{"abstract":"The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is amending the Federal meat inspection regulations to designate the brain, skull, eyes, trigeminal ganglia, spinal cord, vertebral column (excluding the vertebrae of the tail, the transverse processes of the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae, and the wings of the sacrum), and dorsal root ganglia (DRG) of cattle 30 months of age and older, and the tonsils and distal ileum of the small intestine of all cattle, as \"specified risk materials\" (SRMs). The Agency is declaring that SRMs are inedible and prohibiting their use for human food. In addition, FSIS is requiring that all non-ambulatory disabled cattle presented for slaughter be condemned. The Agency is requiring that federally-inspected establishments that slaughter cattle and federally-inspected establishments that process the carcasses or parts of cattle develop, implement, and maintain written procedures for the removal, segregation, and disposition of SRMs. Establishments must incorporate these procedures into their HACCP plans or in their Sanitation SOPs or other prerequisite program. FSIS is taking this action in response to the diagnosis on December 23, 2003, by the U.S. Department of Agriculture of a positive case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in an adult Holstein cow in the State of Washington. This action will minimize human exposure to materials that scientific studies have demonstrated as containing the BSE agent in cattle infected with the disease. Infectivity has never been demonstrated in the muscle tissue of cattle experimentally or naturally infected with BSE at any stage of the disease.","action":"Interim final rule and request for comments.","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE","name":"Agriculture Department","id":12,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/agriculture-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/12","parent_id":null,"slug":"agriculture-department"},{"raw_name":"Food Safety and Inspection Service","name":"Food Safety and Inspection Service","id":201,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/food-safety-and-inspection-service","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/201","parent_id":12,"slug":"food-safety-and-inspection-service"}],"body_html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/html/2004/01/12/04-625.html","cfr_references":[{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":309,"title":9},{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":310,"title":9},{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":311,"title":9},{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":318,"title":9},{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":319,"title":9}],"citation":"69 FR 1862","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":"2004-04-12","correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"This interim final rule is effective January 12, 2004. Comments on this interim final rule must be received by April 12, 2004.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":["Docket No. 03-025IF"],"dockets":[],"document_number":"04-625","effective_on":"2004-01-12","end_page":1874,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"full_text_xml_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/xml/2004/01/12/04-625.xml","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2004/01/12/04-625/prohibition-of-the-use-of-specified-risk-materials-for-human-food-and-requirements-for-the","images":{},"images_metadata":{},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/04-625?publication_date=2004-01-12","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-2004-01-12/04-625/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":13,"page_views":{"count":2443,"last_updated":"2026-09-22 20:15:08 -0400"},"pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2004-01-12/pdf/04-625.pdf","presidential_document_number":null,"proclamation_number":null,"public_inspection_pdf_url":null,"publication_date":"2004-01-12","raw_text_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2004/01/12/04-625.txt","regulation_id_number_info":{},"regulation_id_numbers":[],"regulations_dot_gov_info":{},"regulations_dot_gov_url":null,"significant":null,"signing_date":null,"start_page":1862,"subtype":null,"title":"Prohibition of the Use of Specified Risk Materials for Human Food and Requirements for the Disposition of Non-Ambulatory Disabled Cattle","toc_doc":"Specified risk materials use for human food, prohibition; and non-ambulatory disabled cattle, disposition requirements","toc_subject":"Meat and poultry inspection:","topics":["Food grades and standards","Food labeling","Meat inspection"],"type":"Rule","volume":69}