[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 240 (Wednesday, December 15, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70168-70171]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-32522]



[[Page 70167]]

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Part VI

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 Council on Food Safety; Notice of Meeting; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 64, No. 240 / Wednesday, December 15, 1999 / 
Notices  

[[Page 70168]]



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-00550B; FRL-6399-8]


President's Council on Food Safety; Notice of Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The President's Council on Food Safety was established in 
August 1998 under Executive Order 13100 to strengthen and focus our 
efforts to coordinate food safety policy and resources. The Council was 
directed to develop a comprehensive Federal food safety strategic plan. 
The purpose of the strategic plan is to reduce acute and chronic 
foodborne and waterborne illness by further enhancing the safety of the 
nation's food supply. 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 development of the strategic plan. USDA, the Food and Drug 
Administration (FDA), and EPA have established public dockets to 
receive comments about the Council's food safety strategic plan.

DATES: The meeting will be held on January 19, 2000, from 8:30 a.m. to 
5:30 p.m. Comments should be submitted by February 14, 2000.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at: The Washington Plaza Hotel, 10 
Thomas Circle, Massachusetts Avenue and 14th St., Washington, DC. 
Comments may be submitted by mail, electronically, or in person. Please 
follow the detailed instructions for each method provided in Unit I.C. 
of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. To ensure proper receipt, it is 
imperative that you identify the appropriate docket control number on 
the first page of your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To register for this meeting or for 
general information, call Ms. Ida Gambrell on (202) 501-7260. Persons 
requiring a sign language interpreter or other special accommodations 
should notify Ms. Gambrell by January 7, 2000.
    For technical information about the meeting, call Mr. Robert Tynan, 
of USDA, on (202) 205-7393 or e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. General Information

A. Does this Public Meeting Announcement Apply to Me?

    This announcement is directed to the general public. It may, 
however, be of particular interest to individuals or organizations 
concerned with public health and food safety. Specific groups that may 
want to attend include, but are not limited to: Consumers, food 
producers, processors, transporters, distributors, and retailers, food 
service providers, public health professionals, academia, and State, 
Tribal and local public health, food safety, agricultural and 
environmental agencies. Other entities or individuals may also be 
interested in attending. The agencies have not attempted to describe 
all the specific entities that may be interested in attending this 
public meeting. If you have any questions about the public meeting, 
please consult the technical person listed under ``FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT.''

B. How Can I Get Additional Information, Including Copies of this 
Document or Other Related Documents?

    1. Electronically. You may obtain electronic copies of this 
document and other related documents on the Internet at http://
www.foodsafety.gov/. This website is a joint FDA, USDA, and EPA food 
safety homepage. It is linked to each agency for persons seeking 
additional food safety information. To access this document, select 
``President's Council on Food Safety'' and under ``Public Meeting on 
January 19, 2000 in Washington, DC,'' select ``Federal Register 
Document''; this document will be the last entry under ``Federal 
Register Documents.'' You can also go directly to the Federal Register 
listing at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/.
    An expanded draft of the strategic plan, titled ``Preliminary Food 
Safety Strategic Plan for Public Review,'' will also be available prior 
to the public meeting. You may obtain this support document and other 
related documents from the Internet at http://www.foodsafety.gov/. To 
access the document, select ``President's Council on Food Safety.'' You 
can also go directly to the support document at http://www.epa.gov/
opptsfrs/home/rules.htm#docket, and scroll down to the ``National Food 
Safety Initiative.'' The draft strategic plan will be available by 
January 7, 2000.
    The public docket in its entirety is available on the Internet at: 
http://www.epa.gov/opptsfrs/home/rules.htm#docket.
    2. By mail. You may also obtain a copy of this document and the 
related draft strategic plan document by calling Ms. Gambrell at (202) 
501-7260.

C. How Can I Participate?

    1. In person. Anyone interested in food safety is encouraged to 
attend the public meeting. To register for the public meeting, call Ms. 
Gambrell at (202) 501-7260. Although registration is encouraged, walk-
ins will be accommodated to the extent space permits. Persons requiring 
a sign language interpreter or other special accommodations should 
notify Ms. Gambrell by January 7, 2000.
    2. In writing. The agencies have established public dockets for the 
President's Council on Food Safety Strategic Plan. Comments should be 
submitted by February 14, 2000. It is important that comments submitted 
to the dockets are 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 with their written comments in WordPerfect 
6.1/8.0 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
    FDA/Dockets Management Branch (HFA-305), 5630 Fishers Lane, Rm. 
1061, Rockville, MD 20852.
    3. Electronically. Comments may also be submitted electronically 
to: [email protected]. All comments and data in an electronic 
format 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.

II. Background Information

    On August 25, 1998, the President issued Executive Order 13100 
establishing the Council on Food Safety and charged it to develop a 5-
year comprehensive Federal food safety strategic plan and to make

[[Page 70169]]

recommendations to the President on how to implement the plan. A 
coordinated food safety strategic plan is needed to address some of the 
difficult public health, resource, and management questions facing 
Federal food safety agencies. The strategic plan will address a broad 
range of issues (e.g., microbial, chemical contaminants, pesticides, 
food additives, and physical hazards) 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.
    To accomplish this task, the Council established an interagency 
Strategic Planning Task Force. In developing the plan, the Task Force 
is keeping in mind the conclusions and recommendations of the National 
Academy of Sciences (NAS) report on ``Ensuring Safe Food from 
Production to Consumption'' and the Council's report to the President 
on its ``Assessment of the NAS Report: Ensuring Safe Food from 
Production to Consumption'' published in March 1999. The Task Force is 
also considering the review of Federal food safety research developed 
under the auspices of the National Science and Technology Council 
titled ``Federal Food Safety Research: Current Programs and Future 
Priorities'' which was published in July 1999.
    The food safety agencies took the first steps on the strategic plan 
by developing a draft vision statement and engaging consumers, 
producers, processors, food service providers, retailers, health 
professionals, State and local governments, Tribes, academia, and the 
public in the strategic planning process through a series of public 
meetings beginning in the fall of 1998. The purpose of those meetings 
was to obtain the public's view on a long-term vision for food safety 
in the U.S., to identify the important food safety challenges for the 
strategic plan, and to solicit public comment on the NAS report 
``Ensuring Safe Food from Production to Consumption.'' As a result of 
those public meetings, the vision statement has been revised and is 
provided below in Unit III.
    In June 1999, the Council published a set of five draft food safety 
goals and accompanying objectives as a framework for the food safety 
strategic plan. Comment on those draft goals and objectives as well as 
suggestions for additional specific action items was solicited at a 
public meeting on July 15, 1999, in Washington, DC, at stakeholder 
meetings that took place in conjunction with scientific or professional 
conferences in the last few months, and through written comments to the 
dockets.
    Based on the many thoughtful and constructive comments received in 
writing and the excellent, active participation both at the July public 
meeting and at the meetings during scientific and professional 
conferences, major changes have been made to the framework and content 
of the strategic plan. The Council wants to engage all interested 
stakeholders in a further discussion about the draft goals, objectives, 
and action items for the U.S. food safety system as well as whether 
organizational or other changes would facilitate achievement of the 
goals.

III. Public Meeting and Request for Comment

A. Public Meeting Information

    The public meeting is scheduled for January 19, 2000, from 8:30 
a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at The Washington Plaza Hotel in Washington, DC. The 
purpose of the meeting is to obtain the public's input on the strategic 
plan goals, objectives, and example action items, and to solicit 
suggestions for additional action items to be included in the plan. The 
Task Force is also interested in comments on the priorities, ways to 
measure progress, and mechanisms for successful implementation of the 
plan.
    The meeting is intended to be a working meeting. It will be divided 
into four parts, one dealing with the proposed strategic plan 
framework, and one on each of the plan's three goals. The sessions will 
be interactive and focused around the questions provided below. 
Participants will be invited to raise concerns, present points of view 
and ask questions; members of the Council's Strategic Planning Task 
Force will respond and share their opinions, as appropriate. While 
consensus may emerge on certain points, the purpose of the meeting is 
to provide the government with a range of input relevant to the 
development of the strategic plan. Participants are strongly encouraged 
to read both this document and the related support document 
``Preliminary Food Safety Strategic Plan for Public Review'' (available 
as provided in Unit I.B.) prior to the meeting.
    A transcript of the public meeting will be posted on the Internet 
at: www.foodsafety.gov/. The transcripts may also be requested in 
writing from the Dockets Management Branch (HFA-305), FDA, 5630 Fishers 
Lane, Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852, approximately 15 business days 
after the meeting at a cost of 10 cents per page. The transcript of the 
public meeting will also be available for public examination at the 
above-mentioned office between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, excluding legal holidays.

B. Draft Food Safety Strategic Plan for Discussion

    Although the United States has one of the safest food supplies in 
the world, recent estimates of foodborne illness and hazards indicate 
that opportunities for further improvement exist. Accordingly, the 
Council is developing a strategy to protect public health by 
significantly reducing the number of foodborne illnesses and hazards. 
Such a strategy would aim to establish priorities on the basis of risk 
and to create an integrated, seamless food safety system that speaks 
with one voice. To define and develop focused, risk-based actions to 
achieve the overarching goal, the Council has developed a plan with 
three broad and complementary goals: Science and Risk Assessment; Risk 
Management; and Risk Communication. For each goal, major objectives to 
be addressed, along with some specific action items, have been 
developed. As a part of this process, the Council is also examining 
whether organizational, statutory, or other changes to the Federal food 
safety system will facilitate achievement of public health and food 
safety goals.
    While separated for presentation purposes within the draft plan, it 
is essential to recognize the interdependent nature of the goals, 
objectives, and actions. To assure a safe food supply and protect 
public health, microbiological, chemical, and other public health risks 
posed by food must be identified and characterized with confidence. 
Such risks also must be assessed, prioritized, and addressed through 
effective science-based risk management and communication strategies. 
In particular, accurate and timely information must be communicated to 
the public.
    The following synopsis outlines the strategic plan vision 
statement, the draft overarching goal and three supporting sub-goals, 
provides a listing of certain objectives and illustrative action items, 
and provides an overview of the initial effort to examine potential 
organizational options. This synopsis is intended to provide examples 
of the types of objectives and actions that will be included in the 
strategic plan document, and to stimulate thinking

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and public comment about the essential components of an effective food 
safety strategy. The public meeting and the documents provided are 
intended to focus the discussion on important food safety issues and 
their solutions. An expanded draft of the plan will be available in 
January for review prior to the public meeting (see Unit I.B.); 
participants in the public meeting and commenters are strongly 
encouraged to read both this document and the preliminary strategic 
plan before attending the public meeting or commenting.
    Following the public review and comment process, the strategic plan 
will be refined. The final plan will include evaluation strategies to 
determine whether public health goals are met, and whether mid-course 
corrections to the plan are needed. Mechanisms for measuring progress 
and public health impact of the strategic plan will be developed in 
each goal area. The plan will also include an examination of whether 
organizational, statutory, or other changes can contribute to 
implementation of the plan and achievement of the goals.
    1. Vision, goals, objectives and action items.
            Vision Statement

    Consumers can be confident that food is safe. We protect public 
health through a seamless food safety system that uses farm-to-table 
preventive strategies and integrates research, surveillance, 
inspection, enforcement, and education. We use science- and risk-
based approaches and work with public and private partners. We are 
vigilant to new and emergent threats and consider the needs of 
vulnerable populations. Food is safe because everyone understands 
and fulfills their responsibilities.

            Overarching Goal
    To protect public health by significantly reducing the number of 
foodborne illnesses and hazards through science-based and 
coordinated regulation, inspection, enforcement, research, and 
education programs.

Sound Science and Risk Assessment Goal: The United States food safety 
system is based on sound science and risk assessment.
Draft objectives: The Sound Science and Risk Assessment Goal includes, 
but might not be limited to, the following objectives.
     Develop and implement a unified, risk-based problem-
solving research agenda.
     Identify emerging and potential high-risk food safety 
threats.
     Strengthen the scientific basis for food safety policies 
and regulatory decisions through rigorous assessments of risk.
     Enhance scientific infrastructure and skills at Federal, 
state, and local levels.
Possible action items: Examples of action items to achieve the above 
objectives include the following.
     Use risk assessment techniques to identify priorities for 
the research agenda.
     Support the development of rapid tests for pathogenic 
microorganisms and chemical agents in food and clinical specimens.
     Establish a national network of scientific experts that 
can be mobilized when a new food safety concern is identified.
     Establish extramural Centers of Excellence to conduct 
targeted research and develop training programs linked to food safety 
and public health.
Risk Management Goal: The United States system for managing food safety 
is effective from farm-to-table.
Draft objectives: The Risk Management Goal includes, but might not be 
limited to, the following objectives.
     Establish national risk-based standards to control food 
safety risks.
     Develop and promote preventive techniques and controls 
based on national standards, and require implementation where 
appropriate.
     Use non-regulatory approaches for improving food safety.
     Detect food safety risks and violations of food safety 
standards through monitoring, inspections, and comprehensive surveys.
     Protect the food supply through consistent enforcement of 
food safety laws.
     Expand and enhance effective surveillance of illness and 
other health effects resulting from food safety hazards.
     Respond rapidly and effectively to food safety 
emergencies.
     Implement food safety activities effectively in 
partnership with state and local governments.
     Implement a strategy to ensure the safety of imported 
food.
Possible action items: Illustrative action items for the above Risk 
Management objectives are provided below.
     Develop and use incentive programs to improve food safety 
(e.g., preferential entry into Federal programs, such as the school 
lunch program).
     Upgrade the ability at all levels (Federal, state and 
local) to conduct public health surveillance, laboratory diagnostics, 
and emergency response.
     Expand capacity to monitor and inspect for pesticides and 
other chemical contaminants in food at critical points to decrease food 
safety risks.
     Improve and expand risk-based port-of-entry inspection 
that focuses on chemical, microbial, and physical hazards and labeling 
issues that promote public health.
     Identify state and local standards and regulations that 
should be applied within national standards.
     Strengthen surveillance of foodborne illness and hazards 
to prevent outbreaks.
     Expedite review for new technologies that decrease human 
pathogens that are present in food.
     Encourage development and expedite licensing of new 
technologies and safer pesticide products.
     Promote additional voluntary ``best practices'' and 
quality assurance programs to reduce risk of illness.
     Develop a network of animal diagnostic laboratories to 
enhance systematic monitoring in animal feeds and feedstuffs for 
microbial, chemical, and other hazards that pose a food safety risk.
Risk Communication Goal: The United States food safety system openly 
and effectively provides information on food safety risks, and 
education on how to control those risks.
Draft objectives: The Risk Communication Goal includes, but is not 
necessary limited to, the following objectives.
     Sustain public confidence through effective, open and 
timely information exchange regarding food safety risks and prevention 
strategies.
     Establish active outreach strategies to provide rapid 
public access to information about food safety emergencies.
     Develop and apply state-of-the-art science-based education 
and training programs for all along the farm-to-table chain, focused on 
actions to reduce foodborne illness and hazards.
Possible action items: Illustrative action items for the above Risk 
Communication objectives are provided below.
     Create a state-of-the-art national information network 
that links Federal food safety agencies (USDA, HHS, and EPA) with state 
and local public health, food safety, agricultural, and environmental 
agencies.
     Develop consistent and coordinated food safety messages 
and programs.
     Establish opportunities for public/private partnerships to 
promote effective communication about food safety risks.
     Launch a national public information/education campaign to 
widely disseminate food safety messages in multiple formats and 
languages.
    2. Strategic plan implementation. As indicated in the President's 
Council on

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Food Safety ``Assessment of the NAS Report: Ensuring Safe Food from 
Production to Consumption,'' the Council, as part of the strategic plan 
process, is conducting a thorough review of existing statutes to 
determine what can be accomplished with existing regulatory flexibility 
and what improvements will require statutory changes. The Council also 
is conducting an assessment of structural and organizational options 
and other mechanisms that could strengthen the Federal food safety 
system, keeping in mind that the primary goal is food safety and public 
health.
    In this connection, the Strategic Planning Task Force is 
considering whether organizational or other changes would strengthen 
the current food safety system and facilitate the achievement of the 
public health and food safety goals of the strategic plan. 
Organizational changes under review include strengthening coordination 
and leadership; streamlining and/or consolidating specific Federal food 
safety functions; consolidating responsibilities and the structure of 
current agencies; and establishing a new, stand-alone consolidated food 
safety agency. Criteria for evaluating each of these options include 
the potential to improve public health and food safety, and to 
facilitate effectiveness, efficiency, comprehensiveness, public 
confidence, and the science-base for the food safety system. Options 
also will be assessed for their potential to contribute to achieving 
the overarching and three specific strategic plan goals.
    For further information, the reader is encouraged to review the 
organizational analysis section in the support document which will be 
available as described in Unit I.B.

C. Questions/Issues for Discussion

    The agencies are particularly interested in comments on the 
following issues related to the strategic plan. These questions will be 
the starting point for discussion at the public meeting sessions on the 
overall framework for the plan, and on the three goals.
General/Cross-cutting Question:
    1. Is the overarching goal and overall framework of the plan well-
focused and comprehensive? What modifications would you suggest? What 
issue or concern would your modification address?
Questions to be Posed for Each Goal:
    1. What additional objectives or specific action steps would 
improve the plan? What issue or concern would these address?
    2. What objectives and action items should be given priority? Why?
    3. What is your expectation of success? How do we measure success 
of the plan?
    4. Are there organizational, statutory, or other changes that you 
suggest we consider to achieve this goal? How would these changes 
promote public health and food safety? What barriers would need to be 
addressed?

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Food safety.

    Dated: December 8, 1999.
Catherine E. Woteki,
Under Secretary for Food Safety, United States Department of 
Agriculture.

    Dated: December 8, 1999.
Jane E. Henney,
Commissioner of Food and Drugs, Department of Health and Human 
Services.

    Dated: December 7, 1999.
Martha Katz,
Deputy Director for Policy and Legislation, Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services.

    Dated: December 8, 1999.
Susan H. Wayland,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic 
Substances, Environmental Protection Agency.

[FR Doc. 99-32522 Filed 12-14-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F