. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/USA/2028 
8 June 2010  
 (10-3138) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED STATES
 
If applicable, name of local government involved:    
2. Agency responsible:  Food Safety and Inspection Service 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item numbe r(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO;  ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where 
applicable):  Livestock slaughter – Parts and carcasses 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or countries:    
5. Title of the notified document:  Permission To Use Air Inflation of Meat Carcasses and 
Parts  Language:  English  Number of pages:  3   
6. Description of content:  The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is proposing to 
revise the Federal meat inspection regulations  to permit establishments that slaughter 
livestock or prepare livestock carcasses and parts to inflate carcasses and parts with air if 
they develop, implement, and maintain written controls to ensure that the procedure does 
not cause insanitary conditions or adulterate product.  FSIS is proposing to require that establishments incorporate these controls into  their Hazard Analysis and Critical Control 
Point (HACCP) plans or Sanitation standard  operating procedures (Sanitation SOPs) or 
other prerequisite programs. 
In addition, FSIS is proposing to amend its re gulations to remove th e approved methods for 
inflating livestock carcasses and parts by air and to remove the requirement that 
establishments submit requests to FSIS for approva l of air inflation procedures not listed in 
the regulations. 
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 pests.    
8. Is there a relevant international stan dard?  If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex standard 
or related text)   
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)    G/SPS/N/USA/2028 
Page 2  
 
  [ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number)    
[X] None Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?   
 [ ] Yes   [ ] No 
 If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:    
9. Other relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available:  This 
document has been published in the Federal Register and can be  found at:  Federal 
Register:  24 May 2010 (Volume 75, Number 99) Proposed Rules;  Pages 28763-28765 or online at http://edocket.access.gpo. gov/2010/2010-12337.htm
   
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) :  Not applicable 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) :  24 May 2010 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  [ ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) :  Not applicable 
[X] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments:  [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the notification 
and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  23 June 2010 
Agency or authority designated to handl e comments:  [ ] National Notification 
Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:   
Comments may be submitted by either of the following methods: 
• Federal eRulemaking Portal:  This Web site  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 http://www.regulations.gov
.  Follow the online instructions at that 
site for submitting comments. 
• Mail, including floppy disks or CD-ROMs, a nd hand- or courier-delivered items:  Send 
to Docket Clerk, USDA, FSIS, Room 2-2175 George Washington Carver Center, 5601 Sunnyside Avenue, Mailst op 5272, Beltsville, MD 20705. 
Instructions:  All items submitted by mail or electronic mail must include the Agency name 
and docket number FSIS-2007-0039.  Comments recei ved in response to this docket will be 
made available for public inspection and post ed without change, including any personal 
information, to http://www.regulations.gov
. 
13. Texts available from:  [X] National Notification Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point.  
Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:    
United States SPS National Notification Authority, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, 
International Regulations and Standards Di vision (IRSD), Stop 1027, Washington D.C. 
20250;  Tel:  +(1 202) 720 1301;  Fax:  +(1 202) 720 0433;  E-mail:  
us.spsenquirypoint@fas.usda.gov