed information collection and recordkeeping

requirements. We need this outside input to help us:

(1) Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is

necessary for the proper performance of our agency's

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functions, including whether the information will have practical

utility;

(2) Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the burden of the

proposed information collection, including the validity of the

methodology and assumptions used;

(3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to

be collected;

(4) Minimize the burden of the information collection on those who

are to respond (such as through the use of appropriate automated,

electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or

other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic

submission responses).

Estimate of burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of

information is estimated to average 0.083 hours per response.

Respondents: Government veterinarians, consortium representatives,

slicing/packaging facility personnel.

Estimated number of respondents: 6.

Estimated number of responses per respondent: 76.

Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 38 hours.

Copies of this information collection can be obtained from:

Clearance Officer, OIRM, USDA, room 404-W, 14th Street and Independence

Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250.

Regulatory Reform

This action is part of the President's Regulatory Reform

Initiative, which directs agencies to remove obsolete and unnecessary

regulations and to find less burdensome ways to achieve regulatory

goals.

List of Subjects in 9 CFR part 94

Animal diseases, Imports, Livestock, Meat and meat products, Milk,

Poultry and poultry products, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

Accordingly, 9 CFR part 94 would be amended as follows:

PART 94--RINDERPEST, FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE, FOWL PEST (FOWL

PLAGUE), EXOTIC NEWCASTLE DISEASE, AFRICAN SWINE FEVER, HOG

CHOLERA, AND BOVINE SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHY: PROHIBITED AND

RESTRICTED IMPORTATIONS.

1. The authority citation for part 94 would continue to read as

follows:

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 147a, 150ee, 161, 162, and 450; 19 U.S.C.

1306; 21 U.S.C. 111, 114a, 134a, 134b, 134c, 134f, 136, and 136a; 31

U.S.C. 9701; 42 U.S.C. 4331 and 4332; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and

371.2(d).

2. Section 94.17 would be amended as follows:

a. The introductory text would be revised to read as set forth

below.

b. In paragraph (d), by adding the word ``whole'' immediately

before the word ``ham,''.

c. In paragraph (e), by adding the word ``whole'' immediately after

the words ``was processed''; and in footnote 1, by removing the words

``9 CFR part 301, et seq.'' and adding the words ``9 CFR, Chapter III''

in their place.

d. In paragraph (f), by adding the word ``whole'' immediately after

the words ``was processed''.

e. In paragraph (g), by adding the word ``whole'' immediately after

the words ``was processed'', and by removing the words ``within 12

months''.

f. In paragraph (h), and in the introductory text of paragraph (i),

by adding the word ``whole'' immediately after the words ``was

processed''.

g. In paragraphs (j)(1), (j)(2), (j)(3), (k), (l), and (n), by

adding the word ``whole'' immediately after the first word ``The'' in

each paragraph.

h. In paragraph (j)(2), by adding the word ``whole'' immediately

before the words ``dry-cured pork shoulder''.

i. In paragraph (n), by removing the words ``trust fund agreement''

and adding the words ``cooperative service agreement'' in its place

each time it appears.

j. A new paragraph (p) would be added to read as set forth below.

Sec. 94.17 Dry-cured pork products from countries where foot-and-mouth

disease, rinderpest, African swine fever, hog cholera, or swine

vesicular disease exists.

Notwithstanding any other provisions in this part, dry-cured ham,

pork shoulder, or pork loin, whether whole or sliced and packaged,

shall not be prohibited from being imported into the United States if

it meets the following conditions:

* * * * *

(p) Whole hams, pork shoulders, and pork loins that have been dry-

cured in accordance with paragraph (i) of this section may be

transported to a facility in the same country for slicing and packaging

in accordance with this paragraph; provided that, if the country is

divided into two or more regions for disease classification with

respect to foot-and-mouth disease, rinderpest, African swine fever, hog

cholera, or swine vesicular disease, the slicing/packaging facility

must be in the same region of the country as the dry-curing facility.

(1) The slicing/packaging facility. (i) The slicing/packaging

facility 2 must be inspected, prior to slicing and packaging any

hams, pork shoulders, or pork loins in accordance with this paragraph,

by an APHIS representative and determined by the Administrator to be

capable of meeting the provisions of this paragraph.

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\2\ See footnote 1 in Sec. 94.17(e).

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(ii) The slicing/packaging facility must be in a separate building,

physically detached from the facility where the whole ham, pork

shoulder, or pork loin was dry-cured in accordance with paragraph (i)

of this section.

(iii) The slicing/packaging facility, including all equipment used

to handle pork and pork products, such as containers, work surfaces,

slicing machines, and packaging equipment, must be cleaned and

disinfected after sliced and packaged pork products that are not

eligible for export to the United States leave the facility, and before

whole dry-cured hams, pork shoulders, or pork intended for importation

into the United States enter the facility for slicing and packaging.

Cleaning and disinfecting must be adequate to ensure that disease

agents of concern are killed or inactivated, and that pork products

intended for importation into the United States are not contaminated.

(iv) The slicing/packaging facility must maintain under lock and

key for a minimum of 2 years, original records on each lot of whole

dry-cured hams, pork shoulders, and pork loins entering the facility

for slicing and packaging under this section, including:

(A) The approval number of the facility where the whole ham,

shoulder, or loin was dry-cured in accordance with paragraph (i) of

this section;

(B) The date the whole ham, shoulder, or loin started dry-curing;

(C) The date the whole ham, shoulder, or loin completed dry-curing;

(D) The date the whole ham, shoulder, or loin was sliced and

packaged; and

(E) A copy of all certifications required under paragraph (p) of

this section.

(v) Access to records required to be maintained under paragraph (p)

of this section must be restricted to officials of the national

government of the country of origin, representatives of the United

States Government, and persons maintaining the records.

(vi) The operator of the slicing/packaging facility must have

signed a cooperative service agreement with APHIS prior to receipt of

the whole dry-cured hams, pork shoulders, or pork loins for slicing and

packaging, stating that all hams, pork shoulders, or pork

[[Page 18059]]

loins sliced and packaged at the facility for importation into the

United States will be sliced and packaged only in accordance with this

section.

(vii) The operator of the slicing/packaging facility must be

current, in accordance with the terms of the cooperative service

agreement signed with APHIS, in paying all costs for an APHIS

representative to inspect the establishment, including travel, salary,

subsistence, administrative overhead, and other incidental expenses.

(viii) The slicing/packaging facility must allow the unannounced

entry into the establishment of APHIS representatives, or other persons

authorized by the Administrator, for the purpose of inspecting the

establishment and records of the establishment.

(ix) Workers at the slicing/packaging facility who handle pork or

pork products in the facility must shower and put on a full set of

clean clothes, or wait 24 hours after handling pork or pork products

that are not eligible for importation into the United States, before

handling dry-cured hams, pork shoulders, or pork loins in the slicing/

packaging facility that are intended for importation into the United

States.

(x) Pork products intended for importation into the United States

may not be in the slicing/packaging facility at the same time as pork

products not intended for exportation to the United States.

(2) Slicing and packaging and labeling procedures.

(i) A full-time salaried veterinarian employed by the national

government of the country of origin must inspect each lot of whole dry-

cured hams, pork shoulders, and pork loins at the slicing/packaging

facility, before slicing is begun, and must certify in English that it

is eligible for importation into the United States in accordance with

this section; and

(ii) Either a full-time salaried veterinarian employed by the

national government of the country of origin, or, if the national

government of the country of origin recognizes a local consortium as

responsible for product quality, a representative of that local

consortium, must certify in English that he or she personally

supervised the entire process of slicing and packaging each lot of dry-

cured hams, pork shoulders, and pork loins at the slicing/packaging

facility; that each lot of dry-cured hams, pork shoulders, and pork

loins was sliced and packaged in accordance with the requirements of

this paragraph; and that the sliced and packaged pork ham, shoulder, or

loin is the same dry-cured ham, pork shoulder, or pork loin certified

under paragraph (p)(2)(i).

(iii) The sliced and packaged dry-cured pork ham, pork shoulder, or

pork loin must be labeled with the date that processing of the meat

under paragraph (i) of this section began, and with the date the meat

was sliced and packaged.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control

number 0579-0015)

Done in Washington, DC, this 8th day of April 1997.

Donald W. Luchsinger,

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

[FR Doc. 97-9573 Filed 4-11-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410-34-P