. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/USA/765
11 July 2003
(03-3788)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   UNITED STATES
If applicable, name of local government involved:
2. Agency responsible:   U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where
applicable):  Meat (beef and pork) and poultry products.
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:  All
trading partners.
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:  Need To Complete New
Registration Form and Importance of Compliance With Recordkeeping and RegistrationRequirements Under the Federal Meat and Poul try Products Inspection Regulations – Policy
Statement and Request for Commen ts [Docket No.01-034N, 6 pages].
6. Description  of content:  Since 1970, The Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA), 21 U.S.C.
642, and Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPI A), 21 U.S.C. 460(b), have required the
registration of meat brokers; poultry products brokers; renders; an imal food manufacturers;
wholesalers; warehousemen; and persons that engage in the business of buying, selling, andtransporting in commerce, or importing any dea d, dying, disabled, or diseased livestock or
poultry, or parts of the carcasses of livestock or poultry that have died otherwise than by
slaughter.  Additionally, these parties, all o fficial establishments, and carriers and importers
of poultry or livestock carcasses or parts or products of poultry or livestock carcasses must
keep commercial records which can be made av ailable to representatives of the Food Safety
and Inspection Service (FSIS) upon request.  Registration information and commercial
records are critical to any FSIS investigation related to public health, food safety, or
misbranding of meat or poultry products.  FSIS intends to increase its enforcement of the
registration and recordkeeping requirements of the Meat and Poultry Acts to ensure that all
regulated businesses are maintaining commercial records in accordance wi th the law.  In this
notice, FSIS is also informing the public of th e existence of a new registration form, which
requires registrants to provide certain info rmation not previously required.  Businesses
operating under the authority of the Meat and Poultry Acts must submit the new registration
form to FSIS by 22 March 2004.
The form is available for review at:   http://www.fsis.usda.gov/fsisforms/.
7. Objective and rationale:  [  X ] food safety, [   ] animal health, [   ] plant protection,
[   ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or  disease, [   ] protect territory from other
damage from pestsG/SPS/N/USA/765
Page 2
8. International standard, gu ideline or recommendation:
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] Office International des Epizooties,
[   ] International Plant Prot ection Convention, [ X ] None
If an international standard , guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:
9. Relevant documents and language(s ) in which these are available :  Available in English
at:  http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/Notices03.htm
10. Proposed date of adoption:  22 March 2004
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  22 March 2004
12. Final date for comments:  25 August 2003
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [   ] National notification
authority, [   ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if
available) of other body:   Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA
13. Texts available from:  [   ] National notification authority,  [ X ] National enquiry point,
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:
United States SPS Enquiry Point/Notification Authority; USDA/FAS/FSTSD; ATTN:
William Janis;  Room 5545 South Agricu lture Building, Stop 1027; 1400 Independence
Avenue, S.W., Washington, D. C., 20250; Tel:  (202) 720-9047.