[Federal Register: August 2, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 147)]
[Notices]
[Page 44324-44325]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr02au05-22]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. 05-019N]
Notice of Request for a New Information Collection (Voluntary
Recalls of Meat and Poultry Products)
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 new information collection regarding the voluntary recalls
from commerce of meat and poultry products.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before October 3,
2005.
ADDRESSES: FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments on this
information collection request. Comments may be submitted by 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. All submissions received must include the
Agency name and docket number 05-019N.
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://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations_&_policies/2005_Notices_Index/index.asp
.
FOR ADDITIONAL 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: Voluntary Recalls of Meat and Poultry Products.
Type of Request: New 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.) and the Poultry Products Inspection
Act (PPIA) (21 U.S.C. 451, et seq.). These statutes mandate that FSIS
protect the public by ensuring that meat and poultry products are safe,
wholesome, unadulterated, and properly labeled and packaged.
FSIS is requesting a new information collection addressing
paperwork requirements regarding the Agency's voluntary recalls from
commerce of meat and poultry products. Although FSIS is responsible for
the inspection of egg products under the Egg Products Inspection Act
(EPIA) (21 U.S.C. 1031, et seq.), the Food and Drug Administration
handles the recalls of egg products under a Memorandum of Understanding
with FSIS.
A firm that has produced or imported meat or poultry product that
is adulterated or misbranded and is being distributed in commerce, may
voluntarily recall the product in question. When there is a recall,
FSIS asks that the recalling firm provide the Agency with some basic
information, including the identity of the recalled product, the reason
for the recall, and information about the distributors and retail
consignees to whom the product was actually shipped. Under the FMIA,
firms are required to keep such records that fully and correctly
disclose all transactions in their business (21 U.S.C. 642). Under the
PPIA, firms are required to keep such records as are properly necessary
for the effective enforcement of the PPIA (21 U.S.C. 460(b)).
When a firm voluntarily recalls a product, FSIS conducts recall
[[Page 44325]]
effectiveness checks. In conducting recall effectiveness checks, if the
recall is to the retail or consumer level, the Agency contacts the
distributors and actual retail consignees to ensure that they were
notified of the recall, to verify the amount of product they received,
and to confirm that they are removing the product from commerce and
returning it to the recalling firm or otherwise disposing of the
product. Sometimes, however, while it is possible to confirm that
consignees were notified, and that they are removing product from
commerce, it is not possible to ascertain how much product the
consignee received. Therefore, FSIS is revising its Report of Recall
Effectiveness form to provide a space to include, if necessary, along
with other information on the form, an explanation of why the amount of
product received by a retail consignee cannot be determined.
FSIS has made the following estimates based upon an information
collection assessment.
Estimate of Burden: FSIS estimates that it will take an average of
.97 hours to collect and submit this information to FSIS.
Respondents: Official establishments, importers, and retail
consignees.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 3,060.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 2,980 hours.
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 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; and, (d) 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://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations/2005_Notices_Index/index.asp
.
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.
In addition, FSIS offers an e-mail subscription service which
provides an automatic and customized notification when popular pages
are updated, including Federal Register publications and related
documents. This service is available at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/news_and_events/email_subscription/
and allows FSIS customers to sign up
for subscription options across eight categories. Options range from
recalls to export information to regulations, directives and notices.
Customers can add or delete subscriptions themselves and have the
option to password protect their account.
Done at Washington, DC, on: July 28, 2005.
Barbara J. Masters,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 05-15212 Filed 8-1-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P