Source: USDA, 9/15/11

USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service today announced a two-day public meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMPI) to review and discuss agency pre-harvest and validation performance measures.

The meetings will be held Sept. 22 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sept. 23 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Registration will begin on-site 8:30 a.m. each day.

These meetings will expand on the pre-harvest discussions begun at the 2010 NACMPI meeting and more thoroughly explore options to prevent hazards from entering establishments on source animals or products. After the issues are presented to the full committee, NACMPI will divide into two subcommittees, meet and develop recommendations. Each subcommittee will provide a report of their comments and recommendations to the full committee before it concludes activities on Sept. 23.

Meeting location details and agenda will be accessible at the NACMPI website at: www.fsis.usda.gov/About_FSIS/NACMPI

Established in 1971, the 17-member NACMPI meets on food safety concerns and advises the Secretary of Agriculture on matters affecting federal and state inspection program activities. It also contributes to USDA's regulatory policy development. Recommendations are sent to USDA’s Under Secretary for Food Safety for consideration and review by the Secretary of Agriculture.

For meeting information, contact Sally Fernandez at (202) 690-6524 or via e-mail at: sally.fernandez@fsis.usda.gov.

FSIS welcomes comments through Nov. 1, 2011, on the topics discussed at the NACMPI public meeting. Comments may be submitted via e-mail to: NACMPI@fsis.usda.gov or by mail sent to National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection, USDA, FSIS, 14th & Independence Avenue, SW., Room 1175, South Building, Washington, DC 20250. All submissions must include the Agency name and docket number FSIS-2011-0019.