[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 133 (Monday, July 13, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 37513]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-18464]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. 98-036N]


National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection; 
Public Meeting

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing 
that the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection 
will conduct a public meeting by audio teleconference to consider a 
proposed public notice on the Agency's protocol for experimentation 
with the point and frequency of inspection verification of the zero 
tolerance standard in Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point 
(HACCP) establishments that slaughter livestock. FSIS is seeking advice 
and comment from the Committee.

DATES: The audio teleconference will be held on July 29, 1998, from 
1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: Members of the public may attend the teleconference in Room 
0745 in the South Agriculture Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, 
Washington DC. People should enter the building at Wing 4 on 
Independence Avenue. Seating in Room 0745 South is limited, and seating 
will be available on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 
12:30 p.m. Please send written comments on the discussion topic to the 
FSIS Docket Clerk, Docket No. 98-036N, Room 102, Cotton Annex Building, 
300 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20250-3700. The comments and 
official transcript of the teleconference will be kept in the Docket 
Clerk's office.

TELEPHONE LINES: Teleconference lines are limited. Please call Mr. 
Michael Micchelli at (202) 720-6269 if you are interested in 
participating in the call to obtain the dial-in number.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Persons planning to attend the 
teleconference in person will be required to register at the meeting. 
No pre-registration is required. For further information, contact Mr. 
Micchelli at the number above, by FAX at (202) 690-1030 or E-mail to 
Michael.M[email protected]. Copies of the draft proposed notice under 
discussion are available on the FSIS Homepage at http://www.usda.gov/
agency/fsis/homepage.htm. The draft proposed notice is also available 
by FAST FAX, FSIS' automated FAX retrieval system, at 1-800-238-8281 or 
(202) 690-3754 (the reference number for the FAST FAX system is 4000) 
or from the FSIS Docket Clerk, Room 102, Cotton Annex Building, 300 
12th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20250-3700, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 
p.m., Monday through Friday, telephone (202) 720-3813.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    On February 12, 1997, the Secretary of Agriculture renewed the 
charter for the Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection. The 
Committee provides advice and recommendation to the Secretary on 
Federal and State meat and poultry programs pursuant to sections 7(c), 
24, 205, 301(c) of the Federal Meat Inspection Act and sections 
5(a)(3), 5(c), 8(b), and 11(e) of the Poultry Products Inspection Act. 
The FSIS Administrator is the Committee Chair. Committee membership is 
drawn from representatives of consumer groups, producers, processors, 
and marketers from the meat and poultry industry and State government 
officials.
    The current members of the Committee are:

Dr. Deloran M. Allen, Excel Corporation
Dr. William L. Brown, ABC Research Corporation
Terry Burkhardt, Wisconsin Bureau of Meat Safety and Inspection
Caroline Smith-DeWaal, Center for Science in the Public Interest
Nancy Donley, Safe Tables Our Priority
Michael J. Gregory, Tyson's Foods Inc.
Dr. Cheryl Hall, Zacky Farms, Inc.
Dr. Margaret Hardin, National Pork Producers
Alan Janzen, Circle Five Feedyards, Inc.
Dr. Daniel E. LaFontaine, South Carolina Meat-Poultry Inspection 
Department
Dr. Dale Morse, New York Office of Public Health
Rosemary Mucklow, National Meat Association
William Rosser, Texas Department of Public Health
J. Myron Stolzfus, Stolzfus Meats
Dr. David M. Theno, Jr., Foodmaker Inc.

    The Committee deliberates on specific issues and makes 
recommendations to the whole Committee and the Secretary of 
Agriculture. The principal topic that the Committee will consider at 
the meeting is the point and frequency of inspection verification for 
the zero tolerance standard in HACCP establishments that slaughter 
livestock. FSIS plans to publish a notice announcing experimentation 
that may lead to new procedures for FSIS verification of the zero 
tolerance standard for visible fecal matter and ingesta on livestock 
carcasses. Interested persons will have an opportunity to discuss 
issues relating to the activities of the committee and may file 
comments as discussed above in ADDRESSES.

    Done in Washington, DC, on: July 5, 1998.
Thomas J. Billy,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 98-18464 Filed 7-10-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P