[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 153 (Monday, August 10, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42609-42610]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-21281]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. 98-029N]


Availability of Report of the Recall Policy Working Group

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Meeting Notice; Request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is making 
available for public comment a report entitled ``Improving Recalls at 
the Food Safety and Inspection Service.'' Recalls are initiated by a 
firm, either on its own or at the request of FSIS, to remove from 
commerce any meat, poultry, or egg product that there is reason to 
believe is adulterated or misbranded. The report, which was prepared by 
an FSIS Working Group, assesses the Agency's recall policy and 
procedures for before, during, and after a recall is initiated and 
provides concrete, practical recommendations for improving the Agency's 
recall process within FSIS' current statutory authority. FSIS also is 
holding a public meeting to discuss the report and the comments from 
the public about the Agency's recall policy.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before October 9, 1998.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on 
October 5 at the Doubletree Hotel Park Terrace, 1515 Rhode Island 
Avenue, Washington, DC 20005 A block of rooms will be held under USDA/
FSIS until September 5, 1998. Please call the hotel directly at 800-
222-TREE to make a reservation. To register for the meeting, contact 
Ms. Mary Gioglio by telephone at (202) 501-7244 or (202) 501-7138 or by 
FAX at (202) 501-7642. If a sign language interpreter or other special 
accommodation is necessary, contact Ms. Gioglio at the above numbers by 
September 30, 1998.
    Single copies of the report of the Recall Policy Working group are 
available from the FSIS Docket Clerk in the FSIS Docket Room, Room 102, 
Cotton Annex, 300 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20250-3700, between 
8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Persons also may 
request the report by writing to the above address or calling the 
Docket Room at (202) 720-3813 during the designated hours.
    Submit one original and two copies of written comments on the 
report to the FSIS Docket Clerk, Docket #98-029N, at the above address. 
All comments received in response to this notice will be considered 
part of the public record will be available for viewing in the Docket 
Room between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. Philip S. Derfler, Associate Deputy Administrator, Office of 
Policy, Program Development, and Evaluation, at (202) 720-2710 or FAX 
(202) 720-2025.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: During 1997, industry initiated several 
major Class I recalls at FSIS' request, one of which involved more than 
25 million pounds of ground beef believed to be contaminated with E. 
coli 0157:H7. As a result of these recalls, concerns were raised about 
the Agency's policy regarding recalls, the process for identifying 
affected product, industry's recordkeeping practices, and public and 
interagency notification problems. On September 24, 1997, FSIS held a 
public meeting on its recall policy and procedures to determine whether 
changes are needed. Approximately 30 people make oral presentations at 
the meeting, and the Agency received a small number of written comments 
after the meeting.
    In November 1997, FSIS created a Working Group to assess its 
current recall policies and practices, to consider the oral and written 
comments that the Agency had received, and to develop a set of 
recommendations on how recalls should be accomplished. The Working 
Group focused on three major topics: how FSIS administers recalls; how 
FSIS communicates with consumers, industry, and other Federal and State 
agencies about recalls; and how FSIS should proceed after the recalled 
product is removed from commerce. Based on a comprehensive review of 
the issues, the Working Group has determined that the Agency's recall 
policy and procedures are basically sound, but that improvements can be 
made to make them more consistent with the Pathogen Reduction/Hazard 
Analysis Critical Control Point approach to inspection. The Working 
Group has submitted its report to the FSIS Administrator.
    On May 13 and 14, 1998, FSIS presented a draft of the Working 
Group's report to the Meat and Poultry Inspection Advisory Committee 
for comments and suggestions. Generally, the Committee strongly 
endorsed the report, although at least one Committee member dissented.
    As a result of the Committee's discussion and deliberations, the 
Working Group has made a small number of changes to the report to 
clarify the group's recommendations. In

[[Page 42610]]

addition, FSIS is requesting comment on a number of issues that were 
highlighted in the Advisory Committee's discussions:
    1. How can FSIS or the affected plant best communicate with the 
consumer when it is necessary to do so? Is the press release the most 
effective means? When is a press release appropriate? The Agency 
requests comments on these issues from communications experts, from 
agencies that have been involved in recalls, and from all other 
interested parties.
    2. How can FSIS ensure that when it sends notification of a recall 
to State agencies that that notification is sent to the appropriate 
agencies and reaches the appropriate person within those agencies?
    3. At what point should the Agency consider a recall to be closed? 
Should FSIS keep the recall open if there is an ongoing criminal 
investigation of the event out of which the recall arose?
    4. Should the Agency issue public information on proper cooking of 
meat, poultry, or egg products whenever there is a recall that involves 
one of these types of products that has been contaminated with a 
pathogen, even if the Agency's public notification policy does not call 
for a news release about the recall?
    5. What should be the role of Agency compliance officers in a 
recall? The Working Group's report calls for their role to be expanded. 
Is this appropriate?
    The Agency will review the report in conjunction with the public 
comments that it receives, further consideration within the Agency and 
discussion with other agencies, as well as with the comments of the 
members of the Advisory Committee. Based on its review, the Agency will 
formulate a set of actions that it considers appropriate to take in 
response to the report. The Agency will submit its plans to the 
Secretary of Agriculture for concurrence. Once it arrives at a course 
of action, FSIS intends to announce its plans in the Federal Register.

    Done at Washington, DC, on August 4, 1998.
Thomas J. Billy,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 98-21281 Filed 8-7-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-M