[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 71 (Monday, April 14, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 18055-18059]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-9573]
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Proposed Rules
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 71 / Monday, April 14, 1997 /
Proposed Rules
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
9 CFR Part 94
[Docket No. 96-066-1]
Importation of Sliced and Pre-Packaged Dry-Cured Pork Products
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Proposed rule.
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SUMMARY: We are proposing to allow dry-cured pork products that have
been sliced and packaged prior to shipment to the United States to be
imported into the United States under specified conditions. This action
would relieve some restrictions on the importation of pork into the
United States without presenting a significant risk of introducing any
serious communicable diseases of animals.
DATES: Consideration will be given only to comments received on or
before June 13, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Please send an original and three copies of your comments to
Docket No. 96-066-1, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS,
Suite 4C03, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238.
Comments received may be inspected at USDA, room 1141, South Building,
14th Street and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC, between 8 a.m.
and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. Persons wishing
to inspect comments are requested to call ahead on (202) 690-2817 to
facilitate entry into the comment reading room.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Julia Sturm, Supervisory Staff
Officer, Products Program, National Center for Import and Export, VS,
APHIS, Suite 3B66, 4700 River Road Unit 40, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231,
(301) 734-3277; or E-mail: [email protected]
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The regulations in 9 CFR part 94 (referred to below as the
regulations) govern the importation into the United States of specified
animals and animal products to prevent the introduction of various
animal diseases, including rinderpest, foot-and-mouth disease, bovine
spongiform encephalopathy, hog cholera, African swine fever, and swine
vesicular disease, into the United States. These are dangerous and
destructive communicable diseases of ruminants and swine.
Under the regulations, certain animal products--whole hams, pork
shoulders, and pork loins--from countries where foot-and-mouth disease,
rinderpest, African swine fever, hog cholera, or swine vesicular
disease exists may be imported into the United States only under
certain conditions. To be eligible for importation, these products must
have been dry-cured and otherwise handled in accordance with procedures
specified in Sec. 94.17 of the regulations. However, under our current
regulations, these same products are not eligible for importation if
they have been sliced and packaged prior to shipment. We have
prohibited importation of sliced and packaged dry-cured hams, pork
shoulders, and pork loins because it is difficult to verify the origin
of the meat and how it has been processed. Without this information, we
cannot easily determine whether the meat has been treated and otherwise
handled in a manner that ensures it is free of disease agents.
The Italian Ministry of Health has petitioned us to allow presliced
and prepackaged dry-cured pork to be imported into the United States
from countries where foot-and-mouth disease, rinderpest, swine
vesicular disease, African swine fever, and hog cholera exist, if the
meat would, except for its having been sliced and packaged, meet all
current requirements for importation. The Italian Ministry proposed
various inspection, recordkeeping, and labeling requirements that would
allow verification of the meat's origin, treatment, and handling.
We have carefully considered this petition, and concluded that
presliced and prepackaged dry-cured pork can be imported into the
United States without undue risk, under conditions explained in this
document. We are therefore proposing to amend our regulations to allow
such importations.
Under our proposed rule, to be eligible for importation, presliced
and prepackaged dry-cured ham, pork shoulder, and pork loin must come
from whole dry-cured hams, pork shoulders, and pork loins that meet the
requirements of current Sec. 94.17. After the whole hams, pork
shoulders, and pork loins have been dry-cured in accordance with
Sec. 94.17(i), they must be transferred to an approved slicing/
packaging facility. The slicing/packaging facility must be located
within the same region of the same country as the establishment where
the whole hams, pork shoulders, and pork loins were dry-cured (see
proposed Sec. 94.17(p)). In the future, under the regulations in 9 CFR
part 94, some countries may be divided into different regions, based on
whether an animal disease is present in a region and the level of
disease risk presented by animals and products exported from that
region. If a country is divided into two or more regions for disease
risk classification with respect to foot-and-mouth disease, rinderpest,
African swine fever, hog cholera, or swine vesicular disease, having
the dry-curing establishment and the slicing/packaging facility in the
same region of the same country would ensure that meat in transit from
the processing facility to the slicing/packaging facility would not be
exposed and possibly contaminated with disease agents of concern.
The slicing/packaging facility must, under our proposed rule, be
approved by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of
the U.S. Department of Agriculture (see proposed Sec. 94.17(p)(1)(i)).
1 APHIS inspections are designed to ensure that meat and meat
products imported into the United States present negligible pest or
disease risk to livestock in this country.
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1 In addition, pork and pork products, as a condition of
entry into the United States, must meet all requirements of the
Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) and regulations
promulgated thereunder by the Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS)
of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. FSIS regulations require that
meat and meat products be prepared only in FSIS-approved
establishments (see 7 CFR part 327).
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Under our proposed rule, the operators of slicing/packaging
facilities would be required to sign cooperative service agreements
with APHIS, and be current in paying all costs for an APHIS
representative to inspect their
[[Page 18056]]
establishments (see proposed Secs. 94.17(p)(1)(vi) and
94.17(p)(1)(vii)). Slicing/packaging facilities would also be required
to allow APHIS personnel, or persons authorized by APHIS, to inspect
the facility and facility records without notice (see proposed
Sec. 94.17(p)(1)(viii)). These proposed requirements are virtually
identical to the requirements in our regulations that now apply to
facilities that process whole hams, pork shoulders, and pork loins. The
proposed cooperative service agreement requirements are designed to
ensure that slicing/packaging facilities are not only in compliance
with the regulations, but that the costs of compliance are born by the
facilities or their representatives, not by APHIS.
At slicing/packaging facilities, a full-time salaried veterinarian
employed by the national veterinary service of the government of the
country of origin, would be required, under our proposed rule, to
inspect each lot of dry-cured hams, pork shoulders, and pork loins
arriving at the facility and intended for export to the United States
(see proposed Sec. 94.17(p)(2)(i). The veterinarian would have to
inspect the pork products prior to slicing and packaging, and would
have to certify, in writing, that the products meet all the
requirements of Sec. 94.17 of the regulations. Such certification would
be part of the records maintained by the slicing/packaging facility.
Under our proposed rule, we would also require the entire slicing
and packaging process to be personally and continuously supervised by
either a full-time veterinarian employed by the national government of
the country of origin, or, if the government of the country of origin
recognizes a local consortium as responsible for product quality, by an
authorized representative of the recognized consortium (see proposed
Sec. 94.17(p)(2)(ii)). In most countries where dry-cured pork products
are produced in accordance with Sec. 94.17, local consortia are
responsible for ensuring product quality.
The individual supervising the slicing and packaging process would
be required to certify, in records maintained by the slicing/packaging
facility, that the sliced and packaged dry-cured hams, pork shoulders,
and pork loins are the products from the same whole hams, shoulders,
and loins inspected by the veterinarian at the time they entered the
facility (see proposed Sec. 94.17(p)(2)(ii)). The individual
supervising slicing and packaging would also be required to certify, in
records maintained by the slicing/packaging facility, that the meat was
sliced and packaged in accordance with our regulations. Under our
proposed regulations, any document or form of certification would be
acceptable as long as it is in English. These certifications are
necessary to help ensure that sliced and packaged dry-cured pork
products shipped to the United States are eligible for importation.
We are also proposing to prohibit pork products intended for
importation into the United States from being in the slicing/packaging
facility at the same time as pork products not intended for importation
into the United States (see proposed Sec. 94.17(p)(1)(x)). Local
consumers and other importing countries may not require these types of
pork products to be dry-cured for as long as products destined for the
United States. After meat has been sliced and packaged, it is no longer
possible to determine how long it was dry-cured. Our requirements are
therefore intended to prevent products intended for importation into
the United States from being commingled with other products. Under our
proposal, however, slicing/packaging facilities could handle other
products at times when they were not handling pork products intended
for importation into the United States.
We are proposing to require that slicing/packaging facilities be in
a separate building, physically detached from facilities where whole
hams, pork shoulders, or pork loins are dry-cured (see proposed
Sec. 94.17(p)(1)(ii). This is intended to ensure that dry-cured pork
products intended for importation into the United States are not
contaminated. We are also proposing to require that all areas in
slicing/packaging facilities where pork and pork products are handled,
such as holding areas and slicing and packaging areas, be cleaned and
disinfected. All equipment used to handle pork and pork products, such
as containers, work surfaces, slicing machines, and packaging
equipment, would also have to be cleaned and disinfected. Cleaning and
disinfecting of these areas and this equipment would be required after
sliced and packaged pork products not eligible for export to the United
States have left the facility, and before whole pork products intended
for importation into the United States enter the facility for slicing
and packaging (see Sec. 94.17(p)(1)(iii)). Cleaning and disinfecting
must be adequate to ensure that disease agents of concern are killed or
inactivated, and that pork products intended for importation into the
United States are not contaminated.
In addition, we are proposing to require that workers in slicing/
packaging facilities take precautions to ensure that they do not
contaminate dry-cured pork in the facility with any diseases of concern
(see proposed Sec. 94.17(p)(1)(ix)). We are proposing to require that
workers who handle dry-cured hams, pork shoulders, and pork loins in a
slicing/packaging facility either shower and put on a full set of clean
clothes, or wait 24 hours after handling other pork or pork products
before handling dry-cured pork hams, pork shoulders, or pork loins in
the facility that are intended for importation into the United States.
This is the same requirement that now applies to workers in
establishments where fresh hams, pork shoulders, and pork loins are
dry-cured in accordance with our regulations (see current
Sec. 94.17(h)).
Under our proposed regulations, slicing/packaging facilities would
have to maintain original records on each lot of dry-cured hams, pork
shoulders, and pork loins entering the facility intended for
importation into the United States (see proposed Secs. 94.17(p)(1)(iv)
and 94.17(p)(1)(v)). Records, which would have to be kept for a minimum
of 2 years, would have to include the establishment numbers of all
three facilities where the meat was handled--the slaughtering
establishment, the dry-curing establishment, and the slicing/packaging
facility. Records would also have to include the date dry-curing of the
pork started, the date dry-curing was completed, and the date the dry-
cured meat was sliced and packaged. We propose to require that the
records maintained at slicing/packaging facilities include the
certificate issued by the veterinarian at the facility and the
certification by either the veterinarian or the consortium
representative. Records would, in addition, have to be kept under lock
and key, with access restricted to officials of the national government
of the country of origin, officials of the United States Government,
and persons maintaining the records. Product labels 2 would be
required to show the date processing began under Sec. 94.17(i) and the
date of slicing and packaging (see proposed Sec. 94.17(p)(2)(iii)).
These proposed recordkeeping and labeling requirements are intended to
ensure that the presliced and prepackaged pork products fully comply
with our regulations. These proposed requirements would also allow us
to trace nonconforming products back to their source and help us better
enforce our regulations. We also considered requiring the lot number of
the meat to
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appear on the label, or requiring that meat from only 1 lot be in a
package. However, current industry practice is to label packages with
the lot number and to package only meat from one lot in a package.
Under these circumstances, it appears unnecessary to include either
requirement in our proposed regulations.
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\2\ FSIS must also approve all labels for meat and meat food
products (see 9 CFR part 317).
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We believe this proposed system of inspections, recordkeeping and
labeling would provide us with the information we need to ensure that
sliced and packaged dry-cured hams, pork shoulders, and pork loins from
countries where various animal diseases exist would not pose a
significant disease or pest risk to livestock in the United States.
Miscellaneous
We are proposing to amend Sec. 94.17(n) to update the term ``trust
fund agreement'' by replacing it with the term ``cooperative service
agreement.'' Cooperative service agreement is the new name for the type
of agreement formerly known as a trust fund agreement.
We are also proposing to amend Sec. 94.17(g). This section
currently requires that facilities that dry-cure whole pork hams, pork
shoulders, and pork loins must have signed an agreement with APHIS
``within 12 months'' prior to receiving pork hams, pork shoulders, or
pork loins for processing. We have found this requirement to be
unnecessary. Facilities must maintain a current cooperative service
agreement with APHIS under Sec. 94.17(n), and facilities are subject to
unannounced inspections under Sec. 94.17(l). We have found these
requirements sufficient to ensure that dry-curing facilities comply
with the requirements of Sec. 94.17.
Executive Order 12866 and Regulatory Flexibility Act
This proposed rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12866.
The rule has been determined to be not significant for the purposes of
Executive Order 12866 and, therefore, has not been reviewed by the
Office of Management and Budget.
In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 603, we have performed an Initial
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis, which is set out below, regarding the
impact of this proposed rule on small entities. However, we do not
currently have all the data necessary for a comprehensive analysis of
the effects of this proposed rule on small entities. Therefore, we are
inviting comments. In particular, we are interested in determining: (1)
The quantity of specialty dry-cured hams produced domestically; (2) the
quantity of potential imports; and (3) the degree to which imported
presliced and prepackaged dry-cured pork products would displace
existing imported or domestic products.
This proposed rule would amend the regulations regarding
importation of dry-cured pork products from countries where certain
diseases of concern exist, by providing that certain sliced and
packaged products may be imported into the United States under
specified conditions. We have prohibited the importation of sliced and
packaged dry-cured hams, pork shoulders, and pork loins because of the
difficulty in verifying the origin of sliced and packaged meat and in
determining how the meat has been processed. This proposal would
establish inspections, recordkeeping, and labeling requirements that
would allow verification of the meat's origin, treatment, and handling.
We believe this action would relieve some restrictions on the
importation of dry-cured pork into the United States without presenting
a significant risk of introducing any serious communicable diseases of
animals.
The dry-cured pork products covered by the proposed rule are
specialty products, such as Parma hams from Italy. These products are
similar to other dry-cured pork products consumed in the United States,
some imported from other countries and some produced domestically.
Currently, only whole dry-cured pork hams, pork shoulders, and pork
loins are being imported into the United States. Slightly less than 3
million pounds of such whole products were imported in 1995, the most
recent year for which figures are available. Presliced and prepackaged
dry-cured pork products are not being imported into the United States
at this time.
We estimate that fewer than 15 domestic companies produce dry-cured
pork products similar to those covered by this proposed rule as a
primary or major product line. At least two of these companies are very
large, and these types of products constitute only a small fraction of
their overall business. Of the others, four are subsidiaries of Italian
or Swiss companies.
There are also a number of other producers of cured and smoked hams
who may produce similar products. If they do, adopting the proposed
rule could affect them. In addition, there are approximately 10
domestic establishments that buy cured hams and trim and dress them for
resale. Some of the resulting products might be similar to the
presliced and prepackaged products covered by this proposed rule. If
so, these businesses could also be affected if the proposed rule is
adopted.
This proposed rule contains various recordkeeping and reporting
requirements. These requirements are described in this document under
the heading ``Paperwork Reduction Act.''
Executive Order 12988
This proposed rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12988,
Civil Justice Reform. If this proposed rule is adopted: (1) All State
and local laws and regulations that are inconsistent with this rule
will be preempted; (2) no retroactive effect will be given to this
rule; and (3) administrative proceedings will not be required before
parties may file suit in court challenging this rule.
Paperwork Reduction Act
In accordance with section 3507(d) of the Paperwork Reduction Act
of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the information collection or
recordkeeping requirements included in this proposed rule have been
submitted for approval to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
Please send written comments to the Office of Information and
Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for APHIS, Washington,
DC 20503. Please state that your comments refer to Docket No. 96-066-1.
Please send a copy of your comments to: (1) Docket No. 96-066-1,
Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, suite 3C03, 4700 River
Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238, and (2) Clearance Officer,
OIRM, USDA, room 404-W, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW.,
Washington, DC 20250. A comment to OMB is best assured of having its
full effect if OMB receives it within 30 days of publication of this
proposed rule.
This rule would require that, to be eligible for importation into
the United States, presliced and prepackaged dry-cured pork hams, pork
shoulders, and pork loins from countries where rinderpest, foot-and-
mouth disease, African swine fever, hog cholera, or swine vesicular
disease exists, must be processed and sliced and packaged in the
country of origin under specific conditions. This rule would also
introduce various information collection requirements to enable us to
accurately assess whether products presented for importation comply
with all applicable regulations. We are soliciting comments from the
public concerning our proposed information collection and recordkeeping
requirements. We need this outside input to help us:
(1) Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is
necessary for the proper performance of our agency's
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functions, including whether the information will have practical
utility;
(2) Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the burden of the
proposed information collection, including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used;
(3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to
be collected;
(4) Minimize the burden of the information collection on those who
are to respond (such as through the use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic
submission responses).
Estimate of burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 0.083 hours per response.
Respondents: Government veterinarians, consortium representatives,
slicing/packaging facility personnel.
Estimated number of respondents: 6.
Estimated number of responses per respondent: 76.
Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 38 hours.
Copies of this information collection can be obtained from:
Clearance Officer, OIRM, USDA, room 404-W, 14th Street and Independence
Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250.
Regulatory Reform
This action is part of the President's Regulatory Reform
Initiative, which directs agencies to remove obsolete and unnecessary
regulations and to find less burdensome ways to achieve regulatory
goals.
List of Subjects in 9 CFR part 94
Animal diseases, Imports, Livestock, Meat and meat products, Milk,
Poultry and poultry products, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
Accordingly, 9 CFR part 94 would be amended as follows:
PART 94--RINDERPEST, FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE, FOWL PEST (FOWL
PLAGUE), EXOTIC NEWCASTLE DISEASE, AFRICAN SWINE FEVER, HOG
CHOLERA, AND BOVINE SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHY: PROHIBITED AND
RESTRICTED IMPORTATIONS.
1. The authority citation for part 94 would continue to read as
follows:
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 147a, 150ee, 161, 162, and 450; 19 U.S.C.
1306; 21 U.S.C. 111, 114a, 134a, 134b, 134c, 134f, 136, and 136a; 31
U.S.C. 9701; 42 U.S.C. 4331 and 4332; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and
371.2(d).
2. Section 94.17 would be amended as follows:
a. The introductory text would be revised to read as set forth
below.
b. In paragraph (d), by adding the word ``whole'' immediately
before the word ``ham,''.
c. In paragraph (e), by adding the word ``whole'' immediately after
the words ``was processed''; and in footnote 1, by removing the words
``9 CFR part 301, et seq.'' and adding the words ``9 CFR, Chapter III''
in their place.
d. In paragraph (f), by adding the word ``whole'' immediately after
the words ``was processed''.
e. In paragraph (g), by adding the word ``whole'' immediately after
the words ``was processed'', and by removing the words ``within 12
months''.
f. In paragraph (h), and in the introductory text of paragraph (i),
by adding the word ``whole'' immediately after the words ``was
processed''.
g. In paragraphs (j)(1), (j)(2), (j)(3), (k), (l), and (n), by
adding the word ``whole'' immediately after the first word ``The'' in
each paragraph.
h. In paragraph (j)(2), by adding the word ``whole'' immediately
before the words ``dry-cured pork shoulder''.
i. In paragraph (n), by removing the words ``trust fund agreement''
and adding the words ``cooperative service agreement'' in its place
each time it appears.
j. A new paragraph (p) would be added to read as set forth below.
Sec. 94.17 Dry-cured pork products from countries where foot-and-mouth
disease, rinderpest, African swine fever, hog cholera, or swine
vesicular disease exists.
Notwithstanding any other provisions in this part, dry-cured ham,
pork shoulder, or pork loin, whether whole or sliced and packaged,
shall not be prohibited from being imported into the United States if
it meets the following conditions:
* * * * *
(p) Whole hams, pork shoulders, and pork loins that have been dry-
cured in accordance with paragraph (i) of this section may be
transported to a facility in the same country for slicing and packaging
in accordance with this paragraph; provided that, if the country is
divided into two or more regions for disease classification with
respect to foot-and-mouth disease, rinderpest, African swine fever, hog
cholera, or swine vesicular disease, the slicing/packaging facility
must be in the same region of the country as the dry-curing facility.
(1) The slicing/packaging facility. (i) The slicing/packaging
facility 2 must be inspected, prior to slicing and packaging any
hams, pork shoulders, or pork loins in accordance with this paragraph,
by an APHIS representative and determined by the Administrator to be
capable of meeting the provisions of this paragraph.
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\2\ See footnote 1 in Sec. 94.17(e).
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(ii) The slicing/packaging facility must be in a separate building,
physically detached from the facility where the whole ham, pork
shoulder, or pork loin was dry-cured in accordance with paragraph (i)
of this section.
(iii) The slicing/packaging facility, including all equipment used
to handle pork and pork products, such as containers, work surfaces,
slicing machines, and packaging equipment, must be cleaned and
disinfected after sliced and packaged pork products that are not
eligible for export to the United States leave the facility, and before
whole dry-cured hams, pork shoulders, or pork intended for importation
into the United States enter the facility for slicing and packaging.
Cleaning and disinfecting must be adequate to ensure that disease
agents of concern are killed or inactivated, and that pork products
intended for importation into the United States are not contaminated.
(iv) The slicing/packaging facility must maintain under lock and
key for a minimum of 2 years, original records on each lot of whole
dry-cured hams, pork shoulders, and pork loins entering the facility
for slicing and packaging under this section, including:
(A) The approval number of the facility where the whole ham,
shoulder, or loin was dry-cured in accordance with paragraph (i) of
this section;
(B) The date the whole ham, shoulder, or loin started dry-curing;
(C) The date the whole ham, shoulder, or loin completed dry-curing;
(D) The date the whole ham, shoulder, or loin was sliced and
packaged; and
(E) A copy of all certifications required under paragraph (p) of
this section.
(v) Access to records required to be maintained under paragraph (p)
of this section must be restricted to officials of the national
government of the country of origin, representatives of the United
States Government, and persons maintaining the records.
(vi) The operator of the slicing/packaging facility must have
signed a cooperative service agreement with APHIS prior to receipt of
the whole dry-cured hams, pork shoulders, or pork loins for slicing and
packaging, stating that all hams, pork shoulders, or pork
[[Page 18059]]
loins sliced and packaged at the facility for importation into the
United States will be sliced and packaged only in accordance with this
section.
(vii) The operator of the slicing/packaging facility must be
current, in accordance with the terms of the cooperative service
agreement signed with APHIS, in paying all costs for an APHIS
representative to inspect the establishment, including travel, salary,
subsistence, administrative overhead, and other incidental expenses.
(viii) The slicing/packaging facility must allow the unannounced
entry into the establishment of APHIS representatives, or other persons
authorized by the Administrator, for the purpose of inspecting the
establishment and records of the establishment.
(ix) Workers at the slicing/packaging facility who handle pork or
pork products in the facility must shower and put on a full set of
clean clothes, or wait 24 hours after handling pork or pork products
that are not eligible for importation into the United States, before
handling dry-cured hams, pork shoulders, or pork loins in the slicing/
packaging facility that are intended for importation into the United
States.
(x) Pork products intended for importation into the United States
may not be in the slicing/packaging facility at the same time as pork
products not intended for exportation to the United States.
(2) Slicing and packaging and labeling procedures.
(i) A full-time salaried veterinarian employed by the national
government of the country of origin must inspect each lot of whole dry-
cured hams, pork shoulders, and pork loins at the slicing/packaging
facility, before slicing is begun, and must certify in English that it
is eligible for importation into the United States in accordance with
this section; and
(ii) Either a full-time salaried veterinarian employed by the
national government of the country of origin, or, if the national
government of the country of origin recognizes a local consortium as
responsible for product quality, a representative of that local
consortium, must certify in English that he or she personally
supervised the entire process of slicing and packaging each lot of dry-
cured hams, pork shoulders, and pork loins at the slicing/packaging
facility; that each lot of dry-cured hams, pork shoulders, and pork
loins was sliced and packaged in accordance with the requirements of
this paragraph; and that the sliced and packaged pork ham, shoulder, or
loin is the same dry-cured ham, pork shoulder, or pork loin certified
under paragraph (p)(2)(i).
(iii) The sliced and packaged dry-cured pork ham, pork shoulder, or
pork loin must be labeled with the date that processing of the meat
under paragraph (i) of this section began, and with the date the meat
was sliced and packaged.
(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control
number 0579-0015)
Done in Washington, DC, this 8th day of April 1997.
Donald W. Luchsinger,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 97-9573 Filed 4-11-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
