[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 192 (Tuesday, October 5, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61418-61419]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-24985]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Doc. No. DA-10-03; AMS-DA-09-0053]
Milk for Manufacturing Purposes and Its Production and
Processing; Requirements Recommended for Adoption by State Regulatory
Agencies
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: This document proposes to amend the recommended manufacturing
milk requirements (Recommended Requirements) by raising the maximum
allowable somatic cell count in producer herd goat milk from 1,000,000
cells per milliliter to 1,500,000 cells per milliliter. This proposal
was initiated at the request of the National Association of Dairy
Regulatory Officials (NADRO) and was developed in cooperation with
NADRO, dairy trade associations, and producer groups. This will ensure
that goat milk can continue to be shipped and recognizes that goats
have a need for different regulatory limits for somatic cells than
cows.
DATES: Submit written or electronic comments on or before December 6,
2010.
ADDRESSES: You may use any of the following methods to file comments on
this action:
By Mail: Reginald Pasteur, Marketing Specialist, Standardization
Branch, Dairy Programs, STOP 0230 (Room 2746-South Building),
Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA),
1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-0230.
By Fax: (202) 720-2643.
By e-mail: Via the electronic process available at the Federal
eRulemaking portal at http://www.regulations.gov.
Comments should reference the docket number and the date and page
number of this issue of the Federal Register. Any comments received may
be inspected at the above address during regular business hours (8
a.m.-4:30 p.m.) or may be accessed via the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov.
The current Recommended Requirements are available either from the
above mailing address or by accessing the following internet address:
http://www.ams.usda.gov/dairy/manufmlk.pdf. The proposed changes to the
Recommended Requirements are also available from the above mailing
address or by accessing the following internet address: http://www.ams.usda.gov/dairy/dockets.htm.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Reginald Pasteur, Marketing
Specialist, Standardization Branch, Dairy Programs, AMS, USDA,
telephone (202) 720-7473 or e-mail [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the authority of the Agricultural
Marketing Act of 1946, as amended (7 U.S.C. 1621-1627), the U.S.
Department of Agriculture maintains a set of model regulations relating
to quality and sanitation requirements for the production and
processing of manufacturing grade milk. These Recommended Requirements
are developed by AMS and recommended for adoption and enforcement by
the various States that regulate manufacturing grade milk. The purpose
of the model requirements is to promote uniformity in State dairy laws
and regulations relating to manufacturing grade milk.
In consultation with representatives from NADRO, State regulatory
agencies, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and dairy industry trade
associations, USDA prepared the Recommended Requirements to promote
uniformity in State dairy laws and regulations for manufacturing grade
milk. To accommodate changes that occur in the dairy industry, NADRO
and various State officials request USDA to update the Recommended
Requirements periodically.
During its July 2009 annual meeting, NADRO passed a resolution
requesting USDA to raise the maximum allowable somatic cell count for
producer herd goat milk from 1,000,000 cells per milliliter to
1,500,000 cells per milliliter to provide consistency with the current
requirements in place for Grade A producer herd goat milk. Due to
inherent difference between cows and goats, goat milk with a somatic
cell of 1.5 million cells per milliliter can be produced from a
healthy, non-mastitic udder and therefore, is quality milk. The need
for a separate standard for goat milk was recognized by the National
Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments (NCIMS) and was raised to 1.5
million cells per milliliter at their 2009 conference. This proposed
change will align the Recommended Requirements with the Grade A
requirements for goat milk. AMS reviewed this resolution and developed
a draft proposal that identified the changes associated with this
request. This draft was provided to State regulatory officials and
dairy trade association representatives for informal discussion prior
to publication in the Federal Register. AMS is now soliciting comments
on the proposed notice to the Recommended Requirements.
The requirements of Executive Order 13132, Federalism, were
considered in developing this notice, and it has been determined that
this action does not have substantial effects on the States (the
relationship between the National Government and the States or on the
distribution of power and responsibilities among the various levels of
government). The adoption of the Recommended Requirements by State
regulatory agencies is voluntary. States maintain the responsibility to
establish dairy regulations and continue to have the option to
establish regulations that are different from the Recommended
Requirements. A State may choose to have requirements less restrictive
or more stringent than the Recommended Requirements. Their decision to
have different requirements would not affect the ability of milk
producers to market milk or of processing plants to produce dairy
products in their State. AMS is publishing this notice with a 60-day
comment period to provide a sufficient time for interested persons to
comment on the changes.
[[Page 61419]]
Based on information provided above, this notice seeks public
comment on revising the somatic cell count for goat milk from 1,000,000
cells per milliliter to 1,500,000 cells per milliliter in sections C7
(9)(d) and C11 (e), (e)(2), and (f) of the Recommended Requirements.
Dated: September 30, 2010.
David R. Shipman,
Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-24985 Filed 10-4-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P