December 22/Washington/Agri-View -- The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is delaying the effective date of the final regulations that require nutrition labeling of the major cuts of single-ingredient, raw meat and poultry products and ground or chopped meat and poultry products. The original effective date for these regulations was January 1, but the new effective date of the final rule is March 1.

FSIS is taking this action in response to a request from eight trade associations. The associations requested that FSIS exercise enforcement discretion for a six-month period following the January 1, 2012, effective date of the final rule. FSIS, however, concluded a two-month delay in the effective date would allow industry sufficient time to comply with the requirements of the final rule. FSIS is also making a correction to the final rule to clarify an amendatory instruction.

 From the December 26, 2011, Prepared Foods' Daily News.