Petition to Allow Generic Label Approval for Labels on Products from Exotic Species that Received Voluntary Inspection

As we previously reported, in 2013, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the USDA updated its regulations to expand the type of labels that can be generically approved, i.e., are not subject to FSIS pre-market review and approval.  Under the revised regulations, only labels that include so-called special claims are subject to pre-market review and approval. FSIS took this action in an effort to reduce the time for approval of labels that do not qualify for generic approval and to free up agency resources for more targeted review of materials that are potentially false or misleading.  Unfortunately, the time for label approval has increased again; in June 2019, FSIS reported that it is experiencing a 20+ business delay in label approval.

One of the categories of labels that remain subject to pre-market review are labels for products derived from so-called exotic species, including bison, water buffalo, cattalo, deer, and elk.  Exotic species are not subject to mandatory inspection because they are non-amenable species.  Under 9 C.F.R. Part 352, FSIS provides a voluntary inspection and certification service for wholesomeness relating to the slaughter and processing of exotic animals and the application of a triangular shaped mark of inspection.  Even if the label for a product derived from these exotic species does not contain special claims, the label is subject to premarket review and approval by FSIS.  Compared to companies marketing products from amenable species, the requirement for label review and approval puts companies marketing products derived from exotic species at a significant disadvantage because they will need to wait 3 weeks or more for approval of a “generic” label whereas there is no waiting time for a similar product derived from an amenable species.

Frustrated by the resulting delay in label review and approval, the National Bison Association petitioned FSIS to amend the regulation for generic label approval to allow generically approved labels for product generated at an establishment receiving voluntary inspection under 9 C.F.R. Part 352.  Concerned with the time involved in notice-and-comment rule making, the NBA asks that FSIS amend the regulation via a direct rule without notice and comment.

FSIS’ regulations permit interested persons to submit comments on petitions filed with the Agency within 60 days of the posting date of the petition.  Thus, comments should be submitted by Sept. 30, 2019.

Just recently, the North American Meat Institute (NAMI) submitted comments in support of allowing generic approval for labels for products from exotic species as the “proposed change would benefit all FSIS regulated entities because reducing the number of label submissions for exotic species will likely result in a quicker turnaround generally for labels requiring submission.”  NAMI did not endorse the amendment via a direct rule, however.