[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 125 (Wednesday, June 30, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37754-37756]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-15812]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety Inspection Service

[Docket No. FSIS-2010-0001]


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

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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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). This 
notice is being issued to fill eleven vacancies on the NACMCF that 
resulted because of a change in the member term limit. Appointments to 
the NACMCF for two-year terms will now be renewable for up to two 
consecutive terms instead of three consecutive terms.
    Please note that nominations that were provided in response to the 
previously issued Federal Register notice dated August 18, 2008 (73 FR 
48191) will be considered for these vacancies, so they do not need to 
be resubmitted.
    NACMF is seeking members with scientific expertise in the fields of 
epidemiology, food technology, microbiology (food, clinical, and 
predictive), risk assessment, infectious disease, biostatistics, and 
other related sciences. NACMF is seeking applications from persons from 
the Federal government, State governments, industry, consumer groups, 
and academia, as well as all other interested persons with such 
expertise.
    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.
    USDA is also seeking nominations for one individual affiliated with 
a consumer group to serve on the NACMCF. This member will serve as a 
representative member to provide a consumer viewpoint. This member will 
not be required to have a scientific background and will not be subject 
to conflict of interest review.
    To receive consideration for serving on the NACMCF, a 
r[eacute]sum[eacute] and USDA Advisory Committee Membership Background 
Information form AD-755 are required. 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: Nominations, including the nominee's typed resume or curriculum 
vitae and a USDA Advisory Committee Membership Background Information 
form AD-755 must be received by June 30, 2010. USDA Advisory Committee

[[Page 37755]]

Membership Background Information form AD-755 is available on-line at: 
http://www.ocio.usda.gov/forms/doc/AD-755.pdf.

ADDRESSES: Resumes and AD-755 forms 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 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.
    The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) invites interested 
persons to submit comments on this notice. Comments may be submitted by 
either 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. Go to http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the online instructions at that site for submitting comments.
    Mail, including floppy disks or CD-ROMs, and hand- or courier-
delivered items: Send to Docket Clerk, USDA, FSIS, Room 2-2127, George 
Washington Carver Center, 5601 Sunnyside Avenue, Mailstop 5474, 
Beltsville, MD 20705-5474.
    Instructions: All items submitted by mail or electronic mail must 
include the Agency name and docket number FSIS-2010-0001. Comments 
received in response to this docket will be made available for public 
inspection and posted without change, including any personal 
information, to http://www.regulations.gov.
    Docket: For access to background documents or to comments received, 
go to the FSIS Docket Room at the address listed above between 8:30 
a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. All comments submitted in 
response to this notice, as well as background information used by FSIS 
in developing this document, 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://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=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. Intermittently, subcommittees may also meet through 
computer-based conferencing (net meetings). Subcommittees may invite 
technical experts to present information for consideration by the 
subcommittee. 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/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. 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 up to two consecutive terms. Members are expected to 
attend all meetings in person, as this is necessary for the functioning 
of this advisory committee. However, the Advisory Committee realizes 
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. Because attendance through teleconferencing 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.
    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 reimbursement are available.

Regarding Nominees Who Are Selected

    All SGE and Federal government employee nominees who are selected 
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/forms/form_450.aspx.

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 online through the FSIS Web page located 
at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations_&_policies/2010_Notices_Index/index.asp.
    FSIS will also make copies of this Federal Register publication 
available through the FSIS Constituent Update,

[[Page 37756]]

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 industry, trade groups, consumer interest groups, 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 electronic 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 accounts.

    Done at Washington, DC, on June 24, 2010.
Alfred V. Almanza,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2010-15812 Filed 6-29-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P