[Federal Register: May 15, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 94)]

[Notices]               

[Page 30952-30956]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr15my00-30]                         



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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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[[Page 30952]]







DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE



Food Safety and Inspection Service



[Docket No. 00-014N]



 

Announcement of and Request for Comment Regarding Industry 

Petition on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) 

Inspection



AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.



ACTION: Notice; opportunity to comment.



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SUMMARY: The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is requesting 

comment on a petition that asks FSIS to amend sections of the Hazard 

Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulations ``to increase 

the effectiveness'' of the HACCP system and to make the regulations 

more consistent with the HACCP principles published in 1997 by the 

National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Food 

(NACMCF). The petition is set out in this Federal Register notice. The 

petition was submitted by a group of trade associations. It contains no 

data or examples to support the requests it makes. In addition to 

comments from the public, FSIS will solicit comment from the members of 

the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMPI) 

at its May 16-17, 2000, meeting.



DATES: Comments are due July 14, 2000.



ADDRESSES: Send comments in triplicate to USDA, FSIS Docket Room, 

Docket No. 00-014N, Room 102 Cotton Annex, 300 12th Street, SW, 

Washington, DC 20250-3700.



FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Philip Derfler, Deputy Administrator, 

Office of Policy, Program Development and Evaluation, Food Safety and 

Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (202) 720-2709.



SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:



Background



    On July 25, 1996, FSIS published a final rule in the Federal 

Register, entitled ``Pathogen Reduction; Hazard Analysis and Critical 

Control Point Systems'' (61 FR 38806), requiring that federally 

inspected meat and poultry establishments implement HACCP systems to 

address hazards that are reasonably likely to occur in their 

operations. This rule requires that all federally inspected meat and 

poultry plants develop and implement written sanitation standard 

operating procedures (sanitation SOPs); mandates that meat and poultry 

slaughter plants conduct microbial testing for generic E. coli to 

verify the adequacy of their process controls; requires that all meat 

and poultry plants develop and implement a system of preventive 

controls known as HACCP to improve the safety of their products; and 

sets pathogen reduction performance standards for Salmonella that 

slaughter plants and plants producing raw ground products must meet.

    When FSIS issued this final rule, it was aware that the rule would 

bring about major changes in the way plants operate and in how FSIS 

conducts its inspections. To account for this impact, the 

implementation of the rule was phased in over a three-year period that 

concluded January 25, 2000. Also, to assist the industry in preparing 

for the implementation of HACCP, FSIS provided extensive technical 

assistance and guidance and held numerous public meetings to receive 

input from all stakeholders.



Petition



    FSIS received a petition dated December 30, 1999, signed by the 

following organizations: The American Meat Institute, American 

Association of Meat Processors, National Chicken Council, National Food 

Processors Association, National Meat Association, National Turkey 

Federation, and the North American Meat Processors. The petition 

requests that FSIS amend sections of the HACCP regulations in order, 

according to the petition, to increase the effectiveness of the HACCP 

system and to make the regulations more consistent with the HACCP 

principles published in 1997, by the National Advisory Committee on 

Microbiological Criteria for Food (NACMCF).

    The petitioners contend that FSIS has too narrowly interpreted its 

rulemaking and ignores the ``* * * commonsense approach needed to make 

HACCP successful.'' In particular, they point out that there are other 

components of a HACCP system that the Agency should recognize, such as 

good manufacturing practice (GMP) programs (referred to as prerequisite 

programs), and that FSIS does not permit prerequisite programs to 

address food safety concerns. In 61 FR 38805, FSIS stated that it 

expected the HACCP plan to be a stand-alone document addressing food 

safety.

    The petitioners also suggest that FSIS change some of the 

definitions contained in the HACCP regulations. Specifically, they 

suggest the following definition changes:

    1. Delete the term and definition for ``food safety hazard'' and 

replace it with the term ``hazard.'' A ``hazard'' would be defined as 

``a biological, chemical or physical agent that is reasonably likely to 

cause illness or injury in the absence of its control.''

    2. Change the definition of ``hazard analysis'' to ``the process of 

collecting and evaluating information on hazards associated with the 

food under consideration to decide which are significant and must be 

addressed in the HACCP plan.''

    3. Define ``severity'' as ``the seriousness of the effect(s) of a 

hazard.''

    4. Define ``shipped'' as ``a product has been shipped if it has 

been sold to a third party and is not under the direct or effective 

control of the inspected establishment. Products have not been shipped 

in circumstances such as when the product is still owned by the 

inspected establishment, whether stored at the inspected establishment 

or at another storage location, as well as when the product is moving 

from one facility to another that is owned by the same person or 

company.'' The petitioners also suggest that throughout the regulations 

the word ``shipped'' should replace the phrase ``enters commerce.''

    5. Lastly, the petitioners request that FSIS amend 9 CFR 417.6(e) 

to provide that a HACCP system may be found to be inadequate only when 

adulterated product has been shipped. Currently, the regulations state 

that the system may be found inadequate when adulterated product is 

produced or shipped.

    As part of the Agency's continued efforts to involve all 

stakeholders in



[[Page 30953]]



issues related to the HACCP regulation and its implementation, FSIS is 

publishing the petition in this Federal Register notice. FSIS is also 

publishing this petition as part of its on-going efforts to keep 

stakeholders updated and informed about the Agency's activities. The 

Agency is working on a separate rulemaking related to the petition 

process, to more clearly define the requirements to be contained in a 

petition for changing the FSIS regulations.



Questions



    FSIS is seeking public comment on the following questions about the 

petition:

    1. The industry petition relies mainly on the NACMCF document and 

does not provide any data or examples to support its request. Is there 

any information that would support taking any of the actions requested 

in the petition?

    2. Would amending 9 CFR 417.2(a) in the manner suggested in the 

petition result in regulations that provide the level of public health 

protection required by the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry 

Products Inspection Act?

    3. Should FSIS consider regulatory modifications that would 

acknowledge the prerequisite programs concept of NACMCF?

    4. Do FDA regulations, such as the GMP regulations, offer an 

approach that FSIS should consider? How would such an approach fit 

within the HACCP concept? How would FSIS implement such an approach?

    5. What will be the effects of making FSIS and FDA HACCP regulatory 

requirements dissimilar?

    6. Should the changes suggested in the industry petition be 

considered in light of the views expressed on HACCP by Codex and by 

other countries?



The Text of the Petition



Petition for Rulemaking Amendments to Pathogen Reduction; Hazard 

Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP); Final Rule

    The member companies of the trade associations (the associations) 

identified below support the adoption of Hazard Analysis Critical 

Control Point (HACCP) as the best system available for enhancing the 

safety of meat and poultry products. Through this petition, the 

associations seek amendments that will contribute to the evolution and 

effectiveness of HACCP. Although some adjustments can be made to the 

inspection system administratively, certain amendments to the Pathogen 

Reduction; Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point Systems final rule 

(the Rule) published by the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS or 

the agency) on July 25, 1996 (61 FR 38806) will be required to 

accomplish these objectives.

    Although HACCP implementation to date has been largely successful, 

disputes over ``technical'' non-conformances with certain elements of 

the Rule have arisen that have adversely affected the overall success 

of HACCP, without contributing to protection of consumers.\1\ In that 

regard, amending the rule would reduce the occurrence of these 

unproductive instances and help focus future activities of the industry 

and the agency on issues that are vital to consumer protection.

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    \1\ Although HACCP implementation will not be completed 

throughout the meat and poultry industry until next January, nearly 

80 percent of meat and poultry production already occurs under HACCP 

systems. This experience suggests strongly, that the time is now to 

discuss ways to improve an HACCP-based inspection system.

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Background

    HACCP is a preventive system of hazard control, the inherent value 

of which is widely acknowledged. In that regard, the HACCP system has 

provided a framework for establishing more effective food safety 

measures. Nearly 15 years ago, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) 

recognized the importance of incorporating HACCP into the meat and 

poultry inspection system and encouraged FSIS to move quickly to apply 

the HACCP system. \2\

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    \2\ Meat and Poultry Inspection--The Scientific Basis of the 

Nation's Program, National Academy Press, 1985 (pp. 134-135).

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    The seven principles of HACCP, as revised by the National Advisory 

Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) in 1997, 

provide the basis for contemporary interpretations of the HACCP system. 

Those principles are:

    1. Conduct a hazard analysis.

    2. Determine the critical control points.

    3. Establish critical limits.

    4. Establish monitoring procedures.

    5. Establish corrective actions.

    6. Establish verification procedures.

    7. Establish recordkeeping and documentation procedures. \3\

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    \3\ The NACMCF streamlined the principles in a report adopted 

August 14, 1997. That report reversed principles six and seven from 

the original order established by NACMCF to the order presented 

above. See Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point Principles and 

Application Guidelines (hereinafter the Guidelines), J. of Food 

Protection, Vol. 61, No. 6, at 762-775, 1998.

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    Through the application of these principles, simple production 

processes can be accommodated. Similarly, highly sophisticated 

procedures, even those that may pose some degree of risk can also be 

accommodated, assuming that the appropriate critical control points are 

identified and measurement criteria are established.

    These principles purportedly provide the basis for the agency's 

Rule. The Rule as written, however, deviates from the intended 

application of these principles in several important ways. It is 

because the Rule as implemented by the agency does not adhere in its 

entirety to the principles of HACCP that this petition is submitted.

    The Rule and industry's adoption of HACCP have fundamentally 

changed many aspects of food safety practices and inspection. HACCP 

requires acceptance by industry that it is responsible for ensuring the 

safety of products it produces. That concept, and the challenges it 

presents, has been accepted by industry.

    The Rule also has required adjustments within the agency's 

inspection program. Companies' HACCP control activities occur in 

establishments under some form of continuous inspection and a wide 

range of enforcement sanctions remains available to FSIS. Indeed, the 

Rule has, in effect, expanded that capability through provisions 

permitting withholding actions in the event an establishment's HACCP 

plan is deemed to be inadequate. Under HACCP, however, inspection 

emphasis was to have shifted away from the application of subjective 

criteria and toward monitoring of specific, quantitative benchmarks.

    HACCP should result in a food inspection system with a much higher 

level of private and public cooperation. Ideally, under HACCP 

government and industry would find themselves working together to 

monitory food safety compliance, with the goal of providing the safest 

possible meat and poultry supply.

Discussion



The Rule Is Written and Interpreted Too Narrowly



    An important component of HACCP is the requirement that a written 

HACCP plan be developed for all products in accordance with HACCP 

principles. That plan should identify the hazards associated with the 

product, identify the critical control points in the process, establish 

quantitative monitoring procedures to assure compliance and corrective 

actions, and provide effective documentation of compliance. A HACCP 

plan is, however, only one part of a plant's overall food safety 

system. Other integral components of that system include Sanitation 

Standard



[[Page 30954]]



Operating Procedures (SSOPs), and various good manufacturing practices 

and other prerequisite programs (hereinafter collectively prerequisite 

programs) that are needed to form the foundation for the HACCP 

system.\4\

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    \4\ Prerequisite programs have been identified as the foundation 

upon which a HACCP plan is built. See ``The Role of Prerequisite 

Programs in Managing a HACCP System,'' Dairy, Food and Environmental 

Sanitation, Vol. 18, No. 7 at 418-423, July 1998.

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    Unfortunately, the agency has elected only to recognize the 

sanitation part of these other components of establishments' food 

safety systems. For example, a beef plant typically controls 

temperature according to prerequisite programs to preserve product 

quality. Although this is a necessary program for meeting quality 

criteria, FSIS has apparently taken the posisiton that establishments 

must also incorporate product temperature controls into their HACCP 

plans. This position has resulted essentially in government mandated 

critical control points (CCPS)--contrary to the agencys often repeated 

statement that companies develop and operate their own HACCP plans and 

are responsible for the same. The role of prerequisite programs is a 

central question that needs to be addressed through a dialogue with the 

agency to determine the appropriate role for prerequisite programs as a 

component of a plant's operating system.

    This mandate arises out of the agency's refusal to acknowledge 

prerequisite programs and other important food safety systems as very 

important, integral components of an establishment's food safety 

system. The agency specifically points to the ``in the absence of those 

controls'' language it incorporated into section 417.2(a)(1) of the 

Rule. The agency's interpretation of the Rule's language is unduly 

narrow and ignores the commonsense approach needed to make HACCP 

successful.

    Notwithstanding the problems encountered to date, the Rule can be 

amended to enable the agency to consider the other important aspects of 

an establishment's food safety system, such as prerequisite programs. 

Rather than continue to implement a regulation that the agency 

interprets as forcing FSIS to ignore certain elements of a plant's 

program, the Rule should be amended to permit the agency to consider 

those other components when determining whether an establishment's 

HACCP plan is adequate. As discussed below, prerequisite programs will 

influence the likelihood that a food safety hazard will occur and, 

therefore, should be acknowledged by the Agency.

    Such an amendment will benefit the agency, the regulated industry, 

and most significantly will enhance food safety. In that regard, the 

agency will be better able to determine whether a company's HACCP plan 

is adequate, enabling the agency to apply its limited resources to 

situations in which the integrity of the food inspection system may be 

compromised. Similarly, regulated companies will be better able to 

direct their resources to address circumstances that involve legitimate 

food safety issues, rather than including additional and often 

unnecessary provisions in their HACCP plans in order to accommodate the 

current interpretation of HACCP contained in the rule. Making the 

system operate more efficiently benefits all interested parties, 

including consumers who benefit from lower prices and also benefit from 

the fact that a less complicated, less duplicative system contributes 

to a more effective system from a food safety standpoint.



The Definition and Interpretation of a Food Safety Hazard Should Be 

Amended



    The Rule's definition of ``food safety hazard'' is inconsistent 

with the definition of hazard provided by the NACMCF. Currently, the 

Rule defines a ``food safety hazard'' as any ``biological, chemical, or 

physical property that may cause a food to be unsafe for human 

consumption.'' \5\ The NACMCF, however, developed a tighter, more 

appropriate defintion of ``hazard'' in its 1997 report.\6\ 

Specifically, NACMCF defines a ``hazard'' as a ``biological, chemical, 

or physical agent that is reasonably likely to cause illness or injury 

in the absence of its control.'' \7\ This definition will facilitate 

development of HACCP plans that focus on food safety, while encouraging 

firms to utilize prerequisite programs.

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    \5\ 9 CFR sec. 417.1.

    \6\ FSIS cross-references hazard and food safety hazard in the 

Rule. See 9 CFR sec. 417.1.

    \7\ See Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point Principles 

and Application Guidelines, National Advisory Committee on 

Microbiological Criteria for Foods, at 6 (August 14, 1997).

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    The Guidelines include a thorough discussion of that definition 

and, in that regard, provide that the purpose of a hazard analysis ``is 

to develop a list of hazards which are of such significance that they 

are reasonably likely to cause injury or illness if not effectively 

controlled.'' \8\ The Guidelines provide that each identified potential 

hazard should be evaluated, giving consideration to its severity and 

likely occurrence. That consideration should also include the food, its 

method of preparation, transportation, storage, and the persons likely 

to consume the product.\9\ Also included in these considerations would 

be the influence of prerequisite programs on the likely occurrence of 

the hazard under consideration. In short, the Guidelines make clear 

that significance, based on a variety of factors, is an integral part 

of determining whether a potential hazard is, in fact, a hazard that 

should be addressed in a HACCP plan.\10\

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    \8\ Id. at 12-13.

    \9\ Id. at 12.

    \10\ Indeed, the Guidelines provide that hazards identified in 

one facility may not be significant in another plant for the same or 

similar product. Id. at 14.

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    The Rule, however, is not written, nor interpreted, in a manner 

consistent with the NACMCF Guidelines. The Rule provides a much broader 

definition of ``hazard'' because it identifies as a ``hazard'' those 

properties that may cause a food to be unsafe, regardless of whether 

the hazard is ``significant'' in terms of actually presenting a risk to 

human health. This interpretation has led to confusion regarding what 

should be covered in HACCP plans and how to make this determination. 

This problem could be addressed by changing the Rule's definition of 

``hazard.'' The NACMCF definition and interpretation of a ``hazard,'' 

is more precise and consistent with the principles of HACCP because it 

provides useful guidance for identifying those properties that, when 

all factors are considered, present a significant risk of illness or 

injury.

    Prior to the implementation date for HACCP in the very large 

plants, the agency published the first of several notices that, in 

effect, dictate the adoption or establishment of hazards, without 

engaging in the necessary hazard analysis with respect to the 

significance and severity of those hazards. For example, in November 

1997 FSIS published a notice telling establishments that zero tolerance 

for visible fecal material was a food safety standard and that FSIS 

would be determining compliance before the application of 

interventions. FSIS stated in the notice that visible fecal was a 

vehicle for microbial contamination. However, an establishment 

employing microbial interventions would typically set the critical 

control point at the intervention, not prior to it. In a situation such 

as this the visible contamination would need to be minimized but would 

not be the most critical point in the system. This notice, in effect, 

dictated the presence of CCPs in the production process, as well as its 

positioning.



[[Page 30955]]



    Immediately following large plant implementation the agency 

published a notice that effectively abandoned the concepts underlying 

HACCP in favor of a command and control regulatory system. Ultimately, 

the agency issued letters to numerous federally inspected facilities 

effectively dictating CCPs when a hazard analysis conducted by those 

plants, consistent with the NACMCF model for conducting such an 

analysis, indicated that the hazard was not of sufficient significance 

and severity to warrant its control through the HACCP plan. Finally, 

more recently, the agency has again insisted on dictating the presence 

and positioning of CCPs in plants that manufacture raw ground and not 

ground products.

    Implementing the change recommended by this petition would address 

this problem and would benefit the agency, consumers, and the regulated 

industry. As previously discussed, such a change would enable the 

agency to focus its resources in a more efficient and effective manner 

and would enhance food safety by doing so. Accordingly, the Rule should 

be amended to adopt the definition of ``hazard'' as set forth by the 

NACMCF and abide by the NACMCF's intent with regard to conducting a 

hazard analysis.



The Rule Does Not Adequately Address When a Product Is Within an 

Establishment's Control



    The Rule does not provide adequate guidance as to when a product 

has left the producing facility's control. The agency's interpretation 

of the Rule fails to acknowledge that products can be within an 

establishment's control even when the product is outside the physical 

boundaries of an establishment. For example, product on a company-owned 

or contracted truck is still under that company's control, as is 

product still owned by the establishment but held in a cold storage 

warehouse away from the production facility. FSIS has, on several 

occasions, contended that product was no longer within the 

establishment's control once it left the production facility's loading 

dock. Indeed, the agency has taken that position even when the product 

was stored on tractor-trailers still on the physical plant compound.

    The Rule should be amended to define, for purposes of compliance 

with the HACCP regulations, when a product is shipped. In that regard, 

product should be deemed to have been shipped for purposes of HACCP 

compliance when it has been sold to another entity and is no longer in 

the direct or effective control of the producing establishment. For 

example, when product owned by the establishment is stored at a cold 

storage warehouse and is still subject to movement at the direction of 

the establishment it should be deemed to be in the establishment's 

control.



The Provision Regarding Inadequate Plans Should Be Amended



    The Rule provides that a plant's HACCP plan may be deemed to be 

inadequate when ``adulterated product is produced or shipped.'' That 

provision however, is too draconian and should be amended to delete the 

reference to ``produced.''

    The checks built into a HACCP plan are intended to identify not 

only when the production process is working as intended, but also to 

alert an establishment when the process has not met the critical limits 

relevant to the identified CCPs. A HACCP plan operating, as intended, 

will alert a company when a critical limit has not been met for one of 

many reasons that can, over the course of time, be expected to occur. 

In some cases, that will result in the production of ``adulterated'' 

product as that term is defined in the Federal Meat Inspection Act and 

the Poultry Products Inspection Act. What is relevant for purposes of 

compliance with the Rule is whether administration of the HACCP plan 

resulted in the company being able to detect the problem, as well as 

enabling the company to take corrective action.

    A plant's operation should not be in jeopardy when it identifies a 

problem, as its plan is designed to do--even though adulterated product 

has been produced. The Rule, however, puts the agency in the position 

of taking action and deciding that an establishment's HACCP plan is 

inadequate when adulterated product is produced, even if the company 

caught the problem before any product left the plant's control. If the 

system is working a company should not be penalized. At a minimum, no 

plan should be deemed to be inadequate for deviations detected by the 

company in pre-shipment review. Numerous examples of such technical 

non-conformances can be cited and such instances have encumbered the 

agency and industry in resource intensive discussions that do not 

enhance public health protection. By modifying the Rule the squandering 

of valuable inspection resources can be avoided.

Specific Action Requested

    The undersigned organizations request that the FSIS HACCP 

regulations be amended as set forth below.

    Amend section 417.2(a)(1) to read as follows: ``Every official 

establishment shall conduct, or have conducted for it, a hazard 

analysis to develop a list of hazards that are of such severity and 

significance that they are reasonably likely to cause injury or illness 

if not effectively controlled. Hazards that are not reasonably likely 

to cause injury or illness do not require further consideration within 

a HACCP plan. The hazard analysis shall consider the ingredients and 

raw materials, each step in the process, product storage and 

distribution, and final preparation and use by the consumer.''

    Amend section 417.1 to include several necessary definitions to 

ensure consistency with the recommendations of the NACMCF. In that 

regard the following amendments should be promulgated.

    <bullet> Delete the term food safety hazard and provide the 

following definition of hazard: ``A biological, chemical, or physical 

agent that is reasonably likely to cause illness or injury in the 

absence of its control.''

    <bullet> Provide the following definition of hazard analysis: ``The 

process of collecting and evaluating information on hazards associated 

with the food under consideration to decide which are significant and 

must be addressed in the HACCP plan.''

    <bullet> Provide the following definition of severity: ``The 

seriousness of the effect(s) of a hazard.''

    <bullet> Provide the following definition of shipped: ``A product 

has been shipped if it has been sold to a third party and is not under 

the direct or effective control of the inspected establishment. 

Products have not been shipped in circumstances such as when the 

product is still owned by the inspected establishment, whether stored 

at the inspected establishment or at another storage location, as well 

as when the product is moving from one facility to another that is 

owned by the same person or company.''

    Amend section 417.3 to provide when product produced pursuant to a 

HACCP plan has been shipped for purposes of compliance with the rule. 

Specifically, section 417.3(b)(3) should be amended by striking the 

words ``enters commerce'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``is shipped.''

    Amend section 417.6(e) to provide that a HACCP system may be found 

to be inadequate when adulterated product has been shipped. 

Specifically, section 417.6(e) should be amended by striking ``produced 

or.''



[[Page 30956]]



Conclusion

    Amendments to the Rule as suggested by this Petition will advance 

the interests of government, industry, and the consuming public. The 

Food Safety and Inspection Service should proceed without further delay 

toward adoption of these amendments. With regard specifically to 

prerequisite programs, the undersigned organizations intend to engage 

the agency in discussions to develop the appropriate consideration of 

these programs within a comprehensive system for managing food safety, 

quality, and wholesomeness.

Certification

    The undersigned certifies that, to the best of his knowledge and 

belief, the Petition includes all information and views on which the 

Petition relies, and that it includes representative data and 

information known to the Petitioners that are unfavorable to the 

Petitioners.



      Respectfully submitted,



American Meat Institute

American Association of Meat Processors

National Chicken Council

National Food Processors Association

National Meat Association

National Turkey Federation

North American Meat Processors



Additional Public Notification



    Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy 

development is important. Consequently, in an effort to better ensure 

that minorities, women, and persons with disabilities are aware of this 

notice, FSIS will announce it and provide copies of this Federal 

Register publication in the FSIS Constituent Update. FSIS provides a 

weekly FSIS Constituent Update, which is communicated via fax to over 

300 organizations and individuals. In addition, the update is available 

on-line through the FSIS web page located at http://www.fsis.usda.gov. 

The update is used to provide information regarding FSIS policies, 

procedures, regulations, Federal Register notices, FSIS public 

meetings, recalls, and any other types of information that could affect 

or would be of interest to our constituents/stakeholders. The 

constituent fax list consists of industry, trade, and farm groups, 

consumer interest groups, allied health professionals, scientific 

professionals, and other individuals that have requested to be 

included. Through these various channels, FSIS is able to provide 

information to a much broader, more diverse audience. For more 

information and to be added to the constituent fax list, fax your 

request to the Congressional and Public Affairs Office, at (202) 720-

5704.



    Done at Washington, DC, on: May 8, 2000.

Thomas J. Billy,

Administrator.

[FR Doc. 00-12156 Filed 5-12-00; 8:45 am]

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