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Statement of Need: The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-246, Sec. 11016), known as the 2008 Farm Bill, amended the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) to make catfish an amenable species under the FMIA. The Farm Bill directs the Department to issue final regulations implementing the FMIA amendments not later than 18 months after the enactment date (June 18, 2008) of the legislation.

Summary of the Legal Basis: 21 U.S.C. 601-695 and Public Law 110-246, Sec. 11016

Alternatives: The option of no rulemaking is unavailable. The Agency will consider alternative methods of implementation and levels of stringency, and the effects on foreign and domestic commerce and on small business associated with the alternatives.

Anticipated Costs and Benefits: FSIS anticipates benefits from uniform standards and the more extensive and intensive inspection service that FSIS provides (compared with current voluntary inspection programs). FSIS would apply requirements for imported catfish that would be equivalent to those applying to catfish raised and processed in the United States.

Risks: In preparing regulations on catfish and catfish products, the Agency will consider any risks to public health or other pertinent risks associated with the production, processing, and distribution of the products. FSIS will determine, through scientific risk assessment procedures, the magnitude of the risks associated with catfish and how they compare with those associated with other foods in FSIS’s jurisdiction.