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Dear Mr. Reynolds:

This email acknowledges receipt of your attached Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Departmental FOIA Office (DFO). Your request was received by an analyst for processing on October 22, 2020.

The DFO is under the purview of the Office of the General Counsel (OGC) and serves as the focal point for USDA's FOIA program. It provides coordination and ensures agency-wide compliance with the FOIA. Additionally, the DFO processes requests and appeals on behalf of the Office of the Secretary (OSEC), the Under Secretaries, USDA's staff offices, and the Research, Education and Economics and Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs mission areas.

The FOIA, 5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(6)(A)(i), requires USDA to make a determination in response to a FOIA request within 20 business days from its date of receipt. In unusual circumstances, the Federal agency time limit may be extended by 10 business days as stated in 5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(6)(B). If your request seeks numerous records that will necessitate a wide-ranging search, including searches with components and possible consultations with components that have a substantial interest in the determination of this request, USDA will invoke a 10 business day extension for determination of your request. You have the option to narrow the scope of your request to limit the number of potentially responsive records.

Pursuant to USDA FOIA Regulations, Title 7 CFR §1.6(a), the USDA processes FOIA requests according to their order of receipt.

Provisions of the FOIA allow USDA to recover part of the cost of complying with your request. For purposes of fee assessment, you were categorized as an "all other" requester, pursuant to 7 CFR Appendix A to Subpart A of Part 1, Section (2)(b)(5)(i). For your review and information, a copy of the USDA FOIA Fee Schedule is attached. In accordance with 7 CFR Appendix A to Subpart A of Part 1, Section 3(b), your fees shall be waived where the amount of the fee is $25.00 or less. You will be contacted before any fees over $25.00 are accrued.

A search will be conducted for records responsive to your request. If any responsive records are located, they will be reviewed for determination of releasability. Please be assured that a FOIA analyst will respond to your request as expeditiously as possible. We appreciate your patience as we proceed with your request.

Your request has been assigned FOIA Case No. 2021-OSEC-00458-F. Please refer to this case number in any future correspondence. If you have any questions regarding the processing of this request, please contact Ms. Melanie Enciso at (202) 694-5982 or electronically at melanie.enciso@usda.gov<mailto:melanie.enciso@usda.gov> or USDAFOIA@usda.gov<mailto:USDAFOIA@usda.gov>. For additional information regarding USDA FOIA regulations and process, please refer to the information available on-line at www.dm.usda.gov/foia<http://www.dm.usda.gov/foia>.

We appreciate the opportunity to assist you.

Sincerely,

USDA Departmental FOIA Office

[cid:image001.png@01D585BE.4A6C9C50]
Departmental FOIA Office
Office of the General Counsel
U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Ave., SW, Room 4105
Washington, DC 20250

This electronic message contains information generated by the USDA solely for the intended recipients. Any unauthorized interception of this message or the use or disclosure of the information it contains may violate the law and subject the violator to civil or criminal penalties. If you believe you have received this message in error, please notify the sender and delete the email immediately.

Good afternoon Mr. Reynolds,

My name is Melanie Enciso and I am the analyst in charge of the above-referenced FOIA request. I have reviewed your request and I have some questions with regard to it. Would it be possible to set up a conference call this week to discuss? If so, please let me know what time works best for you. Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.

Best regards,

[cid:image001.png@01D585BE.4A6C9C50]
Melanie Enciso
FOIA Analyst - Contractor
Departmental FOIA Office
Office of the General Counsel
U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Ave., SW, Room 4105
Washington, DC 20250
☎ (202) 694-5982 (Telework)
✉ Melanie.Enciso@USDA.gov<mailto:Melanie.Enciso@USDA.gov>

This electronic message contains information generated by the USDA solely for the intended recipients. Any unauthorized interception of this message or the use or disclosure of the information it contains may violate the law and subject the violator to civil or criminal penalties. If you believe you have received this message in error, please notify the sender and delete the email immediately.

Dear Sam Reynolds, This email acknowledges receipt of your attached Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). Your request was received by this office on October 22, 2020. The FOIA, 5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(6)(A)(i), requires USDA to make a determination in response to a FOIA request within 20 business days from its date of receipt. The Federal agency time limit may be extended by 10 business days as stated in 5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(6)(B). If your request seeks numerous records that will necessitate a wide-ranging search including searches with components and possible consultations with components that have a substantial interest in the determination of this request, USDA will invoke a 10 business day extension for determination of your request. You have the option to narrow the scope of your request to limit the number of potentially responsive records. Due to the increasing number of FOIA requests received by this office, we may encounter some delay in processing your request. Pursuant to USDA FOIA Regulations, Title 7 CFR §1.6(a), the USDA processes FOIA requests according to their order of receipt. Provisions of the FOIA allow USDA to recover part of the cost of complying with your request. For purposes of fee assessment, you were categorized as a " news media" requester, pursuant to 7 CFR Appendix A to Subpart A of Part 1, Section (2)(b)(5)(i). For your review and information, a copy of the USDA FOIA Fee Schedule is attached. In accordance with 7 CFR Appendix A to Subpart A of Part 1, Section 3(b), your fees shall be waived where the amount of the fee is $25.00 or less. A search will be conducted for records responsive to your request. If any responsive records are located, they will be reviewed for determination of releasability. A FOIA specialist will respond to your request as expeditiously as possible. We appreciate your patience as we proceed with your request. Your request has been assigned FOIA Case No. . Please refer to this case number in any future correspondence. If you have any questions regarding the processing of this request, please reply directly to this message or contact 2021-FSIS-00051-F FSIS.FOIA@usda.gov or FOIA specialist Mr. Tim Poe at 202-205-3828. For additional information regarding USDA FOIA regulations and process, please refer to the information available online at www.fsis.usda.gov/foia . Sincerely, USDA FSIS FOIA Office

Hi Mr. Reynolds:

Regarding the efforts on your FOIA request at the Food Safety Inspection Services (FSIS) office – we await search results from one of the program areas and I will update you when that information arrives.

Please also note that we generally process requests in the order they are received. Currently I have over 50 older requests, however, sometimes we can move a request forward when the number of records is small. If possible I will move your request forward, but I won’t know if that’s possible until after I receive the records from all the program areas.

Please let me know if you have questions.

Tim

Timothy Poe
Government Information Specialist
Freedom of Information Act Staff
Office of Public Affairs and Consumer Education
Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA
Room 1170 South Building
Washington, DC 20250
Phone: (202) 205-3828
Timothy.poe@usda.gov<mailto:Timothy.poe@usda.gov>

Hi Mr. Reynolds:

I sent a final response from FSIS on December 11, 2020. Please see the attached letter.

Let me know if you don’t see it, or need the records sent again.

Tim

Hi Sam – did you receive the records OK?

If you received the records then the “part” reference describes records that have redactions such as b4 for trade secrets or confidential information, or b6 on exempt privacy related information. We say a the request is granted in part because a full release would not have redactions.

Tim

Dear Mr. Reynolds,

Please find attached the Final Response letter associated with the above-referenced Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request you submitted to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Information Affairs, FOIA Division. A copy of your incoming request is also attached for easy reference.

Sincerely,

[cid:image001.png@01D6FDFF.1D6E6430]
Freedom of Information Act Division
Office of Information Affairs
U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Ave. SW
Washington, DC 20250

This electronic message contains information generated by the USDA solely for the intended recipients. Any unauthorized interception of this message or the use or disclosure of the information it contains may violate the law and subject the violator to civil or criminal penalties. If you believe you have received this message in error, please notify the sender and delete the email immediately.