[Federal Register: June 20, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 118)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 33851]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr20jn07-1]
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Rules and Regulations
Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents
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to and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations, which is published
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[[Page 33851]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
7 CFR Part 60
[Docket No. AMS-LS-06-0166; LS-03-04]
RIN 0581-AC26
Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling of Fish and Shellfish
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Interim final rule; reopening of comment period.
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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is reopening the
comment period for 60 days for the interim final rule for mandatory
country of origin labeling (COOL) for fish and shellfish covered
commodities that was published in the Federal Register on October 5,
2004 (69 FR 59708). The interim final rule requires certain retailers
and their suppliers to notify their customers of the country of origin
and the method of production (wild and/or farm-raised) of specified
fish and shellfish products. The interim final rule also specifies
recordkeeping responsibilities for affected retailers and their
suppliers. AMS requests general comments on the interim final rule. All
affected persons are hereby given notice of the opportunity to submit
written data and views concerning the interim final rule. AMS will
review the submitted comments and information as it promulgates a final
rule for mandatory COOL for fish and shellfish.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before August 20, 2007, to be
assured of consideration.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be submitted through the internet at http://www.regulations.gov.
Send written comments to: Country of Origin
Labeling Program, Room 2607-S; Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS),
USDA; 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-0254, or by
facsimile to (202) 720-1112. Comments received will be posted on the
Web site http://www.regulations.gov. Comments sent to the above
location that specifically pertain to the information collection and
recordkeeping requirements should also be sent to the Desk Officer for
Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of
Management and Budget (OMB), New Executive Office Building, 725 17th
Street, NW., Room 725, Washington, DC 20503.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Martin O'Connor; Chief, Standards,
Analysis, and Technology Branch; Livestock and Seed Program, AMS, USDA,
by telephone on (202) 720-4486, or via e-mail to: COOL@usda.gov.
Information can also be found at http://www.ams.usda.gov/cool/.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act
of 2002 (Farm Bill) (7 U.S.C. 7901) and the 2002 Supplemental
Appropriations Act (Appropriations Act) (Pub. L. 107-206) amended the
Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1621 et seq.) by adding 7
U.S.C. 1638-1638d to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to promulgate
regulations by September 30, 2004, requiring retailers to notify their
customers of the country of origin of covered commodities. On October
30, 2003, AMS published a proposed rule for mandatory COOL for all
covered commodities--beef, lamb, pork, fish, perishable agricultural
commodities, and peanuts (68 FR 61944). Subsequently, the FY 2004
Consolidated Appropriations Act (Pub. L. 108-199) delayed the
applicability of mandatory COOL for all covered commodities except wild
and farm-raised fish and shellfish until September 30, 2006. The
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and
Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2006 (Pub. L. 109-97) further
delayed the applicability of mandatory COOL for all covered commodities
except wild and farm-raised fish and shellfish until September 30,
2008. On October 5, 2004, AMS published an interim final rule (69 FR
59708) for the mandatory COOL program for fish and shellfish. The
interim final rule can be found at: http://www.ams.usda.gov/cool/index.htm.
The interim final rule became effective on April 4, 2005.
AMS reopened the interim final rule's comment period for 90 days on
November 27, 2006 (71 FR 68431). The reopened comment period was
limited to comments concerning the economic impacts of the interim
final rule, including implementation costs, maintenance costs, the
burden of the information collection and recordkeeping requirements,
benefits and net economic impacts. Comments and information received as
a result of the reopened interim final rule's comment period, to the
extent relevant, would be reviewed in connection with any final
regulatory action for fish and shellfish and any of the other covered
commodities.
In preparation for promulating a final rule for mandatory COOL for
fish and shellfish, AMS now seeks comments on general aspects of the
interim final rule's provisions. Given that the interim final rule has
been in effect for more than 2 years, affected retailers and their
suppliers now have considerable experience in complying with the
requirements, and have perspective relating to the information that is
provided under the program and the program's costs and benefits. AMS
invites interested parties to submit comments, data, or other relevant
information on the mandatory COOL program set forth in teh interim
final rule.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621 et seq.
Dated: June 14, 2007.
Lloyd C. Day,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 07-3028 Filed 6-15-07; 8:53 am]
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