[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 9 (Tuesday, January 14, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2105-2106]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-00337]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. FSIS-2019-0030]


National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for 
Foods; Renewal

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to renew committee charter.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, this 
notice is announcing the intention of the USDA and the U.S. Department 
of Health and Human Services (HHS) to renew the charter for the 
National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods 
(NACMCF). The purpose of NACMCF is to provide impartial, scientific 
advice, and peer reviews to Federal food safety agencies for use in the 
development of an integrated national food safety systems approach that 
assures the safety of domestic, imported, and exported foods.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Thomas, Advisory Committee 
Specialist, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food Safety and 
Inspection Service (FSIS), Room 9-177B Patriots Plaza III, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-3700. Telephone number: 
(202) 690-6620.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The NACMCF was established in 1988, in response to a recommendation 
of the National Academy of Sciences for an interagency approach to 
microbiological criteria for foods, and in response to a recommendation 
of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, as 
expressed in the Rural Development, Agriculture, and Related Agencies 
Appropriation Bill for fiscal year 1988. The NACMCF provides scientific 
advice and recommendations to the USDA and HHS on public health issues 
relative to the safety and wholesomeness of the U.S. food supply, 
including development of microbiological criteria and review and 
evaluation of epidemiological and risk assessment data and 
methodologies for assessing microbiological hazards in foods.
    The USDA, in cooperation with HHS, is announcing its intent to 
renew the NACMCF's charter. The charter is available on the FSIS web 
page at https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/data-collection-and-reports/nacmcf/committee-charter. The renewal of 
NACMCF's charter is necessary and in the public interest because of the 
need for external expert advice on the range of scientific and 
technical issues that must be addressed by the USDA and HHS to ensure 
the safety of domestic, imported, and exported foods.
    Members of NACMCF will be appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture 
after consultation with an Executive Committee that represents five 
participating Agencies in NACMCF: The Food Safety and Inspection 
Service (FSIS), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Marine Fisheries 
Service (NMFS), and the Department of Defense's Defense Logistics 
Agency for advice on membership appointments. Because NACMCF reviews 
and evaluates complex issues, NACMCF is expected to meet one or more 
times per year.

Congressional Review Act

    Pursuant to the Congressional Review Act at 5 U.S.C. 801 et seq., 
the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs has determined that 
this notice is not a ``major rule,'' as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2).

Additional Public Notification

    FSIS will announce this notice online through the FSIS web page 
located at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations_&_policies/Federal_Register_Notices/index.asp.
    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 Constituent Update is available on the FSIS web page.

[[Page 2106]]

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 that 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 to regulations, directives, and notices. Customers 
can add or delete subscriptions themselves and have the option to 
password protect their accounts.

USDA Nondiscrimination 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:
    Dated: January 8, 2020.
Cikena Reid,
USDA Committee Management Officer.
[FR Doc. 2020-00337 Filed 1-13-20; 8:45 am]
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