[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]
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