[Federal Register: October 5, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 192)]
[Notices]
[Page 59574-59575]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05oc04-24]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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[[Page 59574]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. 04-035N]
Food Safety Institute of the Americas
AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting.
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SUMMARY: The Food Safety and Inspection Service will hold a public
meeting on October 13-15, 2004, in Miami, Florida, to review and
discuss the establishment of the Food Safety Institute of the Americas
(FSIA). The creation of the FSIA is an innovative idea for integrating
scientific food safety education, information, communication, and
outreach in the Americas. During the public meeting, the following
issues relating to the FSIA will be discussed: (1) Identifying and
assessing educational and informational needs; (2) fostering
collaboration and partnership development; (3) establishing strategies
and best practices for developing and delivering programs; and (4)
planning next steps for the FSIA.
The public meeting will be an interactive session. Discussions will
be conducted in plenary sessions as well as in small group workshops
for each of the above four issues.
DATES: The public meeting will begin on Wednesday, October 13, 2004,
from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. and on Thursday, October 14, from 8:30 a.m. to
5:30 p.m. and Friday, October 15, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
ADDRESSES: All FSIA meetings will take place at the Radisson Hotel
Miami, 1601 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, Florida, 33132.
In addition, a block of rooms has been held for participants at the
Marriott Biscayne Bay Hotel, 1633 North Bayshore Drive, Miami, Florida
33132. (Phone: 305-374-3900). Participants for the FSIA meeting will
receive a special rate of $119.00 per night. Reservations must be
confirmed with the necessary credit card or payment information no
later than October 8, 2004. Please reference the USDA-FSIA meeting when
making reservations.
A meeting agenda is available on the Internet at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Meetings_&_Events
which is a sub-
website of the FSIS home page, at http://www.fsis.usda.gov. FSIS
invites interested persons to submit comments on the topics to be
discussed at the public meeting. Comments may be submitted by any of
the following methods:
Mail, including floppy disks or CD-ROM's, and hand- or
courier-delivered items: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, 300 12th Street, SW.,
Room 102, Cotton Annex, Washington, DC 20250-3700.
All submissions received must include the Agency name and docket
number 04-035N.
All comments submitted on the topics to be discussed at the public
meeting will be available for public inspection in the FSIS Docket Room
at the address listed above between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday
through Friday. The comments also will be posted on the Agency's Web
site at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations/2004_notices_index/index.asp
.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Linda Swacina, The Food Safety
Institute of the Americas office at 305-347-5552,
linda.swacina@fsis.usda.gov or Mr. Robert Tynan, SIPO-Office of Public
Affairs Education and Outreach at 202-690-6522,
robert.tynan@fsis.usda.gov for technical information.
All meeting participants will be required to pre-register before
entering the meeting. A pre-registration form is located at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Meetings_&_Events.
You may also
call in your registration using a special toll free number that has
been established for the public meeting. To phone in registration,
please call 866-520-8999.
Persons requiring a sign language interpreter or other special
accommodations should notify the FSIA office no later than October 7,
2004, at the above number or by e-mail.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The explosive growth of the international food market has brought a
variety of food never before available to the ordinary consumer's table
throughout the Americas. People can consume new products from different
regions and enjoy traditional seasonal favorites throughout the year.
Countries are now more dependent on each other's safeguards to
guarantee their citizens a wholesome food supply and to protect the
public health of their country and the region.
The nations of the Americas make up a community committed to
meeting the many challenges of ensuring food safety and security. One
approach to these complex problems is for our countries to develop and
effectively exchange scientific information and education on food
safety and security risks and on how to manage them.
The FSIA is an innovative approach for harmonizing, developing, and
distributing food safety and security information and education
throughout the Americas; coordinating programs so that we concentrate
on areas where our needs are the greatest; sharing resources on
programs that already exist within our community; promoting the
development of international food safety standards; and protecting
ourselves as a region from food security threats.
To do this, the FSIA will develop and enlist the support of
existing networks among researchers, public health officials,
regulatory officials, and food and animal producers and distributors.
There are many academic, governmental and nongovernmental organizations
with wide-ranging expertise that would make them potential partners in
FSIA's development and implementation.
FSIA Subject Areas or Colleges
In one scenario, the FSIA would be divided into the following nine
colleges and include development and implementation of training,
education, and information materials in these areas: (1) Codex
Alimentarius; (2) Regulatory Foundation Studies; (3) Public Health
Studies; (4) Food Security; (5) Manufactured Foods; (6) Animal and Food
Production Studies; (7) Retail Programs; (8) Laboratory Studies; and
(9) Consumer Education and Information Programs.
[[Page 59575]]
FSIA Benefits
The major goal of the FSIA is to improve and harmonize food safety
education, information, and communication throughout the Americas in
order to improve public health within each and among the countries of
the region. It will provide major outreach activities to identify,
develop, and coordinate educational programs and to promote the
development of international food safety standards and common food
security protection.
FSIA will provide the region with greater access to food safety
information and the technical assistance necessary to ensure the safety
of meat, poultry, and egg products. In addition, FSIA will promote the
activities of the Codex Alimentarius Commission to bring about
standardization of food safety requirements and become a forum for
scientific discussion relevant to food safety and international
standards in the Americas. In this way, it will encourage and support
development of science-based agreements that strengthen national and
local economies.
Conclusion
The FSIA will help establish working relationships among
collaborating countries through regular interaction of academic
researchers and educators, government regulators, and food safety
professionals. Enhancing and fostering these contacts are critically
important in addressing regional food safety concerns and improving
understanding about requirements for imported and exported products.
All interested parties are welcome to attend the meetings and to
submit written comments and suggestions addressing issues concerning
the FSIA that will be reviewed and discussed. The comments and the
official transcript of the meeting, when they become available, will be
kept in the FSIS Docket Room at the address provided above. All
comments received in response to this notice will be considered part of
the public record and will be available for viewing in the FSIS Docket
Room between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except for
Federal holidays.
Additional Public Notification
Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy
development is important. Consequently, in an effort to better ensure
that the public and in particular that minorities, women, and persons
with disabilities are aware of this notice, FSIS will announce it on-
line through the FSIS Web site located at http://www.fsis.usda.gov.
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, recalls, and other types of
information that could affect or would be of interest to our
constituents and stakeholders. The update is communicated via a free e-
mail subscription service consisting of industry, trade, and farm
groups, consumer interest groups, allied health professionals,
scientific professionals, and other individuals who have requested to
be included. The update also is available on the FSIS Web site. Through
the free e-mail subscription service and the Web site, FSIS is able to
provide information to a much broader, more diverse audience.
Done at Washington, DC on September 30, 2004.
Bryce Quick,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 04-22392 Filed 10-1-04; 8:45 am]