[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 191 (Wednesday, October 4, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46212-46213]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-21347]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. FSIS-2017-0041]


Codex Alimentarius Commission: Ad Hoc Codex Intergovernmental 
Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Office of the Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Food and Drug Administration 
(FDA), are sponsoring a public meeting on November 7, 2017. The 
objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive 
public comments on agenda items and draft United States (U.S.) 
positions to be discussed at the 5th Session of the Ad Hoc Codex 
Intergovernmental Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance (TFAMR) of the 
Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), taking place in Jeju, Republic 
of Korea, November 27, 2017 through December 1, 2017. The Deputy Under 
Secretary for Food Safety and the FDA recognize the importance of 
providing interested parties with the opportunity to obtain background 
information on the 5th Session of the TFAMR and to address items on the 
agenda.

DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, November 7, 2017, 
from 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will take place at the United States 
Department of Agriculture (USDA), Jamie L. Whitten Building, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW., Room 107-A, Washington, DC 20250.
    Documents related to the 5th Session of the TFAMR will be 
accessible via the Internet at the following address: http://www.codexalimentarius.org/meetings-reports/en/.
    Donald Prater, U.S. Delegate to the 5th Session of the TFAMR, 
invites U.S. interested parties to submit their comments electronically 
to the following email address: [email protected].

Call-in-Number

    If you wish to participate in the public meeting for the 5th 
Session of the TFAMR by conference call, please use the call-in-number 
below:
    Call-in-Number: 1-888-844-9904.
    Access Code: 5126092.

Registration

    Attendees may register to attend the public meeting by emailing 
[email protected] by November 3, 2017. Early registration is 
encouraged as it will expedite entry into the building. The meeting 
will be held in a Federal building. Attendees should bring photo 
identification and plan for adequate time to pass through security 
screening systems. Attendees who are not able to attend the meeting in 
person, but wish to participate may do so by phone.

For Further Information About The 5th Session of the TFAMR Contact:  
The Office of Foods and Veterinary Medicine, FDA, 10903 New Hampshire 
Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20993, Email: [email protected].

For Further Information About The Public Meeting Contact:  Kenneth 
Lowery, U.S. Codex Office, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 4861, 
Washington, DC 20250, Telephone: (202) 690-4042, Fax: (202) 720-3157, 
Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    Codex was established in 1963 by two United Nations organizations, 
the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health 
Organization (WHO). Through adoption of food standards, codes of 
practice, and other guidelines developed by its committees, and by 
promoting their adoption and implementation by governments, the Codex 
seeks to protect the health of consumers and ensure fair practices in 
the food trade.
    The TFAMR is responsible for:
    (a) Reviewing and revising as appropriate the Code of Practice to 
Minimize and Contain Antimicrobial Resistance (CAC/RCP 61-2005) to 
address the entire food chain, in line with the mandate of Codex.
    (b) Considering the development of Guidance on Integrated 
Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance, taking into account the 
guidance developed by the WHO Advisory Group on Integrated Surveillance 
of Antimicrobial Resistance (AGISAR) and relevant the World 
Organization for Animal Health (OIE) documents.
    The Committee is hosted by the Republic of Korea.

Issues To Be Discussed at the Public Meeting

    The following items on the Agenda for the 5th Session of the TFAMR 
will be discussed during the public meeting:
     Matters referred by Codex and other Subsidiary Bodies;
     Matters arising from the work of the FAO, WHO and other 
international intergovernmental organizations:
    (a) Progress report on the request for scientific advice on 
foodborne antimicrobial resistance from the FAO and WHO in 
collaboration with OIE.
    (b) Information on the work of the FAO, WHO, OIE and other relevant 
international organizations on antimicrobial resistance.
     Proposed draft revision of the Code of Practice to 
Minimize and Contain Antimicrobial Resistance (CAC/RCP 61-2005); and
     Proposed draft Guidelines on integrated surveillance of 
antimicrobial resistance.
    Each issue listed will be fully described in documents distributed, 
or to be distributed, by the Secretariat before the Meeting. Members of 
the public may access or request copies of these documents (see 
ADDRESSES).

Public Meeting

    At the November 7, 2017, public meeting, draft U.S. positions on 
the agenda items will be described and discussed, and attendees will 
have the opportunity to pose questions and offer comments. Written 
comments may be offered at the meeting or sent to Donald Prater for the 
5th Session of the TFAMR (see ADDRESSES). Written comments should state 
that they relate to activities of the 5th Session of the TFAMR.

Additional Public Notification

    Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy 
development is important. Consequently, FSIS will announce this Federal 
Register publication on-line through the FSIS Web page located at: 
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/federal-register.

[[Page 46213]]

    FSIS also will make copies of this 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 our constituents and 
stakeholders. The Update is available on the FSIS Web page. Through the 
Web page, FSIS is able to provide information to a much broader, more 
diverse audience. In addition, FSIS offers an email 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/subscribe. Options range from recalls to export 
information, regulations, directives, and notices. Customers can add or 
delete subscriptions themselves, and have the option to password 
protect their accounts.

USDA Non-Discrimination Statement

    No agency, officer, or employee of the USDA shall, on the grounds 
of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual 
orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, 
income derived from a public assistance program, or political beliefs, 
exclude from participation in, deny the benefits of, or subject to 
discrimination any person in the United States under any program or 
activity conducted by the USDA.

How To File a Complaint of Discrimination

    To file a complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program 
Discrimination Complaint Form, which may be accessed online at http://www.ocio.usda.gov/sites/default/files/docs/2012/Complain_combined_6_8_12.pdf, or write a letter signed by you or your 
authorized representative.
    Send your completed complaint form or letter to USDA by mail, fax, 
or email:
    Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of 
Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-9410.
    Fax: (202) 690-7442.
    Email: [email protected].
    Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for 
communication (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.), should contact 
USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

    Done at Washington, DC, on September 29, 2017.
Paulo Almeida,
Acting U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.
[FR Doc. 2017-21347 Filed 10-3-17; 8:45 am]
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