National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods; Membership Nominations, 104077-104079 [2024-30484]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 245 / Friday, December 20, 2024 / Notices ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1 Specialist, Regulatory Coordination and Compliance, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737– 1231; (518) 760–2468; Gina.L.Stiltner@ USDA.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background Under the regulations in ‘‘Subpart L– Fruits and Vegetables’’ (7 CFR 319.56– 1 through 319.56–12, referred to below as the regulations), the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) prohibits or restricts the importation of fruits and vegetables into the United States from certain parts of the world to prevent plant pests from being introduced into or disseminated within the United States. Section 319.56–4 contains a performance-based process for approving the importation of fruits and vegetables that, based on the findings of a pest risk analysis, can be safely imported subject to one or more of the five designated phytosanitary measures listed in paragraph (b) of that section. Under that process, APHIS proposes to authorize the importation of a fruit or vegetable into the United States if, based on findings of a pest risk analysis, we determine that the measures can mitigate the plant pest risk associated with the importation of that fruit or vegetable. APHIS then publishes a notice in the Federal Register announcing the availability of the pest risk analysis that evaluates the risks associated with the importation of a particular fruit or vegetable. Following the close of the 60-day comment period, APHIS will issue a subsequent Federal Register notice announcing whether or not we will authorize the importation of the fruit or vegetable subject to the phytosanitary measures specified in the notice. In accordance with that process, we published a notice 1 in the Federal Register on April 4, 2024 (89 FR 23537, Docket No. APHIS–2023–0040) in which we announced the availability, for review and comment, of pest risk analyses that evaluated the risks associated with the importation of fresh leaves and stems of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and fresh leaves and stems of tarragon (Artemesia dracunculus) from Ethiopia into the continental United States. The pest risk analyses consisted of risk assessments identifying pests of quarantine significance that could follow the pathway of the importation of fresh leaves and stems of rosemary and 1 To view the notice and the supporting documents, go to www.regulations.gov. Enter APHIS–2023–0040 in the Search field. VerDate Sep<11>2014 20:12 Dec 19, 2024 Jkt 265001 tarragon into the continental United States from Ethiopia and risk management documents (RMDs) identifying phytosanitary measures to be applied to these commodities to mitigate the pest risk. We solicited comments on the notice for 60 days, ending on June 3, 2024. We received no comments by that date. Therefore, in accordance with § 319.56–4(c)(3)(iii), we are announcing our decision to authorize the importation into the continental United States of fresh leaves and stems of rosemary and fresh leaves and stems of tarragon from Ethiopia subject to the phytosanitary measures identified in the RMDs that accompanied the initial notice. These conditions will be listed in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, APHIS Agricultural Commodity Import Requirements (ACIR) database (https:// acir.aphis.usda.gov/s/).2 In addition to these specific measures, each shipment must be subject to the general requirements listed in § 319.56–3 that are applicable to the importation of all fruits and vegetables. Paperwork Reduction Act In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the recordkeeping and burden requirements associated with this action are included under the Office of Management and Budget control number 0579–0049. E-Government Act Compliance The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is committed to compliance with the E-Government Act to promote the use of the internet and other information technologies, to provide increased opportunities for citizen access to Government information and services, and for other purposes. For information pertinent to E-Government Act compliance related to this notice, please contact Mr. Joseph Moxey, APHIS’ Paperwork Reduction Act Coordinator, at (301) 851–2533. Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1633, 7701–7772, and 7781–7786; 21 U.S.C. 136 and 136a; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.3. Done in Washington, DC, this 16th day of December 2024. Michael Watson, Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. [FR Doc. 2024–30453 Filed 12–19–24; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 2 On September 30, 2022, the APHIS Fruits and Vegetables Import Requirements (FAVIR) database was replaced by the ACIR database. PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 104077 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Food Safety and Inspection Service [Docket No. FSIS–2024–0024] National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods; Membership Nominations Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). ACTION: Notice; soliciting nominations. AGENCY: Pursuant to the provisions of the rules and regulations of the USDA and the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), the USDA is soliciting nominations for membership on the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF)and announcing potential charges for the 2025–2027 term. USDA seeks to appoint 30 members. Advisory Committee members serve a two-year term beginning September 2025 through September 2027. Members may be reappointed for one additional consecutive term at the discretion of the Secretary of Agriculture. DATES: All nomination packages must be received by February 18, 2025. ADDRESSES: Nomination packages should be sent by email to NACMCF@ usda.gov, or mailed to: The Honorable Thomas Vilsack, Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Room 1128 South Building, Attn: Kristal Southern, Designated Federal Officer, FSIS\OPHS\National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods, Washington, DC 20250. Docket: For access to documents, call (202) 205–5046 to schedule a time to visit the FSIS Docket Room at 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250–3700. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kristal Southern, Designated Federal Officer, by email to NACMCF@usda.gov or by telephone at 202–937–4162. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: USDA is soliciting nominations for membership to the NACMCF. USDA seeks to appoint 30 members. To obtain a scientific perspective that considers all stakeholders, USDA is seeking NACMCF nominees with scientific expertise in microbiology, risk assessment, public health, food science, and other relevant disciplines. USDA is seeking nominations for NACMCF from persons in academia, industry, and State governments, as well as all other interested persons with the required expertise. All nominees will undergo a USDA background check. Advisory committee SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\20DEN1.SGM 20DEN1 104078 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 245 / Friday, December 20, 2024 / Notices ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1 members who are not Federal government employees will be appointed to serve as non-compensated special government employees (SGE). SGEs will be subject to appropriate conflict of interest statutes and standards of ethical conduct. Members can serve on only one USDA Advisory Committee at a time. Applicants that are federally registered lobbyists will not be considered for USDA’s NACMCF. Committee members serve 2-year terms that can be reappointed for one additional term. Former members are eligible for repeat service after one term of non-service. Nominations for membership on the NACMCF must be addressed to the Secretary of Agriculture and a complete nomination package must include: a cover letter addressing the nomination, a resume or curriculum vitae, and a completed USDA Advisory Committee Membership Background Information form AD–755 (available online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/ files/documents/ad-755.pdf). The resume or curriculum vitae must be limited to five one-sided pages and should include educational background, expertise, and a list of select publications, if available. Any submissions with more than the prescribed five one-sided pages in length will have only the first five pages reviewed. A person may self-nominate, or a nomination can be made on behalf of someone else. Background The NACMCF provides impartial scientific advice and recommendations to the USDA and other government agencies on microbiological and public health issues relative to the safety of the U.S. food supply. The NACMCF is a discretionary advisory committee that was established in 1988, by the Secretary of Agriculture, and after consulting with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in response to the recommendations of two external organizations. The National Academy of Sciences recommended an interagency approach to microbiological criteria, since various federal, State, and local agencies are responsible for food safety. Also, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations made a similar recommendation in the Rural Development, Agriculture, and Related Agencies Appropriation Bill for fiscal year 1988. The charter for the NACMCF is available for viewing at https:// www.fsis.usda.gov/policy/advisorycommittees/national-advisorycommittee-microbiological-criteriafoods-nacmcf. The food safety programs VerDate Sep<11>2014 20:12 Dec 19, 2024 Jkt 265001 of the USDA FSIS and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are strengthened through NACMCF recommendations. The programs of other Federal agencies concerned with food safety, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Commerce, National Marine Fisheries Service, and the Department of Defense, Veterinary Services also benefit from NACMCF work. FSIS anticipates that the 2025– 2027 term Committee will work on charges related to one or more of the following topics: Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat meat and poultry products from FSIS, and food safety strategies for aged raw milk cheeses, from FDA. The Committee reports to the Secretary of Agriculture through the Under Secretary for Food Safety, the Committee’s Chair, and to the Secretary of Health and Human Services through the Assistant Secretary for Health or their representative, the Committee’s Vice-Chair. Currently, Dr. José Emilio Esteban, Under Secretary for Food Safety, USDA, is the Committee Chair; Dr. Donald Prater, Principal Associate Commissioner for Human Foods, FDA, is the Vice-Chair; and Dr. Kristal Southern, FSIS, is the Director of the NACMCF Secretariat and Designated Federal Officer. Appointments to the Committee will be made by the Secretary of Agriculture and take into account the needs of the diverse groups served by the USDA. The full Committee expects to meet at least once a year, virtually or in person, and the meetings will be announced in advance in the Federal Register. NACMCF holds subcommittee meetings in order to accomplish the work of the Committee; all subcommittee work is reviewed and approved during a public meeting of the full Committee, as announced in the Federal Register. Subcommittees may invite technical experts to present information for consideration by the subcommittee. All data and records available to the full Committee are expected to be available to the public after the full Committee has reviewed and approved the work of the subcommittee. Advisory committee members are expected to attend all scheduled meetings during their 2-year term to ensure the smooth functioning of the advisory committee. 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 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 reimbursements are available when in person meetings occur. 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. 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 online at: https://www.oge.gov/web/ oge.nsf/ethicsofficials_financial-disc. Documents and Comments NACMCF documents and comments posted on the FSIS website are electronic conversions from a variety of source formats. In some cases, document conversion may result in character translation or formatting errors. The original document is the official, legal copy. To meet the electronic and information technology accessibility standards in Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, NACMCF may add alternate text descriptors for nontext elements (graphs, charts, tables, multimedia, etc.). These modifications only affect the internet copies of the documents. Copyrighted documents will not be posted on FSIS’ website but will be available for inspection in the FSIS Docket Room. 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 it 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 Constituent 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: E:\FR\FM\20DEN1.SGM 20DEN1 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 245 / Friday, December 20, 2024 / Notices 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. ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1 USDA Non-Discrimination Statement In accordance with Federal civil rights law and USDA civil rights regulations and policies, USDA, its Mission Areas, agencies, staff offices, 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. Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language) should contact the responsible Mission Area, agency, or staff office; the USDA TARGET Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice and TTY); or the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877–8339. To file a program discrimination complaint, a complainant should complete Form AD–3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, which can be obtained online at https://www.usda.gov/forms/electronicforms, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632–9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD–3027 form or letter must be submitted 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; or (2) Fax: (833) 256–1665 or (202) 690– 7442; or (3) Email: program.intake@usda.gov. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. VerDate Sep<11>2014 20:12 Dec 19, 2024 Jkt 265001 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: December 13, 2024. Cikena Reid, USDA Committee Management Officer. [FR Doc. 2024–30484 Filed 12–19–24; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–DM–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Ottawa National Forest Resource Advisory Committee Forest Service, Agriculture (USDA). ACTION: Notice of meeting. AGENCY: The Ottawa National Forest Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will hold a public meeting according to the details shown below. The committee is authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community SelfDetermination Act (the Act) and operates in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The purpose of the committee is to improve collaborative relationships and to provide advice and recommendations to the Forest Service concerning projects and funding consistent with Title II of the Act, as well as make recommendations on recreation fee proposals for sites on the Ottawa National Forest, consistent with the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act. DATES: An in-person meeting will be held on January 22, 2025, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Central Standard Time. Written and Oral Comments: Anyone wishing to provide in-person oral comments must pre-register by 11:59 p.m. Central Standard Time on January 15, 2025. Written public comments will be accepted by 11:59 p.m. Central Standard Time on January 15, 2025. Comments submitted after this date will be provided by the Forest Service to the committee, but the committee may not have adequate time to consider those comments prior to the meeting. SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 104079 All committee meetings are subject to cancellation. For status of the meeting prior to attendance, please contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. ADDRESSES: This meeting will be held in person at the Watersmeet District Office, located at E23979 US 2 East, Watersmeet, Michigan 49969. Committee information and meeting details can be found at the following website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/ ottawa/workingtogether/ advisorycommittees or by contacting the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Written Comments: Written comments must be sent by email to paul.holeva@ usda.gov or via mail (postmarked) to Paul Holeva, Ottawa National Forest RAC Coordinator, E23979 US 2 East, Watersmeet, Michigan 49969. The Forest Service strongly prefers comments be submitted electronically. Oral Comments: Persons or organizations wishing to make oral comments must pre-register by 11:59 p.m. Central Standard Time on January 15, 2025, and speakers can only register for one speaking slot. Oral comments must be sent by email to paul.holeva@ usda.gov or via mail (postmarked) to Paul Holeva, Ottawa National Forest RAC Coordinator, E23979 US 2 East, Watersmeet, Michigan 49969. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Darla Lenz, Designated Federal Officer, by phone at (218) 556–5564 or email at darla.lenz@usda.gov; or Paul Holeva, RAC Coordinator, at (906) 280–8924 or email at paul.holeva@usda.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the meeting is to make funding recommendations on Title II projects. The agenda will include time for individuals to make oral statements of three minutes or less. Individuals wishing to make an oral statement should make a request in writing at least three days prior to the meeting date to be scheduled on the agenda. Written comments may be submitted to the Forest Service up to 14 days after the meeting date listed under DATES. Please contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, by or before the deadline, for all questions related to the meeting. All comments, including names and addresses when provided, are placed in the record and are available for public inspection and copying. The public may inspect comments received upon request. Meeting Accommodations: The meeting location is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the USDA provides reasonable E:\FR\FM\20DEN1.SGM 20DEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 245 (Friday, December 20, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 104077-104079]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-30484]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. FSIS-2024-0024]


National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for 
Foods; Membership Nominations

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

ACTION: Notice; soliciting nominations.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the provisions of the rules and regulations of the 
USDA and the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), the USDA is 
soliciting nominations for membership on the National Advisory 
Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF)and announcing 
potential charges for the 2025-2027 term. USDA seeks to appoint 30 
members. Advisory Committee members serve a two-year term beginning 
September 2025 through September 2027. Members may be reappointed for 
one additional consecutive term at the discretion of the Secretary of 
Agriculture.

DATES: All nomination packages must be received by February 18, 2025.

ADDRESSES: Nomination packages should be sent by email to 
[email protected], or mailed to: The Honorable Thomas Vilsack, Secretary, 
U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Room 1128 
South Building, Attn: Kristal Southern, Designated Federal Officer, 
FSIS\OPHS\National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for 
Foods, Washington, DC 20250.
    Docket: For access to documents, call (202) 205-5046 to schedule a 
time to visit the FSIS Docket Room at 1400 Independence Avenue SW, 
Washington, DC 20250-3700.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kristal Southern, Designated Federal 
Officer, by email to [email protected] or by telephone at 202-937-4162.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: USDA is soliciting nominations for 
membership to the NACMCF. USDA seeks to appoint 30 members.
    To obtain a scientific perspective that considers all stakeholders, 
USDA is seeking NACMCF nominees with scientific expertise in 
microbiology, risk assessment, public health, food science, and other 
relevant disciplines. USDA is seeking nominations for NACMCF from 
persons in academia, industry, and State governments, as well as all 
other interested persons with the required expertise.
    All nominees will undergo a USDA background check. Advisory 
committee

[[Page 104078]]

members who are not Federal government employees will be appointed to 
serve as non-compensated special government employees (SGE). SGEs will 
be subject to appropriate conflict of interest statutes and standards 
of ethical conduct. Members can serve on only one USDA Advisory 
Committee at a time. Applicants that are federally registered lobbyists 
will not be considered for USDA's NACMCF.
    Committee members serve 2-year terms that can be reappointed for 
one additional term. Former members are eligible for repeat service 
after one term of non-service.
    Nominations for membership on the NACMCF must be addressed to the 
Secretary of Agriculture and a complete nomination package must 
include: a cover letter addressing the nomination, a resume or 
curriculum vitae, and a completed USDA Advisory Committee Membership 
Background Information form AD-755 (available online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-755.pdf).
    The resume or curriculum vitae must be limited to five one-sided 
pages and should include educational background, expertise, and a list 
of select publications, if available. Any submissions with more than 
the prescribed five one-sided pages in length will have only the first 
five pages reviewed. A person may self-nominate, or a nomination can be 
made on behalf of someone else.

Background

    The NACMCF provides impartial scientific advice and recommendations 
to the USDA and other government agencies on microbiological and public 
health issues relative to the safety of the U.S. food supply.
    The NACMCF is a discretionary advisory committee that was 
established in 1988, by the Secretary of Agriculture, and after 
consulting with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and 
Human Services, in response to the recommendations of two external 
organizations. The National Academy of Sciences recommended an 
interagency approach to microbiological criteria, since various 
federal, State, and local agencies are responsible for food safety. 
Also, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations 
made a similar recommendation in the Rural Development, Agriculture, 
and Related Agencies Appropriation Bill for fiscal year 1988. The 
charter for the NACMCF is available for viewing at https://www.fsis.usda.gov/policy/advisory-committees/national-advisory-committee-microbiological-criteria-foods-nacmcf. The food safety 
programs of the USDA FSIS and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 
are strengthened through NACMCF recommendations. The programs of other 
Federal agencies concerned with food safety, including the Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Commerce, National 
Marine Fisheries Service, and the Department of Defense, Veterinary 
Services also benefit from NACMCF work. FSIS anticipates that the 2025-
2027 term Committee will work on charges related to one or more of the 
following topics: Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat meat and 
poultry products from FSIS, and food safety strategies for aged raw 
milk cheeses, from FDA.
    The Committee reports to the Secretary of Agriculture through the 
Under Secretary for Food Safety, the Committee's Chair, and to the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services through the Assistant Secretary 
for Health or their representative, the Committee's Vice-Chair. 
Currently, Dr. Jos[eacute] Emilio Esteban, Under Secretary for Food 
Safety, USDA, is the Committee Chair; Dr. Donald Prater, Principal 
Associate Commissioner for Human Foods, FDA, is the Vice-Chair; and Dr. 
Kristal Southern, FSIS, is the Director of the NACMCF Secretariat and 
Designated Federal Officer.
    Appointments to the Committee will be made by the Secretary of 
Agriculture and take into account the needs of the diverse groups 
served by the USDA.
    The full Committee expects to meet at least once a year, virtually 
or in person, and the meetings will be announced in advance in the 
Federal Register. NACMCF holds subcommittee meetings in order to 
accomplish the work of the Committee; all subcommittee work is reviewed 
and approved during a public meeting of the full Committee, as 
announced in the Federal Register. Subcommittees may invite technical 
experts to present information for consideration by the subcommittee. 
All data and records available to the full Committee are expected to be 
available to the public after the full Committee has reviewed and 
approved the work of the subcommittee.
    Advisory committee members are expected to attend all scheduled 
meetings during their 2-year term to ensure the smooth functioning of 
the advisory committee. 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 reimbursements are 
available when in person meetings occur.

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. 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 online at: https://www.oge.gov/web/oge.nsf/ethicsofficials_financial-disc.

Documents and Comments

    NACMCF documents and comments posted on the FSIS website are 
electronic conversions from a variety of source formats. In some cases, 
document conversion may result in character translation or formatting 
errors. The original document is the official, legal copy. To meet the 
electronic and information technology accessibility standards in 
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, NACMCF may add alternate text 
descriptors for non-text elements (graphs, charts, tables, multimedia, 
etc.). These modifications only affect the internet copies of the 
documents. Copyrighted documents will not be posted on FSIS' website 
but will be available for inspection in the FSIS Docket Room.

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 it 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 
Constituent 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:

[[Page 104079]]

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, USDA, its Mission Areas, agencies, staff 
offices, 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. Program information may be made 
available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities 
who require alternative means of communication to obtain program 
information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign 
Language) should contact the responsible Mission Area, agency, or staff 
office; the USDA TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY); or 
the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
    To file a program discrimination complaint, a complainant should 
complete Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, 
which can be obtained online at https://www.usda.gov/forms/electronic-forms, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a 
letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant's 
name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the 
alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the 
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date 
of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or 
letter must be submitted 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; or
    (2) Fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
    (3) Email: [email protected].
    USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
    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: December 13, 2024.
Cikena Reid,
USDA Committee Management Officer.
[FR Doc. 2024-30484 Filed 12-19-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P
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