[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 155 (Friday, August 11, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 41029]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-19930]



 ========================================================================
 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
 the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
 notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
 the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
 
 ========================================================================
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 155 / Friday, August 11, 1995 / 
Proposed Rules  


[[Page 41029]]


DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

9 CFR Parts 308, 310, 318, 320, 325, 326, 327, and 381

[Docket No. 95-034N]


Pathogen Reduction; Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point 
(HACCP) Systems--Public Scoping Session for Issue-Focused Public 
Meetings on Proposed Regulation

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.


ACTION: Meeting notice; reopening of comment period.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture is holding a public scoping 
session for a series of issue-focused public meetings to be held in 
September 1995 on the FSIS proposed rule, ``Pathogen Reduction, Hazard 
Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Systems.'' The purpose of 
the scoping session is to discuss with all interested parties the 
agenda and format for the September meetings.

DATES: The scoping session will be held on August 23, 1995 from 9:00 AM 
to 4:00 PM. The scoping session will be convened by the Secretary.

    The comment period for the proposed rule, ``Pathogen Reduction; 
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Systems'' (60 FR 
6674, February 3, 1995) will reopened as of August 11, 1995, and will 
extend until 30 days following the last September meeting. FSIS will 
publish notice of the comment period closing date.

ADDRESSES: The scoping session will be held at the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, 14th and Independence Avenue, Back of the South Building 
Cafeteria (between the 2nd and 3rd Wings).

    Send an original and two copies of written comments to: FSIS Docket 
Clerk, DOCKET 93-016P, Docket Room 4352, South Agriculture Building, 
Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
Washington, DC 20250.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Charles Danner, Director, Planning 
Office, Policy Evaluation and Planning Staff, FSIS, USDA, Room 6904, 
Franklin Court, Washington, DC 20250, (202) 501-7138. If you plan to 
attend, please contact Ms. Lisa Parks at (202) 501-7138.


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: USDA will hold a public scoping session on 
August 23, 1995 at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 14th and 
Independence Avenue, Back of the South Building Cafeteria (between the 
2nd and 3rd Wings) from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM to discuss the agenda and 
format for a series of issue-focused public meetings to be held in 
September 1995 on the proposed rule, ``Pathogen Reduction; Hazard 
Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Systems'' (60 FR 6674, 
February 3, 1995).

August Public Scoping Session

    The August 23, 1995 scoping session announced in this notice will 
be convened by Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman and will begin 
with a discussion of the topics to be included on the agenda for the 
September meetings, both those tentatively identified by FSIS, and 
those suggested for inclusion by interested parties. The meeting 
participants will then consider what format would best ensure that 
these issues will be fairly, frankly, and fully explored in September. 
After the August 23 scoping session, FSIS will issue a notice 
announcing the schedule, agenda and format for the September meetings.

    Those wishing to attend the August session should contact Ms. Lisa 
Parks at (202) 501-7138. Also contact Ms. Parks if you require a sign 
language interpreter or other special accommodations. Those unable to 
attend the scoping session may submit comments or suggestions for 
planning the September meetings to FSIS no later than August 18, 1995.

Purpose and Nature of the September Meeting

    The September meetings will provide an opportunity for interested 
persons to directly discuss the key concerns that were raised during 
the comment period on the proposed rule with USDA officials and with 
one another. To comply with the Administrative Procedure Act, these 
issue-focused meetings will be open to the public and announced in 
advance in the Federal Register. The proceedings will be transcribed, 
and the transcripts will be made a part of the rulemaking record.

    These meetings will be plenary meetings, so that all interested 
parties can attend and participate in all the discussions. Interested 
parties with common concerns and positions on a particular issue are 
encouraged to designate a representative to speak for them on that 
issue. This will help foster focused, substantive dialogue on the key 
issues.

    Tentatively identified agenda items for consideration at the 
September meetings include: (1) Tthe relationship between the proposed 
HACCP system and existing regulatory requirements (the layering issue); 
(2) options to reduce the expected economic impact of the proposed rule 
on small businesses, while still achieving desired food safety goals; 
(3) the proposed interim targets for pathogen reduction and the use of 
microbial testing to verify achievement of the targets; (4) the role of 
antimicrobial treatments and other technological interventions to 
improve food safety; (5) temperature/time requirements for chilling red 
meat; and (6) FSIS oversight of HACCP.

Reopening of Comment Period

    FSIS is reopening the comment period for the proposed regulation, 
effective August 11, 1995, and extending until 30 days following the 
last September meeting, in order to include in the administrative 
record the transcript of the scoping session and the public meetings, 
written comments submitted by persons unable to attend the meetings, 
and other written comments submitted by interested parties on the 
matters addressed at the public meetings.

    Done at Washington, DC, on August 8, 1995.

Michael R. Taylor,

Acting Under Secretary for Food Safety.

[FR Doc. 95-19930 Filed 8-9-95; 9:23 am]

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