Proposed Rule2025-07187
Salmonella Framework for Raw Poultry Products
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
April 25, 2025
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentFood Safety and Inspection Service
Abstract
FSIS is withdrawing the proposed rule and proposed determination titled "Salmonella Framework for Raw Poultry Products."
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 79 (Friday, April 25, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 79 (Friday, April 25, 2025)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 17344-17345]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-07187]
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Proposed Rules
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 79 / Friday, April 25, 2025 /
Proposed Rules
[[Page 17344]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
9 CFR Part 381
[Docket No. FSIS-2023-0028]
RIN 0583-AD96
Salmonella Framework for Raw Poultry Products
AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA).
ACTION: Notice of withdrawal.
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SUMMARY: FSIS is withdrawing the proposed rule and proposed
determination titled ``Salmonella Framework for Raw Poultry Products.''
DATES: The proposed rule and proposed determination published on August
7, 2024, at 89 FR 64678 is withdrawn as of April 25, 2025.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rachel Edelstein, Assistant
Administrator, Office of Policy and Program Development, FSIS, USDA;
Telephone: (202) 205-0495.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 7, 2024, FSIS published a proposed
rule and proposed determination in the Federal Register titled
``Salmonella Framework for Raw Poultry Products'' (89 FR 64678). The
proposed framework was targeted at reducing Salmonella illnesses
associated with poultry products. The proposal announced FSIS' proposed
determination that raw chicken carcasses, chicken parts, comminuted
chicken, and comminuted turkey products contaminated with certain
Salmonella levels and serotypes are adulterated as defined in the
Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA) (21 U.S.C. 453 et seq.). FSIS
proposed to establish final product standards based on these Salmonella
levels and serotypes. FSIS also proposed to revise the regulations in 9
CFR 381.65(g) that require that all poultry slaughter establishments
develop, implement, and maintain written procedures to prevent
contamination by enteric pathogens throughout the entire slaughter and
dressing operation to clarify that these procedures must include a
microbial monitoring program (MMP) that incorporates statistical
process control (SPC) monitoring methods, to require sampling at rehang
instead of pre-chill, and to require that all establishments conduct
paired sampling at rehang and post-chill. The Agency proposed to amend
the recordkeeping requirements under 9 CFR 381.65(h) to require that
establishments submit their microbial monitoring sampling results to
FSIS electronically. FSIS had considered proposing to require that
incoming flocks meet a predetermined target level for Salmonella at
receiving. However, at the time the proposal was published, the
research did not support the use of a threshold for test results at the
receiving step and many small poultry producers and processors said
that such an approach would impose an overwhelming burden on them.
Therefore, the proposed framework focused on a non-regulatory approach
for reducing the Salmonella load on incoming birds.
FSIS received 7,089 comments on the proposed framework during the
comment period, which closed on January 17, 2025. Most of the comments
were submitted as part of organized letter writing campaigns, while
1,415 were unique comment letters. FSIS received substantive comments
from a variety of stakeholders that included poultry and meat industry
trade associations, small poultry producer and processor trade
associations, large and small poultry processing establishments,
consumer advocacy organizations, members of academia, scientific and
technical trade associations, diagnostic laboratory companies, foreign
entities (government, poultry processors, and importers), law students,
State Departments of Agriculture and State representatives, members of
Congress, and a risk assessment firm. The issues that generated the
most comments, both positive and negative, included those associated
with FSIS' legal authority to propose the final product standards, the
proposed Salmonella levels and serotypes for the final product
standards, the proposed use of SPC monitoring, the scientific and
technical information used to support the proposed framework, the
potential economic impacts of the proposed framework, and the potential
impact of the proposed framework on small poultry growers and
processors. Several comments also suggested alternative approaches
other than the proposed framework for addressing Salmonella illnesses
associated with poultry products.
While FSIS continues to support the goal of reducing Salmonella
illnesses associated with poultry products, the Agency believes that
the comments have raised several important issues that warrant further
consideration. Therefore, FSIS is withdrawing the ``Salmonella
Framework for Raw Poultry Products'' proposed rule and proposed
determination to allow the Agency to further assess its approach for
addressing Salmonella illnesses associated with poultry products.
Additional Public Notification
Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy
development is important. Consequently, FSIS will announce this Federal
Register publication on-line through the FSIS web page located at:
<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/federal-register">https://www.fsis.usda.gov/federal-register</a>. FSIS will also announce and
provide a link to this Federal Register publication 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 our constituents and stakeholders. The
Constituent Update is available on the FSIS web page. Through the web
page, FSIS can provide information to a much broader, more diverse
audience. In addition, FSIS offers an email subscription service that
provides automatic and customized access to selected food safety news
and information. This service is available at: <a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/subscribe">https://www.fsis.usda.gov/subscribe</a>. The available information ranges from
recalls to export information, regulations, directives, and notices.
Customers can add or delete subscriptions themselves and have the
option to password protect their accounts.
USDA Non-Discrimination Statement
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and USDA civil rights
regulations and policies, the USDA, its
[[Page 17345]]
Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or
administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on
race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, marital
status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance
program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil
rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA
(not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing
deadlines vary by program or incident. Persons with disabilities who
require alternative means of communication for program information
(e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.)
should contact the responsible Agency or USDA's TARGET Center at (202)
720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay
Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be
made available in languages other than English. To file a program
discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination
Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program
Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter
addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information
requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call
(866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1)
mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary
for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-
9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#364644595144575b185f5842575d53764345525718515940"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="97e7e5f8f0e5f6fab9fef9e3f6fcf2d7e2e4f3f6b9f0f8e1">[email protected]</span></a>.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
Denise Eblen,
Acting Deputy Under Secretary for the Office of Food Safety.
[FR Doc. 2025-07187 Filed 4-24-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P
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