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###### Department of Agriculture

###### Food Safety and Inspection Service

          - [Docket No. FSIS-2010-0026]

# AGENCY:

Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.

# ACTION:

Notice of availability and opportunity for comments.

# SUMMARY:

                        The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing the availability of a compliance guide for small and very small meat establishments on the safe production of ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and poultry products with respect to                         *Salmonella*                         and other pathogens. FSIS has posted this compliance guide on its Significant Guidance Documents Web page (                        *http://www.fsis.usda.gov/​Significant_​Guidance/​index.asp*). FSIS encourages small and very small meat establishments that manufacture these products to avail themselves of this guidance document. FSIS is also soliciting comments on this compliance guide. The Agency will consider carefully all comments submitted and will revise the guide as warranted.                    

      ( print page 22668)    

# DATES:

Submit written comments by June 21, 2011.

# ADDRESSES:

FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments on this notice and the compliance guidelines. 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, and hand- or courier-delivered items: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), FSIS, Room 2-2127, George Washington Carver Center, 5601 Sunnyside Avenue, Mailstop 5272, Beltsville MD 20705-5272.

*Instructions:*                         All items submitted by mail or electronic mail must include the Agency name and docket number FSIS-2010-0026. 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 to comments received, go to the FSIS Docket Room at the address listed above between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.                    

# FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

                        Kristina Barlow, USDA, FSIS,                         *telephone:*                         (202) 690-7739,                         *e-mail: kristina.barlow@fsis.usda.gov.*

# SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

## Background

                    This document provides small and very small meat and poultry establishments [1]                                          that manufacture RTE meat and poultry products information on regulatory requirements associated with safe production of these products with respect to                     *Salmonella*                     and other pathogens. This document also provides information about processing and safe handling of RTE products after the lethality step, so they are not contaminated with pathogens such as                     *Salmonella*                     or                     *Listeria monocytogenes*                     (                    *Lm*). Though Agency guidance documents are recommendations rather than regulatory requirements and are revised as new information becomes available, FSIS encourages meat and poultry establishments to follow this guidance.                

## USDA Nondiscrimination Statement

USDA prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, or audiotape.) should contact USDA's Target Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TTY).

To file a written complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964 (voice and TTY). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

## Additional Public Notification

                    Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy development is important. Consequently, in an effort to ensure that minorities, women, and persons with disabilities are aware of this notice, FSIS will announce it online through the FSIS Web page located at                     *http://www.fsis.usda.gov/​regulations_​&​_​policies/​Federal_​Register_​Notices/​index.asp.*

                    FSIS will also make copies of this                     **Federal Register**                     publication available through the FSIS Constituent Update, which is used to provide information regarding FSIS policies, procedures, regulations,                     **Federal Register**                     notices, FSIS public meetings, and other types of information that could affect or would be of interest to constituents and stakeholders. The Update is communicated via Listserv, a free electronic mail subscription service for industry, trade groups, consumer interest groups, health professionals, and other individuals who have asked to be included. The Update is also available on the FSIS Web page. Through the Listserv and Web page, FSIS is able to provide information to a much broader and more diverse audience. In addition, FSIS offers an electronic mail subscription service which provides automatic and customized access to selected food safety news and information. This service is available at                     *http://www.fsis.usda.gov/​news_​and_​events/​email_​subscription/​.*                     Options range from recalls to export information to regulations, directives and notices. Customers can add or delete subscriptions themselves, and have the option to password protect their accounts.                

Alfred V. Almanza,

Administrator.

# Footnotes

1.                             According to the Pathogen Reduction; Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point Systems final rule, a very small establishment is one that has fewer than 10 employees or less than $2.5 million in annual sales; a small establishment is one that has 10 or more but fewer than 500 employees (61 FR 38819).                    
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[FR Doc. 2011-9856 Filed 4-21-11; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P