21 U.S.C. § 679a Safe Meat and Poultry Inspection Panel

• Library: United States Statutes
• Edition: 2023 Edition
• Currency: Current through P.L. 118-19 (published on www.congress.gov on 10/06/2023)

(a) Establishment

There is established in the Department of Agriculture a permanent advisory panel to be known as the "Safe Meat and Poultry Inspection Panel" (referred to in this section as the "panel").

(b) Duties

(1) Review and evaluation

The panel shall review and evaluate, as the panel considers necessary, the adequacy, necessity, safety, cost-effectiveness, and scientific merit of-

(A) inspection procedures of, and work rules and worker relations involving Federal employees employed in, plants inspected under this chapter;

(B) informal petitions or proposals for changes in inspection procedures, processes, and techniques of plants inspected under this chapter;

(C) formal changes in meat inspection regulations promulgated under this chapter, whether in notice, proposed, or final form; and

(D) such other matters as may be referred to the panel by the Secretary regarding the quality or effectiveness of a safe and cost-effective meat inspection system under this chapter.

(2) Reports

(A) In general

The panel shall submit to the Secretary a report on the results of each review and evaluation carried out under paragraph (1), including such recommendations as the panel considers appropriate.

(B) Reports on formal changes

In the case of a report concerning a formal change in meat inspection regulations, the report shall be made within the time limits prescribed for formal comments on such changes.

(C) Publication in Federal Register

Each report of the panel to the Secretary shall be published in the Federal Register.

(c) Secretarial response

Not later than 90 days after the publication of a panel report under subsection (b)(2)(C), the Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register any response required of the Secretary to the report.

(d) Composition of panel

The panel shall be composed of 7 members, not fewer than 5 of whom shall be from the food science, meat science, or poultry science profession, appointed to staggered terms not to exceed 3 years by the Secretary from nominations received from the National Institutes of Health and the Federation of American Societies of Food Animal Science and based on the professional qualifications of the nominees.

(e) Nominations

(1) Initial panel

In constituting the initial panel, the Secretary shall solicit 6 nominees from the National Institutes of Health and 6 nominees from the Federation of American Societies of Food Animal Science for membership on the panel.