[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 63 (Tuesday, April 2, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 15525]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-7916]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. 02-003N]


Puerto Rico Conference on Animal and Egg Production Food Safety

AGENCY: Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture (USDA), is co-sponsoring, along with the Food 
and Drug Administration (FDA) and the University of Puerto Rico (UPR), 
a Conference on Animal and Egg Production Food Safety. The conference 
is to be held in San Juan, Puerto Rico on July 9-11, 2002. The 
conference grows out of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) 225-00-8002 
among FDA, FSIS, and UPR, which was signed on December 7, 2000. The MOU 
provides a framework for all parties to collaborate on mutually agreed 
upon scientific and regulatory activities that pertain to products that 
are within the jurisdiction of FDA and FSIS. These activities are 
intended to support and encourage understanding of science-based 
regulatory systems in the countries of the Americas and to lead to 
enhanced cooperation among regulatory authorities. This conference is a 
part of the Action Plan between FSIS and FDA in support of the MOU. It 
is intended to serve as a model for future conferences. This conference 
should help to establish Puerto Rico as a Food Safety Center of 
Excellence for the Caribbean, and possibly all of Latin America, in 
animal and egg production food safety.

DATES: The meeting will be held July 9-11, 2002. On July 9, the 
registration will begin at 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. On July 10-11, 2002, the 
meeting will be held 9 a.m. until 6 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Caribe Hilton San Juan 
Hotel, San Geronimo Grounds, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00901, (787) 721-
0303.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To register for the meeting, contact 
either Mary Harris, Food Safety and Inspection Service, in Washington, 
DC (202) 690-6497, fax No: (202) 690-6500, or e-mail: 
[email protected], or Dr. Edna Negron, University of Puerto 
Rico, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, (787) 265-5410, fax No. (787) 265-5410 or 
e-mail: [email protected].
    If you require a sign language interpreter or other special 
accommodations, please notify Ms. Harris at the above phone number on 
or before June 27. For technical information about the conference, 
contact Harry Walker, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Animal 
Production Food Safety Staff, FSIS (202) 720-4768 or by e-mail 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Puerto Rico Conference will review the status of food safety at 
the food animal production level, provide an update on industry quality 
assurance activities, and touch on research in support of animal 
production food safety practices. The conference will provide an 
opportunity for discussion of (1) what additional educational efforts 
are needed to improve food safety at the animal production level and 
(2) the gaps in research to address food safety at the animal 
production level. In developing the agenda, the Federal cooperators 
have been joined by industry and academia. These groups will also play 
important roles in the conference.
    Participation in the conference will be limited to available 
seating (approximately 250 people). The target audience for the 
conference includes representatives from food safety regulatory 
agencies, animal producers, animal producer organizations, 
veterinarians, animal scientists, agricultural educators, extension 
agents, researchers, consumers and others with interest in food safety.

Additional Public Notification

    Pursuant to Departmental Regulation 4300-4, ``Civil Rights Impact 
Analysis,'' dated September 22, 1993, FSIS has considered the potential 
civil rights impact of this notice on minorities, women, and persons 
with disabilities. Therefore, to better ensure that these groups and 
others are made aware of this meeting, FSIS will announce it and 
provide copies of the Federal Register publication in the FSIS 
Constituent Update.
    The Agency 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 Agency 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, the 
Agency is able to provide information with a much broader, more diverse 
audience.
    For more information and to be added to the constituent fax list, 
fax your request to the Office of Congressional and Public Affairs, at 
(202) 720-5704.

    Done at Washington, DC on: March 28, 2002.
Margaret O'K Glavin,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 02-7916 Filed 4-1-02; 8:45 am]
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