Source:  Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE.COM, 6/4/10

USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced it will hold a series of public meetings starting June 14 to discuss and receive public input on the agency's draft proposed guidance concerning Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) validation.

FSIS made a preliminary draft of the validation guidance available in March which caused considerable concern, particularly by smaller processors, about what type of testing procedures might be involved in the new guidance.

No new requirements

"The guidance is being created to help establishments understand existing requirements, and they do not impose new testing or microbiological requirements on establishments," FSIS Administrator Al Almanza said in a news release announcing the public hearings. "By receiving public input, we can ensure the guidance is helpful to plant owners and operators."

"USDA is deeply committed to enhancing food safety in a way that supports small processors," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in the release. "FSIS' transparent and open process for developing this guidance is designed to ensure that the agency can effectively help establishments of all sizes improve the safety of their products and reduce the incidence of foodborne illness."

The first of a series of three hearings will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on June 14 in the USDA South Building, Jefferson Auditorium, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC.

Comments on the preliminary draft are due June 19. FSIS will review the comments and then announce an updated draft document in the Federal Register in July for a second round of comments. As part of the second comment period, FSIS will hold two additional public meetings, each including presentations, a question and answer period, and a public comment period.

The preliminary draft guidance and more information on validation are available on the FSIS Web site.

Pre-registration for these meetings is encouraged and can be done on the FSIS Web site. 

For any additional information regarding the registration process, contact Sheila Johnson, Congressional and Public Affairs Office, at 202-690-6498 or by email at Sheila.Johnson@fsis.usda.gov.