[Federal Register: November 20, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 225)]
[Notices]               
[Page 70310]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr20no08-36]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2008-0129]

 
Public Meetings; National Tuberculosis Program Listening Sessions

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service will host a series of public meetings to provide the 
public with an opportunity to offer comments regarding current 
challenges and new approaches for future tuberculosis control methods 
and eradication in view of budgetary constraints.

DATES: The public meetings will be held in Michigan on December 8, 
2008; in Minnesota on December 10, 2008; in Texas on December 11, 2008; 
in California on December 12, 2008; and in Washington, DC, on December 
16, 2008. The public meetings will be held from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 
local time. Meeting registration will be from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. prior to 
each public meeting.

ADDRESSES: The public meetings will be held at the following locations:
     Michigan: Holiday Inn South Convention Center, 6820 South 
Cedar Street, Lansing, MI 48911;
     Minnesota: Hilton Minneapolis, 1001 Marquette Avenue 
South, Minneapolis, MN 55403;
     Texas: Hilton Garden Inn Austin Downtown, 500 North I H 
35, Austin, TX 78701;
     California: Sheraton Grand Sacramento Hotel, 1230 J 
Street, Sacramento, CA 95814; and
     Washington, DC: Washington Marriott at Metro Center, 775 
12th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Alecia L. Naugle, Program Manager, 
National Tuberculosis Program, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 43, 
Riverdale, MD, 20737; (301) 734-6954.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is 
announcing a series of meetings to discuss its National Tuberculosis 
(TB) Program. The meetings are designed to assemble a wide range of 
producers and other stakeholders to discuss current challenges and 
potential new approaches for TB control and eradication in view of 
budgetary constraints. The meetings will be held in various 
geographical locations to facilitate attendance. Participants will have 
the opportunity to pose questions and offer written and oral comments. 
Tentative topics and questions for discussion at the upcoming meetings 
include:
    1. Regulatory Framework. What is the role of State statuses in the 
National TB Program of the future? Are there other approaches to 
establishing movement restrictions and testing requirements that more 
effectively reduce the risk(s) of disease transmission from affected 
herds?
    2. Wildlife Issues. How should the risk of TB associated with 
disease transmission in wildlife be mitigated?
    3. Biosecurity Issues. How could producers be encouraged to adopt 
management and biosecurity practices that reduce the risk of 
transmission of TB and how could the National TB Program facilitate 
producers' adoption of these practices?
    4. Budget Concerns. What alternatives exist for funding National TB 
Program activities?
    5. Future of Indemnities. How should limited indemnity funds be 
used to reduce the risk of continued disease transmission in affected 
herds?
    6. Import Issues. How should the risk of transmission of bovine 
tuberculosis associated with the importation of live cattle into the 
United States be mitigated?
    7. Eradication vs. Control. Is eradication of TB in domestic 
livestock feasible or is control a more appropriate program objective 
given the availability of program funding?
    A list of discussion topics, questions, and meeting details is also 
available via the APHIS Web site at: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/
newsroom/hot_issuesa/bovine_tuberculosis/ bovine_tb.shtml.
    If you require special accommodations, such as a sign language 
interpreter, please see the contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 14th day of November 2008.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E8-27620 Filed 11-19-08; 8:45 am]

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