[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 160 (Monday, August 18, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48191-48193]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-19043]


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

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety Inspection Service

[Docket No. FSIS 2008-0024]


Nominations for Membership on the National Advisory Committee on 
Microbiological Criteria for Foods

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: This notice announces that the U.S. Department of Agriculture 
(USDA) is soliciting nominations for membership on the National 
Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF). 
Nominations for membership are being sought from individuals with 
scientific expertise in the fields of epidemiology, food technology, 
microbiology (food, clinical, and predictive), risk assessment, 
infectious disease, biostatistics, and other related sciences. Persons 
from the Federal government, State governments, industry, consumer 
groups, and academia, as well as all other interested persons, are 
invited to submit nominations. Members who are not federal government 
employees will be appointed to serve as non-compensated special 
government employees (SGEs). SGEs will be subject to appropriate 
conflict of interest statutes and standards of ethical conduct.
    The nominee's typed resume or curriculum vitae must be limited to 
five one-sided pages and should include educational background, 
expertise, and a select list of publications. For submissions received 
that are more than five one-sided pages in length, only the first five 
pages will be considered.

DATES: The nominee's typed resume or curriculum vitae must be received 
by September 17, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Nominations can be sent by mail, fax, or e-mail to Ms. Karen 
Thomas-Sharp, Advisory Committee Specialist, USDA, Food Safety and 
Inspection Service, Room 333

[[Page 48192]]

Aerospace Center, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-
3700, fax number: 202-690-6634, e-mail address: [email protected]. Please note, if using an overnight courier use 
this address: USDA, FSIS, OPHS, Aerospace Center, 901 D Street, SW., 
Room 378, Washington, DC 20024.
    FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments on this notice. 
Comments may be submitted by any of the following methods:
    Federal eRulemaking Portal: This Web site provides the ability to 
type short comments directly into the comment field on this Web page or 
attach a file for lengthier comments. FSIS prefers to receive comments 
through the Federal eRulemaking portal. Go to http://www.regulations.gov and, in the ``Search for Open Regulations'' box, 
select ``Food Safety and Inspection Service'' from the agency drop-down 
menu, then click on ``Submit.'' In the Docket ID column, select the 
FDMS Docket Number FSIS-2008-0024 to submit or view public comments and 
to view supporting and related materials available electronically. 
After the close of the comment period, the docket can be viewed using 
the ``Advanced Search'' function in Regulations.gov.
    Mail, including floppy disks or CD-ROMs, and hand- or courier-
delivered items: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
Food Safety and Inspection Service, FSIS Docket Room, 1400 Independence 
Avenue, SW., Room 2534, Washington, DC 20250.
    All submissions received must include the Agency name and docket 
number FSIS-2008-0024.
    All comments submitted in response to this notice, as well as 
research and background information used by FSIS in developing this 
document, will be posted to the regulations.gov Web site. The 
background information and comments also will be available for public 
inspection in the FSIS Docket Room at the address listed above between 
8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Karen Thomas-Sharp, Advisory 
Committee Specialist, at the above address or by telephone at 202-690-
6620 or by fax at 202-690-6634.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The NACMCF was established in March 1988, in response to a 
recommendation in a 1985 report of the National Academy of Sciences 
Committee on Food Protection, Subcommittee on Microbiological Criteria, 
``An Evaluation of the Role of Microbiological Criteria for Foods.'' 
The current charter for the NACMCF and other information about the 
Committee are available for viewing on the NACMCF homepage at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/About_FSIS/NACMCF/index.asp.
    The Committee provides scientific advice and recommendations to the 
Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
concerning the development of microbiological criteria by which the 
safety and wholesomeness of food can be assessed. For example, the 
Committee assists in the development of criteria for microorganisms 
that indicate whether food has been processed using good manufacturing 
practices.
    Appointments to the Committee will be made by the Secretary of 
Agriculture after consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services to ensure that recommendations made by the Committee take into 
account the needs of the diverse groups served by the Department. 
Membership shall include, to the extent practicable, individuals with 
demonstrated ability to represent minorities, women, and persons with 
disabilities.
    Given the complexity of issues, the full Committee expects to meet 
at least once yearly, and the meetings will be announced in the Federal 
Register. The subcommittees will meet as deemed necessary by the 
chairperson and will be held as working group meetings in an open 
public forum. The subcommittee meetings will not be announced in the 
Federal Register. FSIS will announce the agenda and subcommittee 
working group meetings through the Constituent Update, available on-
line at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/2008_Constituent_Update/index.asp. NACMCF holds subcommittee working group meetings in 
order to accomplish the work of NACMCF; all work accomplished by the 
subcommittees is reviewed and approved by the full Committee during a 
public meeting of the full Committee, as announced in the Federal 
Register. The subcommittee may invite technical experts to present 
information for consideration by the subcommittee. All data and records 
available to the full Committee are expected to be available to the 
public at the time the full Committee reviews and approves the work of 
the subcommittee.
    Appointment to the Advisory Committee is for a two-year term, 
renewable for a total of three consecutive terms. Members are expected 
to attend all meetings in-person as this is necessary for the 
functioning of this advisory committee. But we realize that unexpected 
events or extenuating circumstances (e.g., a personal or family 
emergency) may result in a member's inability to attend a meeting in-
person, and that attendance through teleconferencing may be necessary. 
Since this has been a less than optimal means to contribute to the work 
of the committee, members should make efforts to attend all meetings to 
the extent that this is possible. In-person attendance is expected but 
is not a requirement.
    Members must be prepared to work outside of scheduled Committee and 
subcommittee meetings, and may be required to assist in document 
preparation. Committee members serve on a voluntary basis; however, 
travel reimbursement and per diem are available.

Regarding Nominees Who Are Selected

    All nominees who are selected must submit a USDA Advisory Committee 
Membership Background Information form AD-755, available on-line at: 
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/FSISForms/AD-755.pdf.
    As new appointees, SGEs must complete the Office of Government 
Ethics (OGE) 450 Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, before 
rendering any advice, or prior to their first meeting. All members will 
be reviewed for conflict of interest pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 208 in 
relation to specific NACMCF work charges. Financial disclosure updates 
will be required annually. Members must report any changes in financial 
holdings requiring additional disclosure. OGE 450 forms are available 
on-line at: http://www.usoge.gov/pages/forms_pubs_otherdocs/fpo_files/forms/fr450fill_04.pdf.

Additional Public Notification

    Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy 
development is important. Consequently, in an effort to ensure that 
minorities, women, and persons with disabilities are aware of this 
notice, FSIS will announce it on-line through the FSIS Web page located 
at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations/2008_Notices_Index/.
    FSIS also will make copies of this Federal Register publication 
available through the FSIS Constituent Update, which is used to provide 
information regarding FSIS policies, procedures, regulations, Federal 
Register notices, FSIS public meetings, and other types of information 
that could affect or would be of interest to constituents and 
stakeholders. The Update is communicated via Listserv, a free 
electronic mail subscription service for

[[Page 48193]]

industry, trade and farm groups, consumer interest groups, allied 
health professionals and other individuals who have asked to be 
included. The Update is also available on the FSIS Web page. Through 
the Listserv and Web page, FSIS is able to provide information to a 
much broader and more diverse audience.
    In addition, FSIS offers an e-mail subscription service which 
provides automatic and customized access to selected food safety news 
and information. This service is available at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/news_and_events/email_subscription/. Options range from recalls to 
export information to regulations, directives and notices. Customers 
can add or delete subscriptions themselves and have the option to 
password protect their account.

    Done at Washington, DC, on August 12, 2008.
Alfred V. Almanza,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. E8-19043 Filed 8-15-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P