Uniform Compliance Date for Food Labeling Regulations

This rule announces that the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is establishing January 1, 2008, as the uniform compliance date for new food labeling regulations that are issued between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2006. FSIS is establishing a uniform compliance date to minimize the economic impact of labeling changes by providing for an orderly industry adjustment to new labeling requirements that occur between the designated dates. Furthermore, FSIS is establishing the uniform compliance date approach in order to be consistent with the approach that the Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has already established.