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President's National Food Safety Initiative
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
[Federal Register: August 27, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 166)]
[Notices]
[Page 45921-45923]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr27au98-170]
[[Page 45921]]
_______________________________________________________________________
Part III
Department of Agriculture
Food Safety and Inspection Service
Department of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Food and Drug Administration
Environmental Protection Agency
_______________________________________________________________________
President's National Food Safety Initiative; Notice
[[Page 45922]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. 98-045N]
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Food and Drug Administration
[Docket No. 97N-0074]
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[Docket No. OPP-00550; FRL-6019-9]
President's National Food Safety Initiative
AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA; Research, Education,
and Economics, USDA; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HHS;
Food and Drug Administration, HHS; Environmental Protection Agency.
ACTION: Notice: public meeting; establishment of public dockets.
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SUMMARY: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) are announcing a public meeting to discuss and
begin development of a comprehensive strategic Federal food safety
plan. The purpose of the strategic plan is to reduce the annual
incidence of acute and chronic foodborne and waterborne illness by
further enhancing the safety of the nation's food supply. USDA, the
Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and EPA are also establishing
public dockets to receive comments about the Food Safety Initiative's
strategic planning process and the plan.
DATES: The meeting will be held on October 2, 1998, from 9:30 a.m. to 3
p.m. Comments should be submitted by November 25, 1998.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at: National Rural Electric
Cooperative Association, 4301 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA.
For instructions on the submission of written and electronic
comments, refer to Unit II. of this document.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To register for the meeting, contact
Ms. Traci Phebus, of USDA, at (202) 501-7136, fax: (202) 501-7642, e-
mail: foodsafetymeeting@usda.gov. Participants may reserve time for
public comments when they register. Space will be allocated on a first
come, first served basis. Participants are encouraged to submit a disk
along with their written statements in Wordperfect 5.1/6.1 or ASCII
file format.
Questions regarding general arrangements and logistical matters
should be addressed to Ms. Torrie Mattes. Additionally, participants
who require a sign language interpreter or other special accommodations
should contact Ms. Torrie Mattes, of USDA, no later than 10 days prior
to the meeting, at (202) 501-7136, fax: (202) 501-7642, e-mail:
T.Mattes@usda.gov.
For questions about the meeting or to obtain copies of the report,
``Food Safety From Farm to Table: A National Food Safety Initiative,''
contact Ms. Karen Carson, of FDA, at (202) 205-5140, fax: (202) 205-
5025, e-mail: kcarson@Bangate.fda.gov. Copies of the report also are
available from the following web sites:
FDA at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/<difference>dms/fsreport.html
CDC at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/foodsafe/report.htm
EPA at http://www.epa.gov/opptsfrs/home/nfssuppt.htm
Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) at http://
www.fsis.usda.gov
Information about the National Academy of Sciences' report on
``Ensuring Safe Food from Production to Consumption'' can be found at
the following web site: http://www.nas.edu.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
On January 25, 1997, the President issued a directive to the
Secretaries of USDA and HHS and the Administrator of EPA to work with
consumers, producers, industry, States, Tribes, universities, and the
public to identify ways to further improve the safety of our food
supply, and to report back to him in 90 days. The Federal food safety
agencies, working with their colleagues in the States, in the food
industries, in academia, and with consumers, initially focused on the
goal of reducing illness caused by microbial contamination of food and
water. This goal was to be reached through systematic improvements in
six key components of the food safety system: foodborne outbreak
response coordination, surveillance, inspections, research, risk
assessment, and education. The plan for meeting this goal was presented
to the President in May 1997, in ``Food Safety From Farm to Table: A
National Food Safety Initiative.'' In October 1997, the President
issued an additional directive to ensure the safety of domestic and
imported fresh produce and other imported foods. This second directive
was incorporated into the National Food Safety Initiative (NFSI).
In less than 2 years, the agencies have taken significant strides
forward in building a strengthened national food safety system.
Building blocks for the infrastructure are in place: increased and
targeted surveillance through FoodNet and PulseNet; coordination of
Federal, State and local responses to outbreaks by the Foodborne
Outbreak Response Coordinating Group (FORCG); expanded reliance on
preventive controls (such as the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control
Points (HACCP) based inspection systems for meat, poultry and seafood,
and Good Agricultural and Good Manufacturing Practices guidance for
produce); coordination of Federal food safety research; cooperation on
risk assessment through the interagency Risk Assessment Consortium;
leveraging inspection resources; and innovative public/private
education partnerships. These efforts provide a common ground for
moving forward.
In the May 1997 report, the food safety agencies made a commitment
to prepare a 5-year comprehensive strategic plan, with the
participation of all concerned parties. The President recently issued
an Executive Order establishing a President's Food Safety Council which
will now be responsible for development of a comprehensive strategic
Federal food safety plan. A coordinated food safety strategic planning
effort is needed to build on the common ground, and to tackle some of
the difficult public health, resource, and management questions facing
Federal food safety agencies. The strategic plan will focus on not just
microbial contamination, but the full range of issues and actions
necessary to ensure the safety of the food and water Americans use and
consume. The charge is to develop a strategic long-range plan that can
be used to help set priorities, improve coordination and efficiency,
identify gaps in the current system and how to fill those gaps, enhance
and strengthen prevention and intervention strategies, and identify
measures to show progress. In developing the plan, the agencies will
consider the conclusions and recommendations of the National Academy of
Sciences' report on ``Ensuring Safe Food from Production to
Consumption'' and the review of Federal food safety research and the
research plan currently being developed by an interagency working group
under the auspices of the National Science and Technology Council.
The food safety agencies have already taken the first steps to lay
the
[[Page 45923]]
groundwork for development of the strategic plan, which the Council
will now develop, by participating in interagency strategic planning
sessions. The result is the following draft statement encompassing the
agencies' vision for the U.S. food safety system and the roles of all
those involved in food safety.
Consumers can be confident that food is safe, healthy, and
affordable. We work within a seamless food safety system that uses
farm-to-table preventive strategies and integrated research,
surveillance, inspection, and enforcement. We are vigilant to new
and emergent threats and consider the needs of vulnerable
populations. We use science- and risk-based approaches along with
public/private partnerships. Food is safe because everyone
understands and accepts their responsibilities.
The next step is to engage consumers, producers, industry, food
service providers, retailers, health professionals, State and local
governments, Tribes, academia, and the public in the strategic planning
process, beginning with a discussion of the draft vision statement and
how to structure a strategic planning process that involves all
interested parties and best addresses the important food safety
challenges and makes the best use of the agencies' limited resources.
This October 2nd meeting is the first of several public meetings to
assist with development of a long-term strategic plan. Additional
public meetings will be announced in the Federal Register prior to the
date of each meeting.
The purpose of the October 2nd meeting is to obtain the public's
view on a long-term vision for food safety in the U.S. and to identify
a strategic planning process, goals, and critical steps as well as
potential barriers to achieving that vision. The Council is interested
in comments on the draft vision statement and suggestions for goals and
how they might be achieved. Some questions to help frame the discussion
follow.
1. Does the vision statement accurately depict an achievable food
safety system vision? What modifications, if any, would you make?
2. What are the barriers to pursuing this vision? What gaps
currently exist in the food safety system that impede achievement of
this vision?
3. To make the vision a reality, what changes are needed for: (a)
government agencies at the Federal, State, and local level; (b)
industry; (c) public health professionals; (d) consumers; and (e)
others?
4. What should be the short-term goals and critical steps to
realize this vision? What should be the long-term goals and steps?
5. What is the best way to involve the public in development of a
long-term food safety strategic plan? What additional steps besides
public meetings would be beneficial?
II. Public Dockets and Submission of Comments
The agencies are announcing the establishment of public dockets
about the Food Safety Initiative Strategic Plan. Comments submitted to
the dockets are to be identified with the appropriate docket number.
For those comments directed to USDA, use Docket No. 98-045N, and for
comments directed to FDA, use Docket No. 97N-0074. Commenters are
encouraged to submit a disk along with their written comments in
Wordperfect 5.1/6.1 or ASCII file format. Submit written comments (in
triplicate) to:
USDA/FSIS
USDA/FSIS Hearing Clerk, 300 12th St., SW., Rm. 102 Cotton Annex,
Washington, DC 20250-3700
FDA
Dockets Management Branch (HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration,
12420 Parklawn Drive, Rm. 1-23, Rockville, MD 20857
Electronic Comments
Comments may also be submitted electronically to:
oppts.homepage@epa.gov. All comments and data in electronic form must
be identified by the docket number ``OPP-00550.'' Electronic comments
must be submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the use of special
characters and any form of encryption.
Transcripts
Transcripts of the public meetings may be requested in writing from
the Freedom of Information Office (HFI-35), Food and Drug
Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rm. 12A-16, Rockville, MD 20857,
approximately 15 working days after the meeting at a cost of 10 cents
per page. The transcripts of the public meetings will be available for
public examination at the FDA Dockets Management Branch (address above)
between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal
holidays. Transcripts of the meetings will also be available on the
internet at: http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/default.htm and http://
www.epa.gov/opptsfrs/home/nfssuppt.htm.
Electronic Docket
The public docket in its entirety will be available on the internet
at: http://www.epa.gov/opptsfrs/home/rules.htm#docket.
List of Subjects
Environmental protection, Food safety.
Dated: August 20, 1998.
Catherine E. Woteki,
Undersecretary for Food Safety, United States Department of
Agriculture.
Dated: August 20, 1998.
James A. O'Hara,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health, Department of Health and Human
Services.
Dated: August 20, 1998.
Lynn R. Goldman,
Assistant Administrator for Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic
Substances, Environmental Protection Agency.
[FR Doc. 98-22802 Filed 8-25-98; 11:18 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F