The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) will be holding two "Listening Sessions" in Pennsylvania in early January.  The purpose of these sessions is to increase the outreach efforts of the Agency and provide an opportunity for plant operators to raise important issues that affect them.  The sessions are designed to be a neutral and positive format to allow FSIS to provide industry with useful information in a non-threatening and relaxed environment.  Attendees are able to ask questions and receive clarification where available, exchange ideas, and express concerns that they have.  There will also be time prior to the sessions for plant operators to schedule individual meetings with FSIS officials to discuss plant-specific problems.  Dr. Kenneth Peterson, FSIS Assistant Administrator for the Office of Field Operations, and Bryce Quick, FSIS Deputy Administrator, will moderate the sessions.  District officials and technical staff will also be available as resources, but line inspection personnel and circuit supervisory personnel will not be in attendance.  FSIS officials will be meeting with its front line inspection personnel after each session to discuss the relevant issues.  The sessions will not be recorded, but will be used to give top FSIS leadership first-hand awareness of industry problems, issues, questions, and concerns.     

The listening sessions in PA are an excellent opportunity for plant operators in the area to speak directly with FSIS officials and we encourage you to attend. Please feel free to also pass this information on to other plant operators and persuade them to take the time to speak up at the listening sessions! If you are unable to attend but would like to have a specific topic or question brought up during the meetings, contact the AAMP office. AAMP staff will be present at both programs and we are pleased that the Agency is increasing small and very small plant outreach by holding sessions like these and we hope the experience is mutually beneficial.

The information on dates, locations, and times of the sessions is as follows:

January 10, 2006             

1:30 – 3:30 PM          

Woodlands Inn and Resort         

1073 Highway 315           

Wilkes Barre , PA 18702

January 11, 2006             

1:30 – 3:30 PM   

Harrisburg East Holiday Inn

4751 Lindle Road

Harrisburg , PA 17111

No advance registration is needed to attend either session.   If you have any questions about the meetings, please contact the AAMP office at 717-367-1168 or send an email to aamp@aamp.com . We hope to see you at the FSIS Listening Sessions!