Federal Register: February 20, 1997 (Volume 62, Number 34) Notices Page 7749 From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access wais.access.gpo.gov ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Food Safety and Inspection Service Docket No. 97-003N President's National Food Safety Initiative AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and Research, Education, and Economics; The Department of Health and Human Services' Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control; and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will convene a public meeting to discuss the ``President's National Food Safety Initiative.'' At this meeting, participants will be briefed on the purpose of the President's initiative and on the agenda for a second public meeting to be held in April. The goal of the April meeting will be to discuss and develop, for the President, comprehensive recommendations for reducing, to the greatest extent possible, the annual incidence of foodborne illness by enhancing the safety of the Nation's food supply. DATES: The meeting will be held from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. on March 5, 1997. ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Jefferson Auditorium, 1400 Independence Ave, SW, Washington, DC 20250. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To register for the meeting, contact Lisa Parks at (202) 501-7138, FAX (202) 501-7642, or E-mail usdafsis/ s=confer@mhs.attmail.com. For questions about the meeting or to obtain copies of a draft report, contact Mr. Charles Danner, FSIS at (202) 501-7138 or Ms. Caren Carson, FDA at (202) 205-5140. Copies of the draft report also are available from the following: FSIS at http://www.usda.gov/fsis or FDA at http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/list.html. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On January 25, 1997, the President directed the Secretaries of USDA and HHS and the Administrator of the EPA to work with consumers, producers, industry, States, universities, and the public to identify ways to further improve the safety of our food supply through government and private sector action, including public private partnerships, and make recommendations to the President. The President requested that the recommendations identify steps to further improve surveillance, inspection, research, risk assessment, education, and coordination among local, State, and Federal health authorities. To carry out the President's initiative, two public meetings will be held. At the first meeting, government officials will discuss the current thinking on the President's six areas of concern. They also will discuss the agenda and goal of the meeting to be held in April. At the April meeting, participants will be asked to identify problems and provide recommendations related to the President's six areas of concern. A second Federal Register notice will be published that provides additional information about the time, location, and focus of the April meeting. Done at Washington, DC, on: February 13, 1997. Thomas J. Billy, Administrator. FR Doc. 97-4124 Filed 2-14-97; 9:54 am BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P