. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/USA/1871 
23 September 2008  
 (08-4448) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  UNITED STATES
  
If applicable, name of local government involved:     
2. Agency responsible:  US Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item numb er(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where 
applicable):  Turkey (Slaughter operations) 
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:  FINAL RULE  - 
Allowing Bar-Type Cut Turkey Operations to  Use J-Type Cut Maximum Line Speeds 
(available in English, 4 pages) 
6. Description of content:  The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is amending the 
Federal poultry products inspection regulatio ns to provide that turkey slaughter 
establishments that open turkey carcasses with Bar-type cuts may operate at the maximum line speeds established for J-type cuts if the es tablishment uses the specific type of shackle 
described in this final rule.  Under this final ru le, as under current regulations, the inspector in 
charge will reduce line speeds when, in his or  her judgment, the prescribed inspection 
procedure cannot be adequately performed within the time avai lable because of the health 
conditions of a particular flock or because of ot her factors.  Such factors include the manner 
in which birds are being presented to the insp ector and the level of contamination among the 
birds on the line.  
7. Objective and rationale:  [ X ] food safety, [   ] animal health,  [   ] plant protection, 
[ X ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease,  [   ] protect territory from other 
damage from pests    
8. International standard, guideline or recommendation:  
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), [   ] International Plant Protection 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:   F e d e r a l  R e g i s t e r :   
8 September 2008 (Volume 73, Number 174) ; Rules and Regulations, Page 51899-51903 
(available in English) at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OP PDE/rdad/FRPubs/04-033F.htm  G/SPS/N/USA/1871 
Page 2  
 
  10. Proposed date of adoption:  8 October 2008 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  8 October 2008 
12. Final date for comments:  Not applicable 
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [   ] National notification 
authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, or  address, fax number and E-mail address (if 
available) of other body: 
 Mr. Patrick Burke 
 Risk Management Division 
 Office of Policy and Program Development 
 Food Safety and Inspection Service  US Department of Agriculture  1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.  Room 3543-South Building 
 Washington, DC 20250 
 Tel:  +(1 202) 720-7974 
13. Texts available from:  [ X ] National notificati on authority, [   ] Na tional enquiry point, 
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body: 
United States SPS National Notification Aut hority, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, 
International Regulations and Standards Division (IRSD), Stop 1027, Washington D.C. 
20250;  Tel:  +(1 202) 720 1301;  Fax:  +(1 202) 720 0433;  E-mail:  us.spsenquirypoint@fas.usda.gov