Fee Increase for Inspection Services

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is increasing the fees charged to meat and poultry establishments, importers, and exporters for providing voluntary inspection, identification, and certification services; overtime and holiday services. The fee increases are based on the Agency's analysis of projected costs for fiscal year 1996, which identifies increased costs resulting from the January 1996 FSIS national and locality pay raise average of 2.4 percent for Federal employees and increased health insurance costs. At the same time, FSIS is reducing the fees charged for providing laboratory services to meat and poultry establishments. The Agency's analysis of projected costs for fiscal year 1996 identified decreased costs resulting from the use of automated equipment for testing laboratory samples.