This final rule revised the regulatory requirements concerning sanitation in official meat and poultry establishments. Specifically, the rule consolidated sanitation regulations into a single part applicable to both official meat and poultry establishments, eliminating unnecessary differences between the sanitation requirements for meat and poultry processing, and converting many of the highly prescriptive sanitation requirements to performance standards. The final rule will be effective on January 25, 2000. The purpose of the meeting is to explain the intent of the regulation and to discuss technical issues related to the general sanitation provisions covered by the new regulations before they become effective. This notice is designed to provide information to the public.
Public involvement is important.
Consequently, in an effort to better ensure that minorities, women, and persons with disabilities are made aware of this public meeting FSIS will announce the publication of this Federal Register notice in the FSIS Constitutent Update. FSIS provides a weekly FSIS Constituent Update, which is communicated via fax to over 300 organizations and individuals. The constituent fax list consists of industry, trade, and farm groups, consumer interest groups, allied health professionals, scientific professionals and other individuals that have requested to be included. Through these various channels, FSIS is able to provide information with a much broader, more diverse audience. Thomas J. Billy, Administrator.