[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 159 (Friday, August 16, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66669-66671]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-18326]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. FSIS-2024-0019]


National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection

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

ACTION: Notification of public meeting.

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[[Page 66670]]

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the provisions of the rules and regulations of the 
Department of Agriculture and the Federal Advisory Committee Act 
(FACA), FSIS is announcing a virtual meeting of the National Advisory 
Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMPI). The purpose of the 
Committee is to advise the Secretary of Agriculture on State and 
Federal meat and poultry inspection programs, food safety, and other 
matters that fall within the scope of the Federal Meat Inspection Act 
(FMIA) and the Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA). The committee 
will convene virtually on September 16 and 17, 2024. The Committee will 
review and advise FSIS on whether the Agency should change its 
definitions for establishment sizes to better assess and describe 
current business operations. The Committee will also offer input on 
ways technology could enhance FSIS' inspection activities.

DATES: The public meeting is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. EDT on September 16 
and 17, 2024.

ADDRESSES: The meeting is virtual and will be viewable via a link 
provided by email when you register for the meeting. Attendees must 
pre-register for the meeting. See the pre-registration instructions 
under ``Registration and Meeting Materials.''
    Public Comments: FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments 
on this meeting by September 16, 2024. Comments may be submitted by any 
of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: This website 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 https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the on-line instructions at that site for 
submitting comments.
     Mail: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, 1400 Independence 
Avenue SW, Mailstop 3758, Washington, DC 20250-3700.
     Hand- or Courier-Delivered Submittals: Deliver to 1400 
Independence Avenue SW, Jamie L. Whitten Building, Room 350-E, 
Washington, DC 20250-3700.
    Instructions: All items submitted by mail or electronic mail must 
include the Agency name and docket number FSIS-2024-0019. Comments 
received in response to this docket will be made available for public 
inspection and posted without change, including any personal 
information, to https://www.regulations.gov.
    Docket: For access to background documents or comments received, 
call 202-720-5046 to schedule a time to visit the FSIS Docket Room at 
1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-3700.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Katrina Green, Director, Resource and 
Administrative Management Staff--Designated Federal Officer, Office of 
Policy and Program Development, by email at [email protected] or 
telephone at 202-205-0495 regarding specific questions about the 
Committee or this meeting. General information about the Committee can 
also be found at: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/nacmpi. For the hearing 
impaired, contact the Federal Information Relay Service: https://www.federalrelay.us/ or 800-877-0996 (Voice, TTY, ASCII or Spanish).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The NACMPI was established in 1971 and is authorized under section 
301(a)(4) of the FMIA (21 U.S.C. 661(a)(4)) to carry out the 
responsibilities imposed by 21 U.S.C. 607(c), 624, 645, 661(a)(3), and 
661(c), and authorized under 21 U.S.C. 454(a)(4) of the PPIA, to carry 
out the responsibilities imposed by 21 U.S.C. 454(a)(3), 454(c), 
457(b), and 460(e). The purpose of the Committee is to provide advice 
to the Secretary on meat and poultry inspection programs, food safety, 
and other matters that fall within the scope of the FMIA and PPIA. The 
current charter and other information about NACMPI can be found at 
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/policy/advisory-committees/national-advisory-committee-meat-and-poultry-inspection-nacmpi. Membership of NACMPI is 
drawn from consumers; public health and academic communities; state and 
local governments; and industry.
    On September 16 and 17, 2024, NACMPI will review and advise FSIS on 
whether the Agency should change its definitions for establishment size 
categories (i.e., large, small, and very small) to better assess and 
describe current business operations as well as to better determine the 
impact of FSIS policies on different size establishments.\1\ The 
Committee will also offer input on ways technology could enhance FSIS' 
inspection activities. The two issues will be presented to the full 
Committee. The Committee will then divide into two subcommittees to 
discuss the issues. Each subcommittee will provide a report of their 
comments and recommendations to the full Committee before the meeting 
concludes on September 17, 2024.
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    \1\ FSIS categorizes establishments using the following 
criteria: large establishments have 500 or more employees; small 
establishments have 10 or more employees, but fewer than 500; and 
very small establishments have fewer than 10 employees or annual 
sales of less than $2.5 million (see 61 FR 38806).
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    An agenda will be published online before the public meeting. FSIS 
will finalize the agenda on or before the meeting dates and post it on 
the FSIS website at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/meetings.

Registration and Meeting Materials

    There is no fee to register for the public meeting, but pre-
registration is mandatory for participants attending. All attendees 
must register online at https://www.fsis.usda.gov/policy/advisory-committees/nacmpi/meeting-registration.

Public Comments and Participation in Meetings

    Stakeholders will have an opportunity to provide oral comments 
during the public meeting. Stakeholders must notify FSIS during 
registration of their wish to speak at the meeting. Stakeholders who do 
not notify FSIS during registration of their wish to speak will not 
have the opportunity to comment on the day of the public meeting. Due 
to the anticipated high level of interest in the opportunity to make 
public comments and the limited time available to do so, FSIS will do 
its best to accommodate all persons who registered and requested to 
provide oral comments and will limit all speakers to three minutes. 
FSIS encourages persons and groups who have similar interests to 
consolidate their information for presentation by a single 
representative.

Transcripts

    As soon as the meeting transcripts are available, they will be 
accessible on the FSIS website at: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/policy/advisory-committees/national-advisory-committee-meat-and-poultry-inspection-nacmpi. The transcripts may also be viewed at the FSIS 
Docket Room at the address listed above.

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: 
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/federal-register.
    FSIS will also announce and provide a link to this Federal Register 
publication through the FSIS Constituent Update, which is used to

[[Page 66671]]

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 Constituent Update is available on 
the FSIS web page. Through the web page, FSIS can 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: https://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

    In accordance with Federal civil rights law and USDA civil rights 
regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and 
employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA 
programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, 
national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender 
expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, 
family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance 
program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil 
rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA 
(not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing 
deadlines vary by program or incident.
    Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of 
communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, 
audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible 
Agency or USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or 
contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. 
Additionally, program information may be made available in languages 
other than English.
    To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA 
Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at https://www.usda.gov/forms/electronic-forms and at any USDA office or write a 
letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the 
information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint 
form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA 
by:
    (1) Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant 
Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 
20250-9410;
    (2) Fax: (202) 690-7442; or
    (3) Email: [email protected].
    USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. Equal 
opportunity practices in accordance with USDA's policies will be 
followed in all member appointments to the committee. To ensure that 
the recommendations of the committee consider the needs of the diverse 
groups served by USDA, membership shall include, to the extent 
practicable, individuals with demonstrated ability to represent the 
many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, 
abilities, cultures, and beliefs of the American people, including 
underserved communities.

    Dated: August 12, 2024.
Cikena Reid,
USDA Committee Management Officer.
[FR Doc. 2024-18326 Filed 8-15-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P