In the June 16, 2017, Federal Register, USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service ("FSIS") proposed to amend the poultry products inspection regulations to list the People's Republic of China ("PRC") as eligible to export to the United States poultry products from birds slaughtered in the PRC. The PRC is currently eligible to export processed poultry products to the United States if the products are derived from poultry slaughtered in the United States or in other countries eligible to slaughter and export poultry to the United States. FSIS is proposing this action because the Agency has reviewed the PRC's laws, regulations, and poultry slaughter inspection system as implemented and has determined that the PRC's poultry slaughter inspection system is equivalent to the system that the United States has established under the Poultry Products Inspection Act and its implementing regulations.
Although the PRC may be listed in FSIS's regulations as eligible to export poultry products to the United States, the products also must comply with all other applicable U.S. requirements, including those of USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service ("APHIS"). All such products are subject to reinspection at U.S. ports-of-entry by FSIS inspectors. Comments are due August 15, 2017.
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