Notice of Public Meeting on Voluntary, User-Fee Funded Program to Inspect and Certify Equipment Used to Process Livestock and Poultry Products

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

7 CFR Part 54

[Docket No. LS-98-09]

Notice of Public Meeting on Voluntary, User-Fee Funded Program to

Inspect and Certify Equipment Used to Process Livestock and Poultry

Products

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking; Notice of public

meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is developing a

voluntary, user-fee funded program to inspect and certify equipment

used to process livestock and poultry products under the Agricultural

Marketing Act of 1946. This program is required under the provisions of

the 1999 Omnibus Appropriations Bill. Comments received concerning this

notice and information provided at the public meeting will assist AMS

in the issuance of the proposed rule concerning the establishment of

this program.

DATES: Comments must be received by September 14, 1999. A public

meeting will be held August 10, 1999, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit one original and

two copies of written comments concerning this program to Craig Morris,

Docket No. LS-98-09, Room 2092 South Agriculture Building, 1400

Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20250-0249.

The public meeting will be held in Room 107-A at the USDA Jamie L.

Whitten Building, 12th and Jefferson Drive, SW., Washington, DC. To

register for the meeting or to schedule a presentation, contact

Christine Miles by telephone at 202-720-5705 or by FAX at 202-720-3499.

If a sign language interpreter or other special accommodation is

necessary, contact Christine Miles at the above number.

Submit one original and two copies of written presentations to

Craig Morris, Docket No. LS-98-09, Room 2092 South Agriculture

Building, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20250-0249. All

comments received in response to this notice will be considered part of

the public record and will be available for viewing in Room 2092 South

Agriculture Building, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC

20250-0249, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barry Carpenter, Deputy Administrator,

Livestock and Seed Program, by telephone at 202-720-5705 or by Fax at

202-720-3499.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 1999 Omnibus Appropriations Bill

requires development of a voluntary, user-fee funded program to inspect

and certify agricultural processing equipment, including equipment used

to process livestock and poultry products (Pub. L. 105-277, sec. 747).

Previously, this function was carried out by USDA on a mandatory prior

approval basis by the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) as a

prerequisite for equipment use in Federally inspected meat and poultry

packing and processing establishments. FSIS continues to verify that

equipment is of such material and construction as will facilitate its

thorough cleaning and otherwise avoid adulteration and misbranding of

product. However, to provide Federally inspected establishments with

the flexibility to design equipment in the manner they deem best to

maintain a sanitary environment for food production without having to

seek prior approval, FSIS published a document in the Federal Register

of August 25, 1997 (62 FR 45016) which eliminated the mandatory FSIS

prior approval program.

At the time FSIS announced its intention to discontinue its prior

approval program, equipment manufacturers and meat and poultry

processors expressed interest in continuing the FSIS program, or

developing a new program through AMS on a voluntary, user-fee funded

basis to inspect and certify equipment used to process livestock and

poultry products to a sanitary standard. Subsequently, passage of the

1999 Omnibus Appropriations Bill required development of a program to

inspect and certify agricultural processing equipment which would be

similar to other inspection and certification programs under the

Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1621-1627).

Accordingly, AMS is issuing this advance notice of proposed

rulemaking to assist in the development of an inspection and

certification program for equipment used to process livestock and

poultry products. Further, a public meeting will be held on August 10,

1999, in Room 107-A at the USDA Jamie L. Whitten Building, 12th and

Jefferson Drive, SW, Washington, DC. Through this advance notice of

proposed rulemaking and the public meeting, AMS will be seeking

information which will enable the Agency to develop an efficient and

cost-effective program for inspecting and certifying equipment used to

process livestock and poultry products.

Specifically, AMS will be seeking information concerning:

(1) Initiatives underway in the industry to develop a voluntary,

consensus sanitary standard for the design and manufacture of equipment

used to process livestock and poultry products;

(2) Comments on the validity and usability of standards presented

to AMS for consideration for adoption;

(3) Suggestions of criteria to be used by AMS to select a sanitary

standard; and

(4) Any other information which would aid AMS in implementing and

administering this program.

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621-1627

Dated: July 13, 1999.

Barry L. Carpenter,

Deputy Administrator, Livestock and Seed Program.

[FR Doc. 99-18216 Filed 7-15-99; 8:45 am]

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