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Federal Register/Vol. 86, No. 135/Monday, July 19, 2021/Notices Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 135 / Monday, July 19, 2021 / Notices 37995 analysis as a basis for the NSIS Additionally, program information may DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE rulemaking, to draw conclusions on be made available in languages other worker safety in HIMP or non-HIMP than English. Food Safety and Inspection Service establishments, or to determine whether To file a program discrimination [Docket No. FSIS–2018–0033] there is an associated impact on food complaint, complete the USDA Program safety. Had FSIS developed the analysis Discrimination Complaint Form, AD– Availability of Two Revised Guidelines for any of these reasons, it would have 3027, found online at https:// for Minimizing the Risk of Shiga Toxin- more thoroughly addressed data Producing Escherichia Coli (STEC) in www.usda.gov/oascr/how-to-file-a- limitations and uncertainty, as Beef Slaughter and Processing program-discrimination-complaint and recommended by OIG. Operations Instead, FSIS published the at any USDA office or write a letter preliminary worker safety analysis addressed to USDA and provide in the AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection solely to solicit comments for use by letter all of the information requested in Service, Agriculture (USDA). OSHA and the National Institute for the form. To request a copy of the ACTION: Notice of availability and Occupational Safety and Health complaint form, call (866) 632–9992. response to comments. (NIOSH) in examining worker safety in Submit your completed form or letter to swine slaughter establishments. OSHA USDA by: (1) Mail: U.S. Department of SUMMARY: The Food Safety and and NIOSH are the Federal agencies Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing with jurisdiction over meat and poultry Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 that it has updated two of its guidelines establishment worker safety. Notably, Independence Avenue SW, Washington, for minimizing the risk of Shiga toxin- producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in FSIS stated this immediately following DC 20250–9410; (2) fax: (202) 690–7442; beef slaughter (including veal) and the discussion of the preliminary or (3) email: [email protected]. analysis in the preamble to the proposed processing operations. Additionally, USDA is an equal opportunity rule (83 FR 4796): FSIS is responding to comments on the provider, employer, and lender. guidelines. FSIS is requesting comments on the effects of faster line speeds on worker safety. Additional Public Notification ADDRESSES: Downloadable versions of Specifically, FSIS is requesting comments on the guidelines are available to view and whether line speeds for the NSIS should be Public awareness of all segments of print at https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/ set at the current regulatory limit of 1,106 rulemaking and policy development is portal/fsis/topics/regulatory- hph or some other number. The Agency is important. Consequently, FSIS will compliance/guidelines. No hard copies also interested in comments on the announce this Federal Register of the guidelines have been published. availability of records or studies that contain data that OSHA or the National Institute for publication online through the FSIS FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) web page located at: https:// Rachel Edelstein, Assistant may be able to use in analyzing the effects www.fsis.usda.gov/federal-register. Administrator, Office of Policy and of increased line speed on the safety and FSIS also will announce and provide Program Development by telephone at health of employees throughout the (202) 205–0495. establishment, including effects prior to and a link to it through the FSIS Constituent SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: following the evisceration line. Update, which is used to provide information regarding FSIS policies, USDA Non-Discrimination Statement Background procedures, regulations, Federal In accordance with Federal civil On March 3, 2017, FSIS announced in Register notices, FSIS public meetings, the Constituent Update 1 the availability rights law and U.S. Department of and other types of information that Agriculture (USDA) civil rights of the FSIS Compliance Guideline for could affect or would be of interest to Minimizing the Risk of Shiga Toxin- regulations and policies, the USDA, its our constituents and stakeholders. The Agencies, offices, and employees, and producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and Constituent Update is available on the Salmonella in Beef (including Veal) institutions participating in or FSIS web page. Through the web page, administering USDA programs are Slaughter Operations (hereafter referred FSIS is able to provide information to a prohibited from discriminating based on to as the beef slaughter guideline). On much broader, more diverse audience. race, color, national origin, religion, sex, September 6, 2017, FSIS announced in gender identity (including gender In addition, FSIS offers an email the Federal Register the availability of expression), sexual orientation, subscription service which provides the FSIS Compliance Guideline for disability, age, marital status, family/ automatic and customized access to Minimizing the Risk of Shiga Toxin- parental status, income derived from a selected food safety news and Producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in public assistance program, political information. This service is available at Raw Beef (including Veal) Processing beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior https://www.fsis.usda.gov/subscribe. Operations (hereafter referred to as the 2 civil rights activity, in any program or Options range from recalls to export beef processing guideline). FSIS activity conducted or funded by USDA information, regulations, directives, and published these guidelines to advise (not all bases apply to all programs). notices. Customers can add or delete small and very small establishments on Remedies and complaint filing subscriptions themselves and have the the best practices for beef slaughter and deadlines vary by program or incident. option to password protect their processing to prevent, eliminate, or Persons with disabilities who require accounts. alternative means of communication for 1 The March 3, 2017 Constituent Update is Done at Washington, DC. located at: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/news-events/ program information (e.g., Braille, large Paul Kiecker, news-press-releases/constituent-update-march-3- print, audiotape, American Sign 2017. Language, etc.) should contact the Administrator. 2 FSIS Compliance Guideline for Minimizing the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET [FR Doc. 2021–15291 Filed 7–16–21; 8:45 am] Risk of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in Raw Beef (including Veal) Processing Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice and BILLING CODE 3410–DM–P Operations can be found at: https:// TTY) or contact USDA through the www.govinfo.gov/app/details/FR-2017-09-06/2017- Federal Relay Service at (800) 877–8339. 18847. VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:23 Jul 16, 2021 Jkt 253001 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\19JYN1.SGM 19JYN1 lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1 37996 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 135 / Monday, July 19, 2021 / Notices reduce levels of fecal and associated O157:H7 as well as strains that have Response: As FSIS mentioned above, microbiological contamination. The certain O groups (O26, O45, O103, the Agency removed the word guidelines provided information on O111, O121, and O145) and contain two ‘‘compliance’’ from the guidelines’ addressing contamination with STEC specific virulence genes (stx and eae). titles. FSIS also included additional text and Salmonella in raw non-intact beef This addition was created to clarify throughout the documents to clarify that products and beef products intended for FSIS policy regarding STEC in relation the best practices in the documents are non-intact use. FSIS requested to product recalls; and not regulatory requirements. • comments on these guidelines. FSIS added a section on how ‘‘dry Comment: Multiple industry groups After review and consideration of all aging’’ can be used as an intervention to expressed concern regarding the comments, FSIS has made changes to reduce pathogens, including STEC. mention of cooking non-intact raw beef and clarified certain aspects of the Beef Processing Guideline products to a level of ‘‘doneness’’ (i.e., guidelines. For example, FSIS removed • rare, medium rare, and well-done), the word ‘‘compliance’’ from the titles FSIS clarified throughout the instead of listing recommended internal of the guidelines to help clarify that the document that the recommendations in cooking temperatures. The commenters guidelines are recommendations and do the guideline are not regulatory argued that doneness is not a reliable not create any new regulatory requirements; indicator for food safety and that the • FSIS removed the section on lymph requirements. The other revisions are guideline would be improved if the summarized below and are discussed in node removal; • FSIS removed all references to levels of doneness were replaced with more detail in the Agency’s responses to temperatures and descriptions. comments. The revised guidelines are Salmonella; • Response: The Agency agrees that available at the FSIS guidance web FSIS added additional examples visual observation is not a scientifically page.3 Although comments on these and scenarios using supplier-based reliable indicator of food safety. The use guidelines will no longer be accepted verification programs to illustrate of the term ‘‘doneness’’ is to explain to
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