July 13, 1999

Federal Register: (Volume 64, Number 133)
Rules and Regulations
Page 37666-37667
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access www.access.gpo.gov

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
9 CFR Parts 331 and 381
[Docket No. 99-036F]
AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing that representatives of the State of Alaska have advised the Department of Agriculture that, because of a lack of funding, the State of Alaska will stop administering its State meat and poultry inspection programs after July 30, 1999. FSIS is mandated by law to assume responsibility for administering the meat and poultry inspection programs with respect to operations and transactions within Alaska. Therefore, in accordance with the law, the Secretary of Agriculture is designating the State of Alaska to receive Federal inspection with respect to operations and transactions within the State, and FSIS is amending the Federal meat and poultry inspection regulations by adding Alaska to the list of "designated" States.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This final rule will be effective on July 31, 1999. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. William Leese, Director, Federal-State Relations Staff, Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250-3700 at (202) 418-8897.

INSPECTION PROGRAM
Food Safety and Inspection Service
United States Department of Agriculture
Washington, D.C. 20250-3700
News and Information
Media Communications Office
(202) 720-9113; FAX: (202) 690-0460
Contact: Beth Gaston
elizabeth.gaston@usda.gov
Carol Blake
carol.blake@usda.gov

WASHINGTON, --The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service today announced that USDA will assume the meat and poultry inspection for the state of Alaska effective July 31. "If a state decides to terminate its inspection program-which Alaska is doing-the secretary of agriculture is legally required to assume responsibility for the state program," said Thomas J. Billy, FSIS administrator. "We expect a smooth transition that will ensure that citizens of Alaska continue to receive meat and poultry products that are safe, wholesome, and accurately labeled."

Federal laws require USDA inspection of meat and poultry products before they can be sold and transported interstate or to foreign countries. States can choose to operate meat or poultry inspection programs provided they are at least equal to federal inspection. Additionally, state-inspected meat or poultry products may only be shipped and sold intrastate. Twenty-five other states currently operate meat or poultry inspection programs, which are overseen by FSIS.

Alaska officials notified USDA that their state inspection program is being discontinued due to a lack of funding. Alaska currently has 13 state-inspected plants. Alaska plans to maintain inspection of reindeer, which do not require inspection under federal law.

A notice announcing the assumption will be published in the Federal Register.

Access news releases and other information at the FSIS Web Site on the World Wide Web at http://www.fsis.usda.gov