[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 190 (Thursday, October 1, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 52677]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-26236]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 190 / Thursday, October 1, 1998 / 
Notices  

[[Page 52677]]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service
Agricultural Research Service


National Food Safety Research Conference

AGENCY: Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service; 
and Agricultural Research Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of National Food Safety Research Conference.

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SUMMARY: Section 615 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and 
Education Reform Act of 1998, specifies that ``the Secretary shall 
sponsor a conference to be known as the National Conference on Food 
Safety Research, for the purpose of beginning the task of 
prioritization of food safety research. The Secretary shall sponsor 
annual workshops in each of the subsequent 4 years after the conference 
so that priorities can be updated or adjusted to reflect changing food 
safety concerns.'' By this notice the Cooperative State Research, 
Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) and the Agricultural Research 
Service (ARS) announce a National Food Safety Research Conference which 
is planned to solicit comment for setting priorities of USDA food 
safety research programs. The goal of the conference will be to 
identify the gaps in the knowledge base of safe food production, 
processing, handling, storage and preparation.
    All food products which are considered to be significant sources of 
food-borne illness will be addressed at the conference--meat, poultry, 
eggs, milk, fresh fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based foods.
    The agencies seek broad input from producers, processors, food 
handlers, consumers, and regulatory agencies who are users of food 
safety research information.
    Day 1 will consist of presentations from the public research 
community profiling current food safety research programs throughout 
the pre- and post-harvest, transport, handling and storage, and retail/
consumer components of the food chain.
    Day 2 will be devoted to receiving individual commentary and input 
from stakeholders on research needs and priorities for future food 
safety research. Input is sought primarily from organizations which 
represent broad constituencies and can speak to the national 
priorities.

DATES: The meeting will be held on Thursday, November 12, and Friday, 
November 13, 1998, from 8:00 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day.

ADDRESSES: The conference will be held at the Ramada Plaza Hotel Old 
Town, 901 N. Fairfax Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Individuals or organizations who wish to make oral presentations during 
the comment session on November 13, 1998, are asked to pre-register by 
contacting Dr. Jennifer Kuzma in writing indicating the organization 
and area(s) of food safety issues which you wish to address. Please 
send your written request to Dr. Jennifer Kuzma, USDA-CSREES, STOP 
2220, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-2220, e-mail 
to [email protected], phone: 202/401-6223, or fax: 202-401-4888.
    Presentations will be arranged by food system areas, i.e., pre-
harvest, post-harvest, and transport/storage/consumer, with equal time 
for all presenters. It is anticipated that individual oral comments 
will not exceed five minutes. Written comments are welcome and should 
be sent to Dr. Kuzma at the above address either prior to the meeting 
or to be received no later than December 1, 1998.
    All persons wishing to attend are required to pre-register by 
contacting Mrs. Armindia Fleming at (202) 401-6617; fax, (202) 401-
4888; or e-mail, [email protected]. A registration fee will not be 
charged. Registration materials are available upon request. Hotel 
reservations may be made at the Ramada Plaza Hotel Old Town by calling 
(703) 683-6000. A block of rooms has been reserved under the name USDA/
CSREES/Food Safety Conference. Reservations must be made by October 11, 
1998. After that date, reservations will be accepted on an availability 
basis at the regular published rate.
    To obtain additional information, contact Dr. William Wagner, USDA-
CSREES, at the above address, or by phone on (202) 401-4952; or Dr. 
Jane Robens, USDA-ARS, BARC, Bldg. 005, Beltsville, MD 20708; phone 
(301) 504-5381; e-mail, [email protected].

    Done in Washington DC, on this 25th day of September, 1998
Colien Hefferan,
Acting Administrator, Cooperative State Research, Education, and 
Extension Service.
Floyd Horn,
Administrator, Agricultural Research Service.
[FR Doc. 98-26236 Filed 9-30-98; 8:45 am]
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