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FSIS updates guidelines for animal-raising claims on product labeling, seeks comments
Story Date: 12/30/2019
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Source: USDA FSIS, 12/27/19
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. FSIS-2016-0021]
Food Safety and Inspection Service Labeling Guideline on
Documentation Needed To Substantiate Animal Raising Claims for Label
Submission
AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of availability and response to comments.
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SUMMARY: The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing
the availability of an updated version of its guideline on
documentation needed to support animal-raising claims made on meat or
poultry product labeling. Official establishments submit this
documentation to the Agency when they apply for approval of labels with
animal raising claims. The updated guideline includes changes made in
response to comments on the guideline posted in October 2016. This
Federal Register notice also summarizes and responds to issues raised
in petitions submitted to the Agency by animal welfare advocacy
organizations.
DATES: Submit comments on or before February 25, 2020.
ADDRESSES: A downloadable version of the compliance guideline is
available to view and print at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations_&_Policies/Compliance_Guides_Index/index.asp. No hard
copies of the compliance guideline have been published.
FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments relevant to
clarification provided in this notice on the label claim ``free range''
for poultry products. Only comments addressing this specific issue will
be considered at this time. Comments may be submitted by one of the
following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: This website provides
commenters the ability to type short comments directly into the comment
field on the web page or to attach a file for lengthier comments. Go to
http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the on-line 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, DC 20250-
3700.
Hand- or courier-delivered submittals: Deliver to 1400
Independence Avenue SW, Room 6065, Washington, DC 20250-3700.
Instructions: All items submitted by mail or electronic mail must
include the Agency name and docket number FSIS-2016-0021. Comments
received in response to this docket will be made available for public
inspection and posted without change, including any personal
information, to http://www.regulations.gov.
Docket: For access to background documents or comments received,
call (202) 720-5627 to schedule a time to visit the FSIS Docket Room at
1400 Independence Avenue SW, Room 6065, Washington, DC 20250-3700.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Terri Nintemann, Assistant
Administrator, Office of Policy and Program Development by telephone at
(202) 205-0495.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Under the Federal Meat Inspection Act and Poultry Products
Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 601-695, at 601(n), 607; 21 U.S.C 451-470, at
453(h), 457) (the Acts), FSIS develops and implements regulations to
require that the labels of meat and poultry products are truthful and
not misleading. Under the Acts, the Secretary of Agriculture, who has
delegated this authority to FSIS, must approve the labels of meat and
poultry products before the products can enter commerce (21 U.S.C.
601(d); 21 U.S.C. 457(c)).\1\
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