Edited January 2025

FSIS is announcing the availability of its updated guideline for the prevention of violative residues in meat and poultry slaughter establishments.

Dates

Comments on the guideline must be received on or before August 26, 2024.

Addresses

A downloadable version of the revised compliance guide is available to view and print at https://www.fsis.usda.gov/inspection/compliance-guidance.

FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments on this document. Comments may be submitted by one of the following methods:

Federal eRulemaking Portal: This website provides the ability to type short comments directly into the comment field on this web page or attach a file for lengthier comments. Go to https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the on-line instructions at that site for submitting comments.

Mail: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Mailstop 3758, Washington, DC 20250-3700.

Hand- or Courier-Delivered Submittals: Deliver to 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Jamie L. Whitten Building, Room 350-E, Washington, DC 20250-3700.

Instructions: All items submitted by mail or electronic mail must include the Agency name and docket number FSIS-2022-0032. Comments received in response to this docket will be made available for public inspection and posted without change, including any personal information, to https://www.regulations.gov.

Docket: For access to background documents or comments received, call 202-720-5046 to schedule a time to visit the FSIS Docket Room at 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-3700.

For Further Information Contact

Rachel Edelstein, Assistant Administrator, Office of Policy and Program Development, FSIS, USDA; Telephone: (202) 205-0495.

Supplementary Information

The U.S. National Residue Program (NRP) is administered by FSIS to collect data on chemical residues in domestic and imported meat, poultry, and egg products and to keep products that are adulterated because of illegal residues out of commerce. FSIS collects samples of meat, poultry, and egg products at egg products plants, official establishments and official import inspection establishments and analyzes the samples at FSIS laboratories for chemical residues of veterinary drugs, pesticides, and environmental contaminants. Through this testing, FSIS verifies that establishments maintain adequate residue control in their Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) systems. As part of the HACCP regulation under 9 CFR part 417, establishments are required to conduct a hazard analysis and to consider the food safety hazards that are reasonably likely to occur, including drug and other chemical residues.

FSIS is announcing that it has revised its FSIS Guideline for Residue Prevention, which was last issued on May 29, 2013 (78 FR 32235). The guideline is intended to help establishments meet FSIS requirements regarding violative residue prevention. FSIS updated the guideline in response to frequent askFSIS questions. FSIS also revised the guideline to provide updates based on up-to-date science, incorporate new information on purchase specifications and documentation that can be used to support that violative residues are not reasonably likely to occur and provide guidance for establishments that perform residue testing. Additionally, FSIS updated the guideline to clarify how residues influence New Swine Inspection System sorting procedures and FSIS Kidney Inhibition Swab (KISTM) testing procedures. Furthermore, FSIS made changes to the guideline to improve its readability. The updated guideline is available at: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/inspection/compliance-guidance.

This guideline represents FSIS' current thinking on residue prevention and should be considered usable as of the date of its issuance. The information in the guideline is provided to assist meat and poultry establishments in meeting regulatory requirements. The contents of the guideline do not have the force and effect of law and are not meant to bind the public in any way. The guideline is intended only to provide clarity to industry regarding existing requirements under the regulations.

Additional Public Notification

Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy development is important. Consequently, FSIS will announce this Federal Register publication online through the FSIS web page located at: https://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 Constituent Update is available on the FSIS web page. 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: https://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.

Done at Washington, DC.

Paul Kiecker,

Administrator.

[FR Doc. 2024-13842 Filed 6-24-24; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P