WASHINGTON – A proposed Food Safety and Inspection Service (F.S.I.S.) rule titled Notification, Documentation, and Recordkeeping Requirements for Inspected Establishments, to implement certain provisions of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Farm Bill) has been published in the Federal Register.

Three elements are included in the proposal: a notification requirement, a written recall procedures requirement, and process control plan assessment and recordkeeping requirement.

According to the proposal, establishments would be required to quickly notify the appropriate District Office (D.O.) that an adulterated or misbranded product received by or originating from the establishment has entered commerce, if the establishment believes or has reason to believe that this has happened. The plant also must inform the D.O. about the type, amount, origin and destination of the adulterated or misbranded product.

Written procedures to specify how a plant decides whether to conduct a recall and how the plant will effect a recall would also be required under the proposal. In addition, the procedures must be available for official review and copying.

The rule would also require that a plant create a record of each reassessment performed, whether it is the annual reassessment or is done for any other reason. In addition, a plant would have to document the reason(s) for any changes or lack of changes made to a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (H.A.C.C.P.) plan.

Countries exporting meat and poultry products to the U.S. would have to establish requirements equivalent to those in the final rule.

To submit comments on this proposed rule, go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions at that site for submitting comments. Mail, including CD–ROMs, and hand- or courier-delivered items should be sent to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of Agriculture, F.S.I.S., Room 2–2127 George Washington Carver Center, 5601 Sunnyside Avenue, Beltsville, Md. 20705. All items submitted by mail or via regulations.gov must include the agency name and docket number F.S.I.S.–2008–0025.

Comments must be received by May 24, 2010. To view this Federal Register notice, visit http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-6629.pdf.