§ 679a. Safe Meat and Poultry Inspection Panel
(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;
(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.
(c)
Secretarial response
Not later than 90 days after the publication of a panel report under subsection (b)(2)(C) of this section, 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.
(2)
Vacancies
Any subsequent vacancy on the panel shall be filled by the Secretary after soliciting 2 nominees from the National Institutes of Health and 2 nominees from the Federation of American Societies of Food Animal Science.
(f)
Travel expenses
While away from the home or regular place of business of a member of the panel in the performance of services for the panel, the member shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at the same rate as a person employed intermittently in the Government service would be allowed under section
5703 of title
5.
(g)
Conflicts of interest
The Secretary shall promulgate regulations regarding conflicts of interest with respect to the members of the panel.