[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 188 (Thursday, September 27, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59404-59405]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-23778]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Food and Drug Administration

[Docket No. FDA-2012-N-0001]


Food Defense; Public Workshop

AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice of public workshop.

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SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Office of Regulatory 
Affairs (ORA), Southwest Regional Office (SWRO), in co-sponsorship with 
Oklahoma State University (OSU), Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural 
Products Center (FAPC), is announcing a public workshop entitled ``Food 
Defense Workshop.'' This public workshop is intended to provide 
information about food defense as it relates to food facilities such as 
farms, manufacturers, processors, distributors, retailers, and 
restaurants.
    Date and Time: This public workshop will be held on November 7 and 
8, 2012, from 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.
    Location: The public workshop will be held at the Robert M. Kerr 
Food & Agricultural Products Center, Oklahoma State University, 148 
FAPC, Stillwater, OK 74078-6055.
    Contact: For information regarding the workshop: David Arvelo, Food 
and Drug Administration, Southwest Regional Office, 4040 North Central 
Expressway, suite 900, Dallas, TX 75204, 214-253-4952, Fax: 214-253-
4970, email: [email protected].
    For information on accommodations: Karen Smith or Andrea Graves at 
the Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center, Oklahoma State 
University, 148 FAPC, Stillwater, OK 74078-6055, 405-744-6277, Fax: 
405-744-6313, or email: [email protected] or 
[email protected]. More information is also available online at 
http://www.fapc.biz/fooddefense2012.html.
    Registration: You are encouraged to register by October 31, 2012. 
The workshop has a registration fee to cover the cost of facilities, 
materials, speakers, and breaks. The registration fee is $350 for 
companies with 10 or more employees or $250 for companies with less 
than 10 employees. Seats are limited; please submit your registration 
as soon as possible. To register, please complete the online 
registration form at http://www.fapc.biz/fooddefense2012.html. The 
workshop will be filled in order of receipt of registration. Those 
accepted into the workshop will receive confirmation. Registration will 
close after the workshop is filled. Registration at the site is not 
guaranteed but may be possible on a space available basis on the day of 
the public workshop beginning at 7:45 a.m. Make checks payable to: 
``FAPC.'' If you need special accommodations due to a disability, 
please contact Karen Smith (see Contact) at least 7 days in advance. 
There are no registration fees for FDA employees.
    Transcripts: Transcripts of the public workshop will not be 
available due to the format of this workshop. Course handouts may be 
requested after the date of the public workshop by contacting Karen 
Smith or Andrea Graves (see Contact) at cost plus shipping.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This public workshop is being held in 
response to the large volume of food defense inquiries from food 
manufacturers originating from the area covered by the FDA Dallas 
District Office. The Southwest Regional Office presents this workshop 
to help achieve objectives set forth in section 406 of the Food and 
Drug Administration Modernization Act of 1997 (21 U.S.C. 393), which 
include working closely with stakeholders and maximizing the 
availability and clarity of information to stakeholders and the public. 
This is consistent with the purposes of the

[[Page 59405]]

Small Business Representative Program, which are, in part, to respond 
to industry inquiries, develop educational materials, and sponsor 
workshops and conferences to provide firms, particularly small 
businesses, with firsthand working knowledge of FDA's guidance. This 
workshop is also consistent with the Small Business Regulatory 
Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-121), as outreach 
activities by Government Agencies to small businesses.
    The goal of this public workshop is to present information that 
will enable regulated industry to better comply with the Public Health 
Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 (the 
Bioterrorism Act), and to better understand FDA's food defense 
guidance, especially in light of growing concerns about food 
protection. Information presented will be based on Agency position as 
articulated through regulation, guidance, and information previously 
made available to the public. Topics to be discussed at the workshop 
include the following:
     Food defense awareness and definitions,
     FDA food defense tools such as ALERT and Employees FIRST,
     Regulations mandated by the Bioterrorism Act,
     Food Defense Guidance from the Food Safety and Inspection 
Service,
     Investigating food-related incidents effectively,
     Physical plant security,
     Crisis management, and
     A food related emergency exercise bundle (FREE-B) tabletop 
exercise on food defense.
    For more information, please visit http://www.fapc.biz/fooddefense2012.html. FDA expects that participation in this public 
workshop will provide regulated industry with greater understanding of 
the Agency's regulatory and policy perspectives on food protection, 
increase compliance with FDA regulations, and heighten food defense 
awareness.

    Dated: September 21, 2012.
Leslie Kux,
Assistant Commissioner for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2012-23778 Filed 9-26-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-01-P