29076 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 103 / Tuesday, May 29, 2001 / Notices

sample basis as they enter the U.S., after

they have already been inspected and

passed by the foreign country’s

equivalent inspection system.

About 75 FSIS inspectors carry out

reinspection at approximately 150

official import establishments located at

land and water ports on the perimeter

of the country. All shipments of

products are checked for proper

certification and general condition, and

some shipments are randomly selected

for additional reinspection assignments

as directed by the Automated Import

Information System (AIIS). The AIIS,

which was implemented in 1978, is a

computer system that links all ports of

entry, makes inspection assignments,

and collects compliance histories for

countries and plants. FSIS uses AIIS

information in verifying and evaluating

the performance of the foreign country’s

inspection system. FSIS import

inspectors enter data about shipments,

and the AIIS identifies shipments for

sampling and determines the

appropriate inspection assignment.

Assignments can include product

examination; determination of condition

of container; and microbiological,

residue, and food chemistry laboratory

analysis.

The principle underlying FSIS import

inspection activities is the systems

approach, which focuses on a foreign

country’s overall inspection system

rather than on individual

establishments. The intent of the current

revision of the port-of-entry

reinspection program is to extend the

systems approach to all port-of-entry

activities.

For all countries except Canada, the

monitoring assignments directed by the

AIIS are based on the compliance

history of the foreign plant for the

specific product being imported. Since

1989, FSIS has used a random sampling

approach for shipments from Canada.

For Canada, the AIIS randomly selects

shipments from the country, as a whole,

for monitoring sampling by FSIS. Once

selected, a shipment is subject to the

full range of reinspection assignments

applicable to the specific product. By

contrast, the shipments selected for

reinspection from all other countries are

subject to one or more reinspection

assignments based on the compliance

history of the plant.

FSIS plans to revise the port of entry

reinspection program for imported meat

and poultry products by extending to all

countries the systems approach used to

monitor Canada for more than 10 years.

FSIS plans to revise the reinspection

system to: (1) Focus the sampling of

products at port of entry on monitoring

a country’s inspection system rather

than individual plants within the

system; (2) reprogram the AIIS to

accommodate the new system and to

provide better information for making

equivalency decisions; and (3) modify

procedural and facility requirements for

import establishments to increase the

responsibility of the industry for control

of imported meat and poultry. Some

elements could require rulemaking, and

FSIS will use the public meeting to

explain current thinking on the subject.

Re-programming the AIIS is long

overdue and will provide an automated

system better able to respond to

inspection changes and to provide

timely reports on a country’s

performance to program managers. FSIS

estimates that the new system will be

fully operational by the end of 2001.

Adoption of the systems approach for

port-of-entry reinspection of meat and

poultry from all countries will facilitate

the collection of more statistically

reliable data on a country’s

performance. FSIS currently uses more

than 300 product codes to designate

product categories for import

reinspection. Changing the entry of

shipment data in the AIIS to processing

categories already established by FSIS

in the HACCP regulations (9 CFR

417.2(b)(i)–(ix)), e.g, raw product

ground; raw product not ground;

thermally processed-commercially

sterile; product not heat treated-shelf

stable; and fully cooked-not shelf stable,

will streamline the system and make it

more compatible with HACCP rules.

Using the domestic program’s

processing category system will simplify

entry, ensure consistency between

domestic and imported requirements,

and provide a seamless system that can

be more easily used by all FSIS

inspectors.

FSIS will not change the standards

used to judge the acceptability of meat

and poultry products re-inspected at the

port of entry. When the shipment fails

a reinspection, the exporting

establishment will continue to be

subject to follow-up sampling, which is

in addition to the targeted monitoring

levels for the exporting country.

FSIS believes that the modernization

of the way it performs reinspection of

imported meat and poultry products is

necessary to fully utilize the systems

approach and to strengthen the basis for

judging the continued equivalence of

inspection systems maintained by

foreign countries exporting meat and

poultry products to the U.S.

The Agency invites all interested

parties to participate in the June 8, 2001,

public meeting to gain a better

understanding of the changes FSIS

plans to make and to have the

opportunity to request clarification.

Additional Public Notification

Public awareness of all segments of

rulemaking and policy development is

important. Consequently, in an effort to

better ensure that minorities, women,

and persons with disabilities are aware

of this notice, FSIS will announce it and

provide copies of this Federal Register

publication in the FSIS Constituent

Update. FSIS provides a weekly FSIS

Constituent Update, which is

communicated via fax to over 300

organizations and individuals. In

addition, the update is available on-line

through the FSIS web page located at

http://www.fsis.usda.gov. The update is

used to provide information regarding

FSIS policies, procedures, regulations,

Federal Register notices, FSIS public

meetings, recalls, and any other types of

information that could affect or would

be of interest to our constituents/

stakeholders. The constituent fax list

consists of industry, trade, and farm

groups, consumer interest groups, allied

health professionals, scientific

professionals, and other individuals that

have requested to be included. Through

these various channels, FSIS is able to

provide information to a much broader,

more diverse audience. For more

information and to be added to the

constituent fax list, fax your request to

the Congressional and Public Affairs

Office, at (202) 720–5704.

Done at Washington, DC on: May 23, 2001.

Thomas J. Billy,

Administrator.

[FR Doc. 01–13387 Filed 5–25–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–DM–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. 01–014N]

National Advisory Committee on Meat

and Poultry Inspection

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection

Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

SUMMARY: The National Advisory

Committee on Meat and Poultry

Inspection (NACMPI) will hold a public

meeting on June 5–6, 2001, to review

and discuss three issues: (1) Emerging

egg and egg products strategy, (2)

Industry’s petition of proposed changes

to the HACCP final rule—Agency

current thinking, and (3) Federal, State,

and Local government working

relationships on food safety issues—

new directions. The three

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 103 / Tuesday, May 29, 2001 / Notices 29077

subcommittees of the full Committee

will also meet on June 5, 2001, to work

on issues discussed during the full

Committee session. All interested

parties are welcome to attend the

meeting and to submit written

comments and suggestions concerning

issues the Committee will review and

discuss.

DATES: The full Committee will hold a

public meeting on Tuesday, June 5, and

Wednesday, June 6, 2001 from 8:30 a.m.

to 5:00 p.m. Subcommittees will hold

open meetings on Tuesday, June 5,

2001, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Note: FSIS was not able to publish

notification of this public meeting in the

Federal Register at least 15 days prior to the

meeting, as required by Departmental

Regulation 1041–001, due to late changes to

the agenda.

ADDRESSES: All Committee meetings

will take place at the Holiday Inn

Capitol at the Smithsonian Hotel, 550 C

Street, SW., Washington, DC 20024;

telephone (202) 554–2780. The full

committee will meet in main ballroom

Columbia I & II on June 5–6, 2001. The

subcommittees will meet in the Saturn,

Venus and Jupiter Rooms. A meeting

agenda is available on the FSIS Web Site

at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/

nacmpi which is a sub-web page of the

FSIS Homepage at http://

www.fsis.usda.gov. Submit one original

and two copies of written comments to

FSIS Docket Room, Docket #01–014N,

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food

Safety and Inspection Service, Room

102 Cotton Annex, 300 12th Street SW.,

Washington, DC 20250–3700.

Comments may also be sent by facsimile

(202) 205–0381. The comments and the

official transcript of the meeting, when

they become available, will be kept in

the FSIS Docket Room at the address

provided above. All comments received

in response to this notice will be

considered part of the public record and

will be available for reviewing in the

FSIS Docket Room between 8:30 a.m.

and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Charles L. Gioglio for technical

information at (202) 205–0256 and for

meeting information contact Sonya L.

West at (202) 720–2561, FAX (202) 205–

0157, or E-mail sonya.west@usda.gov.

Persons requiring a sign language

interpreter or other special

accommodations should notify Ms.

West by May 29, 2001, at the above

numbers or by e-mail. Information is

also available on FSIS Web Site at 

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/

nacmpi.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On January 19, 2001, the Secretary of

Agriculture renewed the charter for the

NACMPI. The Committee provides

advice and recommendations to the

Secretary of Agriculture pertaining to

the Federal and State meat and poultry

inspection programs pursuant to

sections 7(c), 24, 205, 301(a)(3), and

301(c) of the Federal Meat Inspection

Act and sections 5(a)(3), 5(c), 8(b), and

11(e) of the Poultry Products Inspection

Act. The Administrator of FSIS is the

chairperson of the Committee.

Membership of the Committee is drawn

from representatives of consumer

groups; producers, processors, and

marketers from the meat and poultry

industry; State government officials; and

academia. The current members of the

NACMPI are: Dr. Gladys Bayse,

Spelman College; Nancy Donley, Safe

Tables Our Priority; Sandra Eskin,

American Association of Retired

Persons; Carol Tucker Foreman, Food

Policy Institute, Consumer Federation of

America; Michael Govro, Oregon

Department of Agriculture; Martin

Holmes, North American Meat

Processors; Dr. Lee C. Jan, Texas

Department of Health; Alice Johnson,

National Turkey Federation; Collette

Schultz Kaster, Premium Standard

Farms; Dr. Daniel E. LaFontaine, South

Carolina Meat Poultry Inspection

Department; Dr. Irene Leech, Virginia

Tech; Charles Link, Rocco Inc.; Dr.

Catherine Logue, North Dakota State

University; Michael Mamminga, Iowa

Department of Agriculture; Dr. Dale

Morse, New York Office of Public

Health; Dr. Elsa Murano, Texas A&M

University; and John Neal, Courseys

Smoked Meats.

The Committee has three standing

subcommittees to deliberate on specific

issues and make recommendations to

the whole Committee. The Committee

makes recommendations to the

Secretary of Agriculture.

Members of the public will be

required to register before entering the

meeting.

Additional Public Notification

Public awareness of all segments of

rulemaking and policy development is

important. Consequently, in an effort to

better ensure that minorities, women,

and persons with disabilities are aware

of this notice, FSIS will announce it and

provide copies of this Federal Register

publication in the FSIS Constituent

Update. FSIS provides a weekly FSIS

Constituent Update, which is

communicated via fax to over 300

organizations and individuals. In

addition, the update is available on-line

through the FSIS web page located at

http://www.fsis.usda.gov. The update is

used to provide information regarding

FSIS policies, procedures, regulations,

Federal Register notices, FSIS public

meetings, recalls, and any other types of

information that could affect or would

be of interest to our constituents/

stakeholders. The constituent fax list

consists of industry, trade, and farm

groups, consumer interest groups, allied

health professionals, scientific

professionals, and other individuals that

have requested to be included. Through

these various channels, FSIS is able to

provide information to a much broader,

more diverse audience.

For more information and to be added

to the constituent fax list, fax your

request to the Congressional and Public

Affairs Office, at (202) 720–5704.

Done at Washington, DC on: May 23, 2001.

Thomas J. Billy,

Administrator.

[FR Doc. 01–13388 Filed 5–25–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–DM–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Environmental Assessment for an

Amendment to the Mark Twain

National Forest Land and Resource

Management Plan: Barry, Bollinger,

Boone, Butler, Callaway, Carter,

Christian, Crawford, Dent, Douglas,

Howell, Iron, Laclede, Madison,

Oregon, Ozark, Phelps, Pulaski,

Reynolds, Ripley, Ste. Genevieve, St.

Francis, Shannon, Stone, Taney,

Texas, Washington, Wayne and Wright

Counties, MO

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

SUMMARY: On May 28, 1999, Mark

Twain National Forest supervisor,

Randy Moore, (Responsible Official)

initiated a proposal to amend the 1986

Mark Twain National Forest Land and

Resource Management Plan (Forest

Plan). On April 26, 2001, the resultant

Environmental Assessment available for

a 30 day public comment period. Copies

of the Environmental Assessment are

available upon request. The current

preferred alternative (Alternative 3),

adds standards and guidelines for Fish/

Aquatic Ecosystems, Recreation

Management, Heritage Resources

management and adds Management

Prescription 7.1. This notice is provided

pursuant to National Forest System

Land and Resource Management

Planning regulations (36 CFR part 217,

65 FR 67579, November 9, 2000)