Under IC 4-22-2-24, notice is hereby given that on October 10, 2013, at 9:45 a.m., at the Indiana State Board of Animal Health, Discovery Hall Suite 100, 1202 East 38th Street, Indianapolis, Indiana, the Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH) will hold a public hearing on a proposed rule that will amend BOAH rules at 345 IAC 9 and 345 IAC 10 governing meat and poultry products inspection primarily to conform BOAH's rules to the new United States Department of Agriculture - Food Safety Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) requirements at 9 CFR 417.4 governing the validation, verification, and reassessment of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) plan for meat and poultry processing establishments.

State law requires the BOAH to enforce requirements with respect to intrastate operations that are at least equal to those imposed and enforced under 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 15-17-5-1(4). In order to comply with state law, BOAH must periodically update the meat and poultry regulations to ensure they are at least equal to 9 CFR Subchapter E, which contains the requirements for federally-inspected facilities. The proposed rule is also necessary to comply with the agency's Cooperative Agreement with USDA-FSIS, under which the state receives 50 percent of the annual operating costs of the Meat and Poultry Inspection (MPI) program. BOAH's program is subject to regular audits by USDA-FSIS to ensure that the state standards are at least equal to federal requirements. The proposed rule amends the incorporation by reference at 345 IAC 9-2.1-1 and 345 IAC 10-2.1-1 from January 1, 2012, to January 1, 2013. The changes in this proposed rule will not impose significant additional costs on regulated entities. The proposed rule does not impose costs beyond what is expressly required by state and federal law. Therefore, the proposed rule would not impose requirements or costs under IC 4-22-2-24(d)(3).

Copies of these rules are now on file at the Indiana State Board of Animal Health, Discovery Hall Suite 100, 1202 East 38th Street and Legislative Services Agency, Indiana Government Center North, 100 North Senate Avenue, Room N201, Indianapolis, Indiana and are open for public inspection.