UNITED STATES-NEBRASKA CATTLEMEN.
The Nebraska Cattlemen is urging its members and other cattle producers to submit comments on a Food and Drug Administration rendering rule by April 16. FDA announced on April 3 a delay in the implementation of the final rule entitled, "Substances Prohibited from Use in Animal Food or Feed" or more commonly referred to as the 2008 BSE final rule. The final rule, which would have gone into effect on April 27, is now delayed 60 days to June 26, 2009.
The agency is taking this action in response to comments from affected parties expressing concerns about their ability to fully comply with the rule by the April 27, 2009 effective date. In addition, some affected parties are finding it difficult to identify appropriate alternate ways of disposing of material that may no longer be rendered for animal feed use once the rule takes effect.
The FDA is also providing 7 days for public comment solely on the question of whether to delay the effective date. Cattle producers and other interested persons may submit written comments on or before April 16, 2009 to the Division of Dockets Management (HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane , Rm. 1061, Rockville , MD 20852 . Electronic comments may be submitted to http://www.regulations.gov. Identify all submissions with the following docket number: FDA--2002--N--0031 (formerly Docket No. 2002N--0273). Questions may be directed to Burt Pritchett, Center for Veterinary Medicine (HFV-22), FDA, 7519 Standish Place , Rockville , MD 20855 , 240-453-6860, burt.pritchett@fda.hhs.gov.
There is additional information on NC’s website producers can use in submitting comments to FDA. Go to www.nebraskacattlemen.org and click on the To Request Indefinite Delay of BSE Final Rule link at the top of the NC home page.
"NC has been opposed to the rendering rule since it was originally proposed in 2005 and continues to urge FDA to open the rule to public comment and delay implementation until they have had adequate time to consider the many problems caused by the ban and the decreased need for it," said NC Executive Vice President Michael Kelsey. "We will submit comments and we are urging cattle producers to do so as well."
The Nebraska Cattlemen association is a grassroots organization whose individual producer members determine issues of importance to the state beef industry.