[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 236 (Monday, December 9, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72900-72901]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-31008]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. 02-045N]


Improving the Recall Process

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing 
that it will hold a one day technical conference on December 12, 2002, 
on Improving the Recall Process. There will be a series of discussions 
of issues related to this topic.

DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for Thursday, December 12, 2002. 
The meeting will be held from 8 a.m. to approximately 5 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at the Washington Plaza 
Hotel, 10 Thomas Circle, NW., Washington, DC 20005. The 
telephone number is 202-842-1300.
    A tentative agenda is available in the FSIS Docket Room and on the 
FSIS Web site at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.fsis.usda.gov. FSIS welcomes comments on the topics to be discussed 
at the public meeting. Please send an original and two copies of 
comments to the FSIS Docket Room, Docket 02-045N, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Room 102 Cotton Annex, 
300 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20250-3700. All comments and the 
official transcript of the meeting, when they become available, will be 
kept in the FSIS Docket Room at the address provided above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Moshe Dreyfuss at (202) 205-0260. 
Registration for the meeting will be on-site. No prior registration 
will be accepted. Persons requiring a sign Language interpreter or 
other special accommodations should notify Ms. Mary Harris as soon as 
possible at (202) 690-6498.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    FSIS administers the Federal Meat Inspection Act, the Poultry 
Products Inspection Act, and the Egg Products

[[Page 72901]]

Inspection Act. The Agency's activities are intended to prevent the 
distribution in domestic and foreign commerce, as human food, of 
unwholesome, adulterated, or misbranded meat, poultry, and egg 
products, including products that may transmit diseases or that may be 
otherwise injurious to health.
    In January 2000, the Agency issued its latest revision of the 
recall procedures, FSIS Directive 8080.1, rev. 3. This revised 
directive was an improved recall procedure designed to inform meat and 
poultry producers of the need for swift action to prevent contaminated 
or adulterated meat or poultry from reaching the public. It includes 
methods for recovering those products and procedures for public 
notification.
    While this process has functioned well, in recent months there have 
been questions raised on the efficiency and effectiveness of the recall 
process in light of several large recalls. Therefore, to address these 
concerns and to solicit possible means of improving the recall system, 
FSIS is holding this public meeting.

Public Meeting

    At the meeting, the Agency will describe and invite discussion and 
comments on FSIS's recall authority, how FSIS approaches recalls, and 
how FSIS works with states on recalls. Also, presentations are expected 
to be made on approaches to recalls by industry and by other agencies.
    The Agency will host three panel discussions to solicit ideas and 
proposals for making the recall process more effective. The discussions 
will cover the implications of mandatory recall authority, when public 
notification is needed, whether the Agency should approach 
establishment-initiated recalls differently from Agency-initiated 
recalls, and whether product should be withheld from commerce until 
sample results are received. The Agency intends to seek information 
from academia, industry sources, and consumers on ways to improve the 
recall process with a particular emphasis on improving public health 
and to provide a forum for discussion on how best to handle them. The 
Agency will open the discussion to include, and solicit comment from, 
the attendees.

Additional Public Notification

    Public awareness of 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 it and make copies of this Federal Register 
publication available through the FSIS Constituent Update. FSIS 
provides a weekly Constituent Update, which is communicated via 
Listserv, a free e-mail Subscription service. In addition, 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 Listserv 
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 the Listserv 
and Web page, FSIS is able to provide information to a much broader, 
more diverse audience.
    For more information contact the Congressional and Public Affairs 
Office, at (202) 720-9113. To be added to the free e-mail subscription 
service (Listserv) go to the ``Constituent Update'' page on the 
Internet at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/update/update.htm. Click on the 
``Subscribe to the Constituent Update Listserv'' link, then fill out 
and submit the form.

    Done at Washington, DC, on: December 4, 2002.
Dr. Garry L. McKee,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 02-31008 Filed 12-6-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P