[Federal Register: June 28, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 123)]
[Notices]
[Page 36057-36058]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28jn04-18]
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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 36057]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. 04-010N]
Notice of Request for a Revision of a Currently Approved
Information Collection (Marking, Labeling, and Packaging)
AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, this notice
announces the Food Safety and Inspection Service's (FSIS) intention to
request a revision to a currently approved information collection
regarding Marking, Labeling, and Packaging.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before August 27,
2004.
ADDRESSES: FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments on this
Information Collection request. Comments may be submitted by any of the
following methods:
Mail, including floppy disks or CD-ROM's, and hand- or
courier-delivered items: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, 300 12th Street, SW.,
Room 102 Cotton Annex, Washington, DC 20250.
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the online instructions at that site for
submitting comments.
All submissions received must include the Agency name and docket
number 04-010N.
All comments submitted in response to this notice, as well as
research and background information used by FSIS in developing this
document, will be available for public inspection in the FSIS Docket
Room at the address listed above between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The comments also will
be posted on the Agency's Web site at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FRDockets.htm
.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John O'Connell, Paperwork Reduction
Act Coordinator, Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA, 300 12th
Street, SW., Room 112, Washington, DC 20250-3700, (202) 720-0345.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Marking, Labeling, and Packaging.
OMB Number: 0583-0092.
Expiration Date of Approval: 9/30/2004.
Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved information
collection.
Abstract: FSIS has been delegated the authority to exercise the
functions of the Secretary as specified in the Federal Meat Inspection
Act (FMIA) (21 U.S.C. 601, et seq.), the Poultry Products Inspection
Act (PPIA) (21 U.S.C. 451, et seq.), and the Egg Products Inspection
Act (EPIA) (21 U.S.C. 1031, et seq.). These statutes mandate that FSIS
protect the public by ensuring that meat, poultry, and egg products are
safe, wholesome, unadulterated, and properly labeled and packaged.
FSIS is requesting a revision to the information collection
addressing paperwork and recordkeeping requirements regarding marking,
labeling, and packaging because of an anticipated decrease of
information collection burden hours due to a decrease in the submission
of new labels. To ensure that meat, poultry, and egg products are
accurately labeled, FSIS approves meat, poultry, and egg products
labeling. Meat, poultry, and egg products establishments and plants
must develop product labels (9 CFR 317.4, 381.132 & 590.411) in
accordance with FSIS regulations. Each establishment must maintain a
copy of all labeling used, along with all records of product
formulation and processing procedures.
Approved labeling to which minor changes are made, such as holiday
season designs, addition or deletion of coupons, UPC production codes,
or recipe suggestions; newly assigned or revised establishment numbers;
changes in the arrangement or language of directions for opening
containers or serving the product; or the substitution of abbreviations
for words or vice versa, do not need an additional FSIS approval
(Sec. Sec. 317.5 & 381.133).
FSIS requires establishments to have a written guaranty that
packaging materials are safe for intended use within the meaning of
section 409 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, as amended
(Sec. Sec. 317.24 & 381.144).
To control the manufacture of marking devices bearing official
marks, FSIS requires official meat and poultry establishments and the
manufacturers of such marking devices to submit a form to the Agency.
The establishment completes the first part of the form requesting that
certain brands or other devices be manufactured. The manufacturer of
the brands then provides its business name and address, and serial
numbers of brands and devices. Such certification is necessary to help
prevent the manufacture and use of counterfeit marks of inspection
(Sec. Sec. 312.1 & 381.96).
Poultry establishments producing meat using advanced meat/bone
separation machinery and recovery systems must have adequate controls
in place, including the maintenance of proper recordkeeping, to ensure
that such product complies with the Agency's definition and criteria
for ``meat'' (Sec. Sec. 381.172 & 381.173).
Estimate of Burden: The public reporting burden for this collection
of information is estimated to average .03 hours per response.
Respondents: Official establishments and plants; foreign
establishments; device manufacturer.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 16,720.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 202.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 114,558. Copies of
this information collection assessment can be obtained from John
O'Connell, Paperwork Reduction Act Coordinator, Food Safety and
Inspection Service, USDA, 300 12th Street, SW., Room 112, Washington,
DC 20250-3700, (202) 720-5627, (202) 720-0345.
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of FSIS' functions,
including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the
accuracy of FSIS' estimate
[[Page 36058]]
of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance
the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected;
ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques,
or other forms of information technology. Comments may be sent to both
John O'Connell, Paperwork Reduction Act Coordinator, at the address
provided above, and the Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget,
Washington, DC 20253.
All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the
request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of
public record.
Additional Public Notification
Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy
development is important. Consequently, in an effort to ensure that the
public and in particular minorities, women, and persons with
disabilities, are aware of this notice, FSIS will announce it on-line
through the FSIS Web page located at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.fsis.usda.gov.
The Regulations.gov Web site is the central online rulemaking
portal of the United States government. It is being offered as a public
service to increase participation in the Federal government's
regulatory activities. FSIS participates in Regulations.gov and will
accept comments on documents published on the site. The site allows
visitors to search by keyword or Department or Agency for rulemakings
that allow for public comment. Each entry provides a quick link to a
comment form so that visitors can type in their comments and submit
them to FSIS. The Web site is located at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.regulations.gov.
FSIS also will make copies of this Federal Register publication
available through the FSIS Constituent Update, which is used to provide
information regarding FSIS policies, procedures, regulations, Federal
Register notices, FSIS public meetings, recalls, and other types of
information that could affect or would be of interest to our
constituents and stakeholders. The update is communicated via Listserv,
a free e-mail subscription service consisting of industry, trade, and
farm groups, consumer interest groups, allied health professionals,
scientific professionals, and other individuals who have requested to
be included.
The update also is available on the FSIS Web page. Through Listserv
and the Web page, FSIS is able to provide information to a much
broader, more diverse audience.
Done at Washington, DC, on June 23, 2004.
Barbara J. Masters,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 04-14582 Filed 6-25-04; 8:45 am]