[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 133 (Tuesday, July 11, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42707-42709]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-17494]


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

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Food and Drug Administration

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. 00N-0504]


Egg Safety; Current Thinking Papers on Egg Safety National 
Standards; Notice of Availability; Public Meeting

[Docket No. 98-045N4]

AGENCIES: Food and Drug Administration, HHS; Food Safety and Inspection 
Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability and announcement of public meeting.

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

SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Food

[[Page 42708]]

Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) are announcing the availability of 
the agencies' current thinking papers on national standards for egg 
safety. The documents discuss approaches to the production of shell 
eggs, processing and packaging of shell eggs and egg products, and 
retail sale of shell eggs, including immediate consumption, such as at 
a restaurant, intended to reduce the risk of consumer exposure to 
Salmonella enteritidis (SE). The current thinking papers represent the 
agencies' current views on approaches to ensure egg safety from farm to 
table. FDA and FSIS are also announcing a joint public meeting to be 
held to discuss the current thinking papers.

DATES: The current thinking papers will be presented and distributed at 
a public meeting on July 31, 2000. The public meeting will be held on 
Monday, July 31, 2000, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Submit written comments no 
later than August 14, 2000.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn--Washington, DC 
on the Hill, 415 New Jersey Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20001, 202-638-
1616.
    After the meeting, the current thinking papers on egg safety 
national standards will be available on the Internet at 
www.foodsafety.gov, or from Tammy O'Conner, USDA/FSIS/OPPDE/RDAD, rm. 
112, Cotton Annex Bldg., 300 12th St. SW., Washington, DC 20250-3700, 
FAX 202-205-0381, or FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition 
Outreach and Information Center, FAX 877-366-3322.
    Transcripts and summaries of the meeting will be available at the 
Dockets Management Branch (HFA-305), FDA, 5630 Fishers Lane, rm. 1061, 
Rockville, MD 20852.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To register for the meeting:
    Sally Fernandez, FSIS, 202-501-7251 or FAX 202-501-7615. When 
registering please provide name, title, firm name, address, telephone, 
and fax number. When registering, please indicate if you would like to 
make a presentation during the meeting. Time allotted for each 
presentation will be approximately 5 minutes for each participant, but 
will depend on the number of people participating. If you require a 
sign language interpreter or other special accommodations, please 
notify Ms. Fernandez 7 days before the meeting.
    For general information regarding the meeting or the Egg Safety 
Action Plan: Nancy Bufano, FDA, 202-401-2022, FAX 202-205-4422, or e-
mail: [email protected]; Alice Thaler, FSIS, 202-690-2683, FAX 
202-720-8213; or Martha Workman, FSIS, 202-720-3219, FAX 202-690-0824.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The President's Council on Food Safety was established in August 
1998 to improve the safety of the food supply through science-based 
regulation and well-coordinated inspection, enforcement, research, and 
education programs. The Council on Food Safety was charged with 
developing a comprehensive long-range strategic plan that can be used 
to set priorities, improve coordination and efficiency, identify gaps 
in the current system, recommend ways to fill those gaps, enhance and 
strengthen prevention and intervention strategies, and identify or 
develop measures to show progress.
    The Council has identified egg safety as one component of food 
safety that warrants immediate Federal, interagency action. In July 
1999, FDA and FSIS committed to developing an action plan to address 
the presence of SE in shell eggs and egg products using a farm-to-table 
approach.
    As part of this action plan, FDA and FSIS held a public meeting on 
August 26, 1999, to obtain stakeholder input on draft goals, as well as 
to further develop objectives and action items. The Egg Safety Action 
Plan, announced by the President on December 11, 1999, was developed, 
in part, from the input received at the meeting. The Egg Safety Action 
Plan is available on the Internet at www.foodsafety.gov or from the 
general information contact persons above.
    The information shared at the public meeting and during the comment 
period following the public meeting will be considered prior to any 
further actions by the agencies. The agencies may hold additional 
public meetings, as appropriate, to discuss other issues, including 
strategies to ensure effective and efficient interactions between State 
and Federal governments.

II. Decision to Make Current Thinking Papers Available for Comment

    On March 30, 2000, and April 6, 2000, the agencies held public 
meetings in Columbus, OH, and Sacramento, CA, respectively, to solicit 
and discuss information related to the implementation of the Egg Safety 
Action Plan and to gather information for reducing or eliminating the 
risk of SE in eggs. Transcripts from both meetings are available on the 
Internet at www.foodsafety.gov or from FDA's Dockets Management Branch 
(address above), at a cost of 10 cents per page. The summaries of the 
public meetings are also available for public examination at FDA's 
Dockets Management Branch between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through 
Friday.
    Based on verbal comments received at the meetings, written comments 
received subsequent to the meetings, and the desire to promote public 
participation in the implementation of the Egg Safety Action Plan, FDA 
and FSIS decided to publish this notice of availability of the 
agencies' current thinking papers in the Federal Register.
    The current thinking papers represent the agencies' current views 
on approaches to ensure egg safety from farm to table. FDA and FSIS are 
soliciting public comment on these documents to obtain views as to 
whether the agencies are implementing the Egg Safety Action Plan in a 
way that will best achieve its public health goals.

III. Opportunity for Public Meeting

    The agenda for the public meeting will address the following 
segments of the farm-to-table egg safety continuum: (1) On-Farm 
Production, (2) Packer/Processor, and (3) Retail. The agenda will also 
provide for discussion of economics issues, as well as small business 
and consumer perspectives.
    Attendees are encouraged to present their comments, concerns, and 
recommendations on any of these topics at the public meeting. Attendees 
wishing to make a presentation must indicate such when registering.
    Individuals and organizations that do not preregister to make a 
presentation may have the opportunity to speak if time permits. A 
transcript of the proceedings of the public meeting, as well as all 
information and data submitted voluntarily to FDA and FSIS during the 
public meeting to discuss the current thinking papers, will become part 
of the administrative record and will be available to the public under 
21 CFR 20.111 from FDA's Dockets Management Branch (address above).
    While oral presentations from specific individuals and 
organizations will be limited during the public meeting, the written 
comments submitted as part of the administrative record may contain a 
discussion of any issues of concern. All relevant data and 
documentation should be submitted with the written comments.

IV. Additional Public Notification

    Public awareness of and involvement in all segments of rulemaking 
and policy development is important. Consequently, in an effort to 
better ensure that minorities, women, and persons with disabilities are 
aware of this notice, FSIS will announce the

[[Page 42709]]

notice and provide copies of this Federal Register publication in the 
FSIS Constituent Update. FSIS provides a weekly FSIS Constituent 
Update, which is communicated via fax to over 300 organizations and 
individuals. In addition, the update is available on line through the 
FSIS web page located at http://www.fsis.usda.gov. The update is used 
to provide information regarding FSIS policies, procedures, 
regulations, Federal Register notices, FSIS public meetings, recalls, 
and any other types of information that could affect or would be of 
interest to our constituents/stakeholders. The constituent fax list 
consists of industry, trade, and farm groups, consumer interest groups, 
allied health professionals, scientific professionals, and other 
individuals that have requested to be included. Through these various 
channels, FSIS is able to provide information to a much broader, more 
diverse audience. For more information and to be added to the 
constituent fax list, fax your request to the Congressional and Public 
Affairs Office at 202-720-5704.

V. Public Dockets and Submission of Comments

    The agencies have established public dockets to which comments may 
be submitted. Comments should be directed either to FSIS, Docket No. 
98-045N4, or to FDA, Docket No. 00N-0504, or to both dockets for 
consideration by both agencies. All comments must include the 
appropriate docket number found in brackets in the heading of this 
document. Submit written comments in triplicate to: (1) USDA/FSIS 
Docket Clerk, 300 12th St. SW., rm. 102, Cotton Annex, Washington, DC 
20250-3700, or (2) FDA's Dockets Management Branch (address above). You 
may also send comments to Dockets Management Branch at the following e-
mail address: [email protected] or via the FDA Internet at http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/oc/dockets/comments/commentdocket.cfm.

VI. Meeting Summary

    A summary of the proceedings of the public meeting will be posted 
on the Internet at www.foodsafety.gov. This website is a joint FDA, 
USDA, and Environmental Protection Agency food safety home page. It is 
linked to each agency for persons seeking additional food safety 
information. A summary of the proceedings of the public meeting may 
also be requested in writing from FDA's Dockets Management Branch 
(address above) approximately 30 business days after the meeting, at a 
cost of 10 cents per page. The summary of the public meeting will be 
available for public examination at FDA's Dockets Management Branch 
between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

    Dated: July 5, 2000.
Thomas J. Billy,
Administrator, Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Separtment of 
Agriculture.

William K. Hubbard,
Senior Associate Commissioner for Policy, Planning, and Legislation, 
Food and Drug Administration.
[FR Doc. 00-17494 Filed 7-10-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-01-F