Reopening of Nomination Period for Membership on the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods, 40744-40745 [2017-18168]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 165 (Monday, August 28, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40744-40745]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-18168]


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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 165 / Monday, August 28, 2017 / 
Notices

[[Page 40744]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. FSIS-2016-0042]


Reopening of Nomination Period for Membership on the National 
Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: On December 7, 2016, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 
announced in a Federal Register notice that it was soliciting 
nominations for membership on the National Advisory Committee on 
Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) to fill 15 vacancies. The 
closing date for nominations was January 6, 2017. This notice reopens 
the nomination period for 30 days. This notice also announces that 
there are two more vacancies on the committee. Since the original 
announcement was made, two additional members have left the committee. 
The USDA is now seeking nominations to fill 17 vacancies. Nominations 
submitted during the original submission period do not need to be 
resubmitted.

DATES: All materials must be received by September 27, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Nomination packages should be sent via email to 
karen.thomas-sharp@fsis.usda.gov and mailed to: Secretary, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 
20250, Attn: FSIS\Office of Public Health Science/National Advisory 
Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (Karen Thomas-Sharp).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Karen Thomas-Sharp, Advisory 
Committee Specialist, by telephone at 202-690-6620 or by email 
karen.thomas-sharp@fsis.usda.gov.
    The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) invites interested 
persons to submit comments on this notice. Comments may be submitted by 
either of the following methods: Federal eRulemaking Portal: This Web 
site (https://www.regulations.gov/) provides the ability to type short 
comments directly into the comment field on this Web page or attach a 
file for lengthier comments. Follow the online instructions at that 
site for submitting comments. Mail, including CD-ROMS and hand or 
courier delivered items: Send to Docket Clerk, USDA, FSIS Docket Room, 
Patriots Plaza 3, 355 E Street SW., Room 8-163A, Washington, DC 20250-
3700 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
    Instructions: All items submitted by mail or email must include the 
Agency name and docket number FSIS-2016-0042. 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, go 
to the FSIS Docket Room at Patriots Plaza 3, 355 E Street SW., Room 8-
164, Washington, DC 20250-3700 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday 
through Friday. All comments submitted in response to this notice, as 
well as background information used by FSIS in developing this 
document, 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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The NACMCF was established in March 1988, in response to a 
recommendation in a 1985 report of the National Academy of Sciences 
Committee on Food Protection, Subcommittee on Microbiological Criteria, 
``An Evaluation of the Role of Microbiological Criteria for Foods.'' 
The current charter for the NACMCF and other information about the 
Committee are available to the public for viewing on the FSIS Web site 
at: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/nacmcf.
    Nominees are sought who have scientific expertise in the fields of 
in the fields of microbiology, epidemiology, food technology (food, 
clinical, and predictive), toxicology, risk assessment, infectious 
disease, biostatistics, and other related sciences. Persons from the 
government, industry, academia, and consumer advocacy groups are 
invited to submit nominations.
    The Committee provides scientific advice and recommendations to the 
Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
concerning the development of microbiological criteria by which the 
safety and wholesomeness of food can be assessed. For example, one of 
the most recent efforts of the Committee is to provide the best 
scientific information available on Shiga Toxin producing E. coli, 
including providing recommendations on optimal detection and 
identification methodologies.
    Appointments to the Committee will be made by the Secretary of 
Agriculture after consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services to ensure that recommendations made by the Committee take into 
account the needs of the diverse groups served by the Department. On 
December 7, 2016, the USDA announced that it was seeking nominations to 
fill 15 vacancies (81 FR 88197). Since the original announcement was 
made, two additional members have left the committee. The USDA is now 
seeking to fill 17 vacancies. Advisory Committee members serve a two-
year term, renewable for two consecutive terms.
    The full Committee expects to meet at least once a year by 
teleconference or in-person, and the meetings will be announced in the 
Federal Register. The subcommittees will meet as deemed necessary by 
the chairperson through working group meetings in an open public forum. 
Subcommittees also may meet through teleconference or by computer-based 
conferencing (Webinars). Subcommittees may invite technical experts to 
present information for consideration by the subcommittee. The 
subcommittee meetings will not be announced in the Federal Register. 
FSIS will announce the agenda and subcommittee working group meetings 
through the Constituent Update, available online at: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/cu.
    NACMCF holds subcommittee meetings in order to accomplish the work 
of NACMCF; all subcommittee work is reviewed and approved during a 
public meeting of the full Committee,

[[Page 40745]]

as announced in the Federal Register. All data and records available to 
the full Committee are expected to be available to the public when the 
full Committee reviews and approves the work of the subcommittee. 
Advisory Committee members are expected to attend all in-person 
meetings during the two-year term to ensure the smooth functioning of 
the advisory committee. However, on rare occasions, attendance through 
teleconferencing may be permitted.
    Members must be prepared to work outside of scheduled Committee and 
subcommittee meetings and may be required to assist in document 
preparation. Committee members serve on a voluntary basis; however, 
travel expenses and per diem reimbursement are available.

Regarding Nominees Who Are Selected

    All SGE and Federal government employee nominees who are selected 
must complete the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) 450 Confidential 
Financial Disclosure Report before rendering any advice or before their 
first meeting. With the exception of the consumer representative 
committee member, all committee members will be reviewed pursuant to 18 
U.S.C. 208 for conflicts of interest relating to specific NACMCF work 
charges, and financial disclosure updates will be required annually. 
Members subject to financial disclosure must report any changes in 
financial holdings requiring additional disclosure. OGE 450 forms are 
available on-line at: https://www2.oge.gov/web/oge.nsf/Confidential%20Financial%20Disclosure.

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 also will make copies of this 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 our constituents and 
stakeholders. The Update is available on the FSIS Web page. 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 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

    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 https://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: program.intake@usda.gov.
    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, August 23, 2017.
Paul Kiecker,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2017-18168 Filed 8-25-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P