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(a) The notice to the applicant of opportunity for a hearing on a proposal by the Commissioner of Food and Drugs (the Commissioner) to refuse to approve a medicated feed mill license application or to revoke the approval of a medicated feed mill license will specify the grounds upon which the Commissioner proposes to issue this order. On request of the applicant, the Commissioner will explain the reasons for the action. The notice of opportunity for a hearing will be published in the Federal Register and will specify that the applicant has 30 days after issuance of the notice within which the Commissioner is required to file a written appearance electing whether:
(1) To avail himself of the opportunity for a hearing; or
(2) Not to avail himself of the opportunity for a hearing.
(b) If the applicant fails to file a written appearance in answer to the notice of opportunity for hearing, this failure will be construed as an election not to avail himself of the opportunity for the hearing, and the Commissioner without further notice may enter a final order.
(c) If the applicant elects to avail himself of the opportunity for a hearing, the applicant is required to file a written appearance requesting the hearing within 30 days after the publication of the notice, giving the reason why the application should not be refused or the medicated feed mill license should not be revoked, together with a well-organized and full-factual analysis of the information the applicant is prepared to prove in support of his opposition to the Commissioner's proposal. A request for a hearing may not rest upon mere allegations or denials, but must set forth specific facts showing there is a genuine and substantial issue of fact that requires a hearing. When it clearly appears from the information in the application and from the reasons and factual analysis in the request for the hearing that no genuine and substantial issue of fact precludes the refusal to approve the application or the revocation of approval of the application, the Commissioner will enter an order on this information, stating his/her findings and conclusions. If a hearing is requested and is justified by the applicant's response to the notice of opportunity for a hearing, the issues will be defined, an Administrative Law Judge will be named, and the Judge shall issue a written notice of the time and place at which the hearing will commence. In the case of denial of approval, such time shall be not more than 90 days after the expiration of such 30 days unless the Administrative Law Judge and the applicant otherwise agree; and, in the case of withdrawal of approval, such time shall be as soon as practicable.
(d) The hearing will be open to the public; however, if the Commissioner finds that portions of the application which serve as a basis for the hearing contain information concerning a method or process entitled to protection as a trade secret, the part of the hearing involving such portions will not be public, unless the respondent so specifies in the appearance.
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