[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 166 (Thursday, August 27, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45922-45923]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-22802]



[[Page 45921]]

_______________________________________________________________________

Part III

Department of Agriculture
Food Safety and Inspection Service

Department of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Food and Drug Administration

Environmental Protection Agency
_______________________________________________________________________



President's National Food Safety Initiative; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 166 / Thursday, August 27, 1998 / 
Notices  

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. 98-045N]

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Food and Drug Administration

[Docket No. 97N-0074]

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[Docket No. OPP-00550; FRL-6019-9]


President's National Food Safety Initiative

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA; Research, Education, 
and Economics, USDA; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HHS; 
Food and Drug Administration, HHS; Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice: public meeting; establishment of public dockets.

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SUMMARY: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the 
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) are announcing a public meeting to discuss and 
begin development of a comprehensive strategic Federal food safety 
plan. The purpose of the strategic plan is to reduce the annual 
incidence of acute and chronic foodborne and waterborne illness by 
further enhancing the safety of the nation's food supply. USDA, the 
Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and EPA are also establishing 
public dockets to receive comments about the Food Safety Initiative's 
strategic planning process and the plan.

DATES: The meeting will be held on October 2, 1998, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 
p.m. Comments should be submitted by November 25, 1998.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at: National Rural Electric 
Cooperative Association, 4301 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA.

    For instructions on the submission of written and electronic 
comments, refer to Unit II. of this document.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To register for the meeting, contact 
Ms. Traci Phebus, of USDA, at (202) 501-7136, fax: (202) 501-7642, e-
mail: [email protected]. Participants may reserve time for 
public comments when they register. Space will be allocated on a first 
come, first served basis. Participants are encouraged to submit a disk 
along with their written statements in Wordperfect 5.1/6.1 or ASCII 
file format.
    Questions regarding general arrangements and logistical matters 
should be addressed to Ms. Torrie Mattes. Additionally, participants 
who require a sign language interpreter or other special accommodations 
should contact Ms. Torrie Mattes, of USDA, no later than 10 days prior 
to the meeting, at (202) 501-7136, fax: (202) 501-7642, e-mail: 
T.M[email protected].
    For questions about the meeting or to obtain copies of the report, 
``Food Safety From Farm to Table: A National Food Safety Initiative,'' 
contact Ms. Karen Carson, of FDA, at (202) 205-5140, fax: (202) 205-
5025, e-mail: [email protected]. Copies of the report also are 
available from the following web sites:
    FDA at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/dms/fsreport.html
    CDC at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/foodsafe/report.htm
    EPA at http://www.epa.gov/opptsfrs/home/nfssuppt.htm
    Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) at http://
www.fsis.usda.gov
    Information about the National Academy of Sciences' report on 
``Ensuring Safe Food from Production to Consumption'' can be found at 
the following web site: http://www.nas.edu.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    On January 25, 1997, the President issued a directive to the 
Secretaries of USDA and HHS and the Administrator of EPA to work with 
consumers, producers, industry, States, Tribes, universities, and the 
public to identify ways to further improve the safety of our food 
supply, and to report back to him in 90 days. The Federal food safety 
agencies, working with their colleagues in the States, in the food 
industries, in academia, and with consumers, initially focused on the 
goal of reducing illness caused by microbial contamination of food and 
water. This goal was to be reached through systematic improvements in 
six key components of the food safety system: foodborne outbreak 
response coordination, surveillance, inspections, research, risk 
assessment, and education. The plan for meeting this goal was presented 
to the President in May 1997, in ``Food Safety From Farm to Table: A 
National Food Safety Initiative.'' In October 1997, the President 
issued an additional directive to ensure the safety of domestic and 
imported fresh produce and other imported foods. This second directive 
was incorporated into the National Food Safety Initiative (NFSI).
    In less than 2 years, the agencies have taken significant strides 
forward in building a strengthened national food safety system. 
Building blocks for the infrastructure are in place: increased and 
targeted surveillance through FoodNet and PulseNet; coordination of 
Federal, State and local responses to outbreaks by the Foodborne 
Outbreak Response Coordinating Group (FORCG); expanded reliance on 
preventive controls (such as the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control 
Points (HACCP) based inspection systems for meat, poultry and seafood, 
and Good Agricultural and Good Manufacturing Practices guidance for 
produce); coordination of Federal food safety research; cooperation on 
risk assessment through the interagency Risk Assessment Consortium; 
leveraging inspection resources; and innovative public/private 
education partnerships. These efforts provide a common ground for 
moving forward.
    In the May 1997 report, the food safety agencies made a commitment 
to prepare a 5-year comprehensive strategic plan, with the 
participation of all concerned parties. The President recently issued 
an Executive Order establishing a President's Food Safety Council which 
will now be responsible for development of a comprehensive strategic 
Federal food safety plan. A coordinated food safety strategic planning 
effort is needed to build on the common ground, and to tackle some of 
the difficult public health, resource, and management questions facing 
Federal food safety agencies. The strategic plan will focus on not just 
microbial contamination, but the full range of issues and actions 
necessary to ensure the safety of the food and water Americans use and 
consume. The charge is to develop a strategic long-range plan that can 
be used to help set priorities, improve coordination and efficiency, 
identify gaps in the current system and how to fill those gaps, enhance 
and strengthen prevention and intervention strategies, and identify 
measures to show progress. In developing the plan, the agencies will 
consider the conclusions and recommendations of the National Academy of 
Sciences' report on ``Ensuring Safe Food from Production to 
Consumption'' and the review of Federal food safety research and the 
research plan currently being developed by an interagency working group 
under the auspices of the National Science and Technology Council.
    The food safety agencies have already taken the first steps to lay 
the

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groundwork for development of the strategic plan, which the Council 
will now develop, by participating in interagency strategic planning 
sessions. The result is the following draft statement encompassing the 
agencies' vision for the U.S. food safety system and the roles of all 
those involved in food safety.

    Consumers can be confident that food is safe, healthy, and 
affordable. We work within a seamless food safety system that uses 
farm-to-table preventive strategies and integrated research, 
surveillance, inspection, and enforcement. We are vigilant to new 
and emergent threats and consider the needs of vulnerable 
populations. We use science- and risk-based approaches along with 
public/private partnerships. Food is safe because everyone 
understands and accepts their responsibilities.

    The next step is to engage consumers, producers, industry, food 
service providers, retailers, health professionals, State and local 
governments, Tribes, academia, and the public in the strategic planning 
process, beginning with a discussion of the draft vision statement and 
how to structure a strategic planning process that involves all 
interested parties and best addresses the important food safety 
challenges and makes the best use of the agencies' limited resources. 
This October 2nd meeting is the first of several public meetings to 
assist with development of a long-term strategic plan. Additional 
public meetings will be announced in the Federal Register prior to the 
date of each meeting.
    The purpose of the October 2nd meeting is to obtain the public's 
view on a long-term vision for food safety in the U.S. and to identify 
a strategic planning process, goals, and critical steps as well as 
potential barriers to achieving that vision. The Council is interested 
in comments on the draft vision statement and suggestions for goals and 
how they might be achieved. Some questions to help frame the discussion 
follow.
    1. Does the vision statement accurately depict an achievable food 
safety system vision? What modifications, if any, would you make?
    2. What are the barriers to pursuing this vision? What gaps 
currently exist in the food safety system that impede achievement of 
this vision?
    3. To make the vision a reality, what changes are needed for: (a) 
government agencies at the Federal, State, and local level; (b) 
industry; (c) public health professionals; (d) consumers; and (e) 
others?
    4. What should be the short-term goals and critical steps to 
realize this vision? What should be the long-term goals and steps?
    5. What is the best way to involve the public in development of a 
long-term food safety strategic plan? What additional steps besides 
public meetings would be beneficial?

II. Public Dockets and Submission of Comments

    The agencies are announcing the establishment of public dockets 
about the Food Safety Initiative Strategic Plan. Comments submitted to 
the dockets are to be identified with the appropriate docket number. 
For those comments directed to USDA, use Docket No. 98-045N, and for 
comments directed to FDA, use Docket No. 97N-0074. Commenters are 
encouraged to submit a disk along with their written comments in 
Wordperfect 5.1/6.1 or ASCII file format. Submit written comments (in 
triplicate) to:
USDA/FSIS
    USDA/FSIS Hearing Clerk, 300 12th St., SW., Rm. 102 Cotton Annex, 
Washington, DC 20250-3700
FDA
    Dockets Management Branch (HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration, 
12420 Parklawn Drive, Rm. 1-23, Rockville, MD 20857
Electronic Comments
    Comments may also be submitted electronically to: 
[email protected]. All comments and data in electronic form must 
be identified by the docket number ``OPP-00550.'' Electronic comments 
must be submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the use of special 
characters and any form of encryption.
Transcripts
    Transcripts of the public meetings may be requested in writing from 
the Freedom of Information Office (HFI-35), Food and Drug 
Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rm. 12A-16, Rockville, MD 20857, 
approximately 15 working days after the meeting at a cost of 10 cents 
per page. The transcripts of the public meetings will be available for 
public examination at the FDA Dockets Management Branch (address above) 
between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal 
holidays. Transcripts of the meetings will also be available on the 
internet at: http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/default.htm and http://
www.epa.gov/opptsfrs/home/nfssuppt.htm.
Electronic Docket
    The public docket in its entirety will be available on the internet 
at: http://www.epa.gov/opptsfrs/home/rules.htm#docket.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Food safety.

    Dated: August 20, 1998.
Catherine E. Woteki,
Undersecretary for Food Safety, United States Department of 
Agriculture.

    Dated: August 20, 1998.
James A. O'Hara,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health, Department of Health and Human 
Services.

    Dated: August 20, 1998.
Lynn R. Goldman,
Assistant Administrator for Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic 
Substances, Environmental Protection Agency.

[FR Doc. 98-22802 Filed 8-25-98; 11:18 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F