[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 24 (Thursday, February 5, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 5927]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-2763]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. 97-081N]
Equivalence Criteria for Imported Meat and Poultry Products
AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is making
available for public comment a Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex)
discussion paper, which was prepared by New Zealand with participation
from the United States, Australia and Canada, relating to
determinations of equivalence of sanitary measures associated with
different food inspection and certification systems.
DATES: Written comments must be received on or before March 9, 1998.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex)
discussion paper relating to judgments of equivalence of sanitary
measures associated with different food inspection and certification
systems are available from the FSIS Docket Clerk in the FSIS Docket
Room, Room 102, Cotton Annex, 300 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC
20250-3700, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Submit one original and two copies of written comments on the paper
to: FSIS Docket Clerk, Docket #97-081N, U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Food Safety and Inspection Service, Room 102, Cotton Annex, 300 12th
Street, SW, Washington, DC 20250-3700. Facsimile comments may be sent
to the Docket Clerk at (202) 690-0486. All comments received in
response to this notice will be available for public comment in the
Docket Clerk's Office between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through
Friday.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Mark Manis, Director,
International Policy Division, Office of Policy, Program Development
and Evaluation; (202) 720-6400, or by electronic mail to
mark.manis@usda.gov.
Background
FSIS is making available for public comment a Codex discussion
paper, which was prepared by New Zealand with participation in drafting
meetings by the United States, Australia and Canada. The paper was
prepared for the Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection
and Certification Systems (CCFICS). It discusses and describes: (1) The
basis for the determination of equivalence of sanitary measures
associated with different food inspection and certification systems;
(2) protection from foodborne hazards by application of particular
sanitary measures, and the ``appropriate level of protection'' that is
achieved by reference to ``food safety objectives''; (3) application of
a risk-based approach in the comparison of food safety objectives; (4)
principles to be utilized in the determination of equivalence; (5) a
step-wise process for facilitating judgment of equivalence; and (6) the
need for CCFICS to develop principles and guidelines for the judgment
of equivalence of sanitary measures.
FSIS requests comments on whether the paper, which is scheduled for
presentation at the next CCFICS meeting in late February 1998, provides
a framework that should be accepted, in general, by the United States
for international determinations of equivalence between meat and
poultry inspection systems. Written comments received in response to
this notice will help prepare U.S. Delegates for the upcoming CCFICS
discussions on equivalence and will further the development of FSIS
equivalence policies for imported meat and poultry products. FSIS
intends to publish equivalence policies for public review and comment
in the spring of 1998. The Agency will subsequently hold a public
meeting to obtain additional comments on equivalence determinations.
Done at Washington, DC on January 28, 1998.
Thomas J. Billy,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 98-2763 Filed 2-4-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P
