Under IC 4-22-2-24, notice is hereby given that on July 10, 2008, at 9:45 a.m., at the Indiana State Board of Animal Health, 805 Beachway Drive, Suite 50, Indianapolis, Indiana, the Indiana State Board of Animal Health will hold a public hearing on a proposed rule that amends 345 IAC 9-2.1-1 and 345 IAC 10-2.1-1 to incorporate the January 1, 2008, version of federal regulations governing the slaughter of livestock and poultry and the processing of meat and poultry products.

The Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH) is considering these changes because state and federal law require the BOAH to maintain meat and poultry inspection rules that are at least equal to the standards in the federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) and the federal Poultry Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 451 et seq.). IC 15-2.1-24 and 21 U.S.C. 661(a)(1). The proposed rule changes are required to maintain equal to status. State inspected meat and poultry slaughtering and processing businesses are currently required to comply with the meat and poultry inspection rules. The proposed changes will impose requirements on businesses but will not substantially increase their reporting, record keeping, or other administrative costs. The BOAH does not anticipate increased costs to businesses as a result of adopting the updated standards as compared to the current standards.

Copies of these rules are now on file at the Indiana State Board of Animal Health, 805 Beachway Drive, Suite 50 and Legislative Services Agency, One North Capitol, Suite 325, Indianapolis, Indiana and are open for public inspection.