--- kind: "section" citation: "21 U.S.C. § 679a" title: "21" title_heading: "Food and Drugs" number: "679a" heading: "Safe Meat and Poultry Inspection Panel" release: "119-102" date: "2026-07-12" url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/21/679a" units: - "Chapter 12 — Meat Inspection" - "Subchapter IV — Auxiliary Provisions" --- # §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; - (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](/usc/21/601.md?p=a) 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](/usc/21/601.md?p=a) a report on the results of each review and evaluation carried out under [paragraph (1)](#b-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](/usc/21/601.md?p=a) 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)](#b-2-C), the [Secretary](/usc/21/601.md?p=a) shall publish in the Federal Register any response required of the [Secretary](/usc/21/601.md?p=a) 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](/usc/21/601.md?p=a) 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](/usc/21/601.md?p=a) 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](/usc/21/601.md?p=a) after soliciting 2 nominees from the National Institutes of Health and 2 nominees from the Federation of American Societies of Food Animal Science. - (3) **Requirements for nominees—** - (A) **In general—** Each nominee provided under paragraph [(1)](#e-1) or [(2)](#e-2) shall have a background in public health issues and a scientific expertise in food, meat, or poultry science or in veterinary science. - (B) **Submission of information—** The [Secretary](/usc/21/601.md?p=a) may require nominees to submit such information as the [Secretary](/usc/21/601.md?p=a) considers necessary prior to completing the selection process. - (4) **Additional nominees—** If any list of nominees provided under paragraph [(1)](#e-1) or [(2)](#e-2) is unsatisfactory to the [Secretary](/usc/21/601.md?p=a), the [Secretary](/usc/21/601.md?p=a) may request the nominating entities to submit an additional list of nominees. - (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](/usc/5/5703.md). - (g) **Conflicts of interest—** The [Secretary](/usc/21/601.md?p=a) shall promulgate regulations regarding conflicts of interest with respect to the members of the panel. - (h) **Exemption—** [Chapter 10](/usc/5/chptI/ch10.md) of title 5 and title XVIII of the Food and Agriculture Act of 1977 ([7 U.S.C. 2281](/usc/7/2281.md) et seq.) shall not apply to the panel. - (i) **Funding—** From funds available to the [Secretary](/usc/21/601.md?p=a) to carry out this chapter and the Poultry Products Inspection Act ([21 U.S.C. 451](/usc/21/451.md) et seq.), the [Secretary](/usc/21/601.md?p=a) shall allocate such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section. ## Source credit (Mar. 4, 1907, ch. 2907, title IV, § 410, as added Pub. L. 104–127, title IX, § 918(a)(1)(B), Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 1188; amended Pub. L. 117–286, § 4(a)(161), Dec. 27, 2022, 136 Stat. 4323.) ## Notes ### Editorial Notes ### References in Text The Food and Agriculture Act of 1977, referred to in subsec. (h), is Pub. L. 95–113, Sept. 29, 1977, 91 Stat. 913. Title XVIII of the Act is classified generally to chapter 55A (§ 2281 et seq.) of Title 7, Agriculture. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title of 1977 Amendment note set out under section 1281 of Title 7 and Tables. The Poultry Products Inspection Act, referred to in subsec. (i), is Pub. L. 85–172, Aug. 28, 1957, 71 Stat. 441, which is classified generally to chapter 10 (§ 451 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 451 of this title and Tables. ### Prior Provisions A prior section 410 of act Mar. 4, 1907, was renumbered section 411, and is classified to section 680 of this title. ### Amendments 2022—Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 117–286 substituted “Chapter 10 of title 5” for “The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.)”. ### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries ### Use of Appropriated Funds For prohibition of use of funds appropriated by div. A of Pub. L. 113–235 or any other Act to carry out this section, see section 741 Pub. L. 113–235, set out as a note under section 471 of this title.