The National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection; Nominations for Membership

AGENCY:

Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

This notice announces that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is soliciting nominations for membership on the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMPI). The full Committee consists of 16-18 members, and each person selected is expected to serve a 2-year term.

DATES:

The names of the nominees and their typed curricula vitae or resumes must be postmarked no later than September 7, 2004. Applications are available on-line at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/NACMPI/Nominations.htm.

ADDRESSES:

Nominations should be submitted to Dr. Barbara J. Masters, Acting Administrator, Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA, Room 405-Aerospace Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-3700.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ms. Sonya L. West, Advisory Committee Specialist, Strategic Initiatives, Partnerships and Outreach Staff, FSIS, telephone (202) 690-1079; FAX (202) 690-6519; E-mail: sonya.west@usda.fsis.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

USDA is seeking nominees for membership on the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection. The Committee provides advice and recommendations to the Secretary on the meat and poultry inspection programs, pursuant to sections 7(c), 24, 205, 301(a)(3), 301(a)(4), and 301(c) of the Federal Meat Inspection Act, 21 U.S.C. 607(c), 624, 645, 661(a)(3), 661(a)(4), and 661(c)) and the sections 5(a)(3), 5(a)(4), 5(c), 8(b), and 11(e) of the Poultry Products Inspection Act, 21 U.S.C. 454(a)(3), 454(a)(4), 454(c), 457(b), and 460(e)). Nominations for membership are being sought from persons representing producers; processors; exporters and importers of meat and poultry products; academia; Federal and State government officials; and consumers.

Appointments to the Committee will be made by the Secretary. To ensure that recommendations of the Committee take into account the needs of the diverse groups served by the Department, membership should include, to the extent practicable, persons with demonstrated ability to represent minorities, women, and persons with disabilities. It is anticipated that the Committee will meet at least twice annually.

Additional Public Notification

Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy development is important. Consequently, in an effort to ensure that the public and in particular minorities, women, and persons with disabilities, are aware of this notice, FSIS will announce it on-line through the FSIS web page 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 Listserv, 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 page. Through Listserv and the web page, FSIS is able to provide information to a much broader, more diverse audience.