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DEPARTMENTAL
REGULATION |
NUMBER: 1043-031 |
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SUBJECT: Advisory Committee on Animal Health |
DATE: June
11, 2010 |
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OPI: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service |
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1. PURPOSE
This regulation establishes the Advisory Committee on
Animal Health (Committee).
2. SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS/CANCELLATION
a.
The
duration of the Committee shall be 2 years.
b.
This
regulation will expire 2 years from the date of filing.
3. AUTHORITY
The Committee is established by the Secretary of the Department of
Agriculture in accordance with the Federal
Advisory Committee Act (FACA) as amended, 5 U.S.C. App.2.
4. OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE
The purpose is to advise the Secretary of
Agriculture on means to prevent, conduct surveillance for,
monitor, control, or eradicate animal diseases of national importance. In doing
so, the committee will consider public health, conservation of natural
resources, and the stability of livestock economies.
5. DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES
The duties of the Committee involve advising
USDA on:
a.
USDA’s livestock
disease management and traceability strategies.
b.
Engaging Tribal, small
and minority farmers, and nontraditional livestock producers in safeguarding
animal health.
c.
Prioritizing
animal health initiatives.
d.
Other matters of
import to the Secretary relating to the prevention, control, or eradication of
animal diseases.
6. OFFICIAL TO WHOM THE COMMITTEE REPORTS
The Advisory Committee on Animal Health makes recommendations to the
Secretary of Agriculture.
7. SUPPORT
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service,
8. ESTIMATED ANNUAL COSTS AND STAFF YEARS
Estimated annual operating expenses are
$60,000 and .25 FTE staff years.
9. DESIGNATED FEDERAL OFFICIAL
The Chief Operating Officer of Veterinary Services, Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service shall serve as the DFO. As a full-time or permanent part-time
employee, appointed in accordance with agency procedures, the DFO or the alternate
DFO will approve or call all of the advisory committee’s meetings,
prepare and approve all meeting agendas, attend all committee meetings, adjourn
any meeting when the DFO determines adjournment to be in the public interest,
and chair meetings when directed to do so by the official to whom the advisory
committee reports.
10. ESTIMATED NUMBER AND FREQUENCY OF MEETINGS
The Committee will meet approximately one or more times annually as
determined to be in the interest of USDA.
All meetings will be open to the public.
11. DURATION AND TERMINATION
This committee will be established for 2 years from the filing date of
the charter. If the work of the
Committee is completed before that date, the committee will be terminated in
accordance with FACA.
12. MEMBERSHIP AND DESIGNATION
a. The Committee shall consist of no more than
20 people appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture.
b. Membership
balance will be achieved by appointments to be composed of persons from a
variety of geographic localities, representing a broad spectrum of farmers,
scientists, trade association representatives, the university community, and
representatives from other groups with related interests. Members
shall include but not be limited to
representatives from the following groups:
(1) Cattle producers / cattle producer groups;
(2) Poultry producers /poultry producer groups;
(3) Swine producers / swine producer groups;
(4) Sheep and goat producers / sheep and goat
producer organizations;
(5) Aquaculture producers / aquaculture producer groups;
(6) Animal welfare organizations;
(7) Wildlife/zoo biologists or veterinarians
(8) Veterinarians / veterinary professional
organizations;
(9) Organic producers / organic producer groups;
(10) Tribal
and State animal health officials;
(11) Livestock
marketing and processing groups
c.
The
Committee may require specialized expertise to advise the committee on complex scientific
and/or technical matters. These members
will serve as Special Government Employees (SGE). Appropriate consultation with ethics
officials will be conducted and SGEs will follow appropriate ethics guidelines
as required by the Office of Government Ethics.
d.
Members
shall serve without compensation, but may receive reimbursement for travel
expenses and per diem in accordance with USDA travel regulations for attendance
at Committee functions.
e. The DFO shall select a Chairperson and Vice
Chair upon consultation with the members of the Committee.
f. Equal opportunity practices, consistent with
USDA policies will be followed in all appointments to the Committee. To
ensure that recommendations of the committee take into account the needs of the
diverse groups served by the Department, membership shall include, to the
extent practicable, individuals with demonstrated ability to represent
minorities, women, and persons with disabilities.
13. SUBCOMMITTEES
The DFO may form subcommittees for purposes consistent with this
charter. Any subcommittee, workgroup or
task force must report back to the parent committee and must not provide advice
or work products directly to the Agency.
14. RECORDKEEPING
Records of the Committee, formally and informally established
subcommittees, or other subgroups of the Committee, will be handled in
accordance with General Records Schedule 26, Item 2 or other approved USDA
records directives and disposition schedule.
These records will be available for public inspection and copying,
subject to the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552 and FACA.
15. FILING DATE
This charter will be filed with the Library of Congress, the Secretariat,
and Congressional oversight committees as required by FACA. The filing date shall be the day the charter
is filed with the standing committees of the Senate and House of
Representatives having legislative jurisdiction of the agency.
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