[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 48 (Thursday, March 12, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 12974]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-05670]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 48 / Thursday, March 12, 2015 /
Notices
[[Page 12974]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
RIN 0583-AD39
[Docket Number FSIS-2015-0006]
Effective Date for Foreign Inspection Certificate Requirements
AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is extending the
effective date for foreign inspection certificate requirements to March
18, 2015, to ensure that countries have sufficient time to adjust to
the new requirements for additional product information.
DATES: Compliance date: Foreign Inspection certificate requirements:
March 18, 2015.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information contact Dan
Engeljohn, Assistant Administrator, Office of Policy and Program
Development, FSIS, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence
Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-3700, (202) 205-0495.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On September 19, 2014, FSIS published a final rule, ``Electronic
Import Inspection Application and Certification of Imported Products
and Foreign Establishments; Amendments to Facilitate the Public Health
Information System (PHIS) and Other Changes to Import Inspection
Regulations'' (79 FR 56220). The final rule amended the meat, poultry,
and egg products import regulations to provide for the Agency's Public
Health Information System (PHIS) Import Component. The rule also
removed from the regulations the discontinued ``streamlined'' import
inspection procedures for Canadian product and required Sanitation
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) at official import inspection
establishments. In addition, the rule amended the regulations to delete
overly prescriptive formatting and narrative requirements for foreign
inspection certificates and to make the certificate requirements the
same for imported meat, poultry, and egg products. The Agency also
proposed to require additional information on the foreign inspection
certificate so it would have complete foreign product information.
The effective date of the final rule was November 18, 2014.
However, to ensure that foreign countries have sufficient time to
adjust to the new requirements for certifying the additional product
information on foreign inspection certificates, FSIS will allow
countries to continue using existing inspection certificates until
March 18, 2015. FSIS announced the March 18, 2015, effective date for
foreign inspection certificates in a Constituent Update that published
on October 31, 2014 (http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/newsroom/meetings/newsletters/constituent-updates/archive/2014/ConstUpdate103114). In addition, in a letter issued to foreign
countries, the Agency advised that it would allow countries to continue
using existing foreign inspection certificates until March 18, 2015
(http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/3c9c0fa4-fa3c-4ae1-bfb0-0286623009f2/Import-Rule-Letter-to-Foreign-Gov.pdf?MOD=AJPERES.
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 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 Update is available on the FSIS Web page. Through the
Web page, FSIS is able to 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).
Done, at Washington, DC on: March 9, 2015.
Alfred V. Almanza,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2015-05670 Filed 3-11-15; 8:45 am]
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