FSIS Posts Response to Peer Review Comments on its Hog Slaughter Risk Assessment, Including the Revised Risk Assessment Document

On Feb. 1, 2018, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) published in the Federal Register the proposed rule “Modernization of Swine Slaughter Inspection” (83 FR 4780). The proposed rule was informed by FSIS’ Assessment of the Potential Change in Human Risk of Salmonella Illnesses Associated with Modernizing Inspection of Market Hog Slaughter Establishments, which the Agency posted to its website for public comment at the time the proposed rule was published. The public comment period for the proposed rule and risk assessment closed May 2, 2018.

FSIS has also conducted an external peer review of the risk assessment. Today, FSIS is announcing that neither the peer review comments, nor the revisions to the risk assessment made in response to those comments, produced changes to the assessment’s conclusions that would require modifications to the proposed rule. FSIS has revised the risk assessment in response to the reviewer comments and is posting the updated risk assessment and associated documents on https://www.regulations.gov

Interested persons will have 30 days to comment on the edits made to the risk assessment in response to reviewer comments. FSIS is not reopening the comment period on the proposed rule because the changes to the risk assessment do not alter the original conclusions in the risk assessment. FSIS intends to respond to risk assessment comments in the final rule.

Comments may be submitted by one of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=FSIS-2018-0032 and follow the online instructions at that site for submitting comments.
• Mail, including CD-ROMs, etc.: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Mailstop 3758, Room 6065, Washington, D.C., 20250-3700.
• Hand and courier-delivered submissions can be delivered to 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Room 6065, Washington, D.C., 20250-3700.

All items submitted by mail or electronic mail must include the agency name and docket number FSIS-2018-0032. Comments received in response to this docket will be made available for public inspection and posted without change, including any personal information, at https://www.regulations.gov

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the department.

(Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.)

FSIS employees and applicants for employment wishing to file an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) complaint must first contact an EEO Counselor by calling (301) 504-7755 or 1-800-269-6912, or writing to the FSIS Civil Rights Division at USDA/FSIS, 5601 Sunnyside Avenue, Building 1, Room 2260, Mail Drop 5261, Beltsville, MD 20705. Contact must be made with an FSIS EEO Counselor within 45 calendar days of the date of the matter alleged to be discriminatory or, in the case of a personnel action, within 45 calendar days of the effective date of the personnel action.