Veterinary Feed Directive; Extension of Comment Period

AGENCY:

Food and Drug Administration, HHS.

ACTION:

Advance notice of proposed rulemaking; extension of comment period.

SUMMARY:

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is extending to August 27, 2010, the comment period for the advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) that appeared in the Federal Register of March 29, 2010 (75 FR 15387). In the ANPRM, FDA requested comments on the need for improvements to the veterinary feed directive (VFD) regulation. The agency is taking this action in response to requests for an extension to allow interested persons additional time to submit comments.

DATES:

Submit either electronic or written comments by August 27, 2010.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. FDA-2010-N-0155, by any of the following methods:

Electronic Submissions

Submit electronic comments in the following way:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov . Follow the instructions for submitting comments.

Written Submissions

Submit written submissions in the following ways:

• FAX: 301-827-6870.
• Mail/Hand delivery/Courier (for paper, disk, or CD-ROM submissions): Division of Dockets Management (HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.

Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name and docket number for this rulemaking. All comments received may be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov , including any personal information provided. For additional information on submitting comments, see the “Comments” heading of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.

Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov and insert the docket number, found in brackets in the heading of this document, into the “Search” box and follow the prompts and/or go to the Division of Dockets Management, 5630 Fishers Lane, rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Neal Bataller, Center for Veterinary Medicine (HFV-230), Food and Drug Administration, 7500 Standish Pl., Rockville, MD 20855, 240-276-9201, e-mail: Neal.Bataller@fda.hhs.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

In the Federal Register of March 29, 2010 (75 FR 15387), FDA published an ANPRM with a 90-day comment period to request comments on the need for improvements to the VFD regulation.

The agency has received requests for a 60-day extension of the comment period for the ANPRM. The requests conveyed concern that the current 90-day comment period does not allow sufficient time to develop a meaningful or thoughtful response to the ANPRM.

FDA has considered the requests and is extending the comment period for the ANPRM for 60 days, until August 27, 2010. The agency believes that a 60-day extension allows adequate time for interested persons to submit comments without significantly delaying rulemaking on these important issues.

II. Request for Comments

Interested persons may submit to the Division of Dockets Management (see ADDRESSES) either electronic or written comments regarding this document. It is only necessary to send one set of comments. It is no longer necessary to send two copies of mailed comments. Identify comments with the docket number found in brackets in the heading of this document. Received comments may be seen in the Division of Dockets Management between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.