[Federal Register: October 2, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 190)]
[Notices]
[Page 57918-57919]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr02oc06-22]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Doc. No. TM-06-11]
Notice of Meeting of the National Organic Standards Board
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as
[[Page 57919]]
amended, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is announcing a
forthcoming meeting of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB).
DATES: The meeting dates are Tuesday, October 17, 2006, 9 a.m. to 5
p.m.; Wednesday, October 18, 2006, 8 a.m. to 5 pm; and Thursday,
October 19, 2006, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Requests from individuals and
organizations wishing to make an oral presentation at the meeting or to
submit written comments to be posted on the website prior to the NOSB
meeting, are due by the close of business on October 6, 2006.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will take place at The Radisson Hotel--Reagan
National Airport, 2020 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA 22202.
Requests for copies of the NOSB meeting agenda, to make an oral
presentation at the meeting, or to submit written comments may be sent
to Ms. Valerie Frances, Executive Director, NOSB, USDA-AMS-TMD-NOP,
1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 4008-So., Ag Stop 0268, Washington,
DC 20250-0268. These requests or comments may also be sent via
facsimile to Ms. Valerie Frances at (202) 205-7808 or by electronic
mail to Valerie.Frances@usda.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Valerie Frances, ExecutiveDirector,
NOSB, National Organic Program, (202) 720-3252.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 2119 (7 U.S.C. 6518) of the Organic
Foods Production Act of 1990 (OFPA), as amended (7 U.S.C. 6501 et seq.)
requires the establishment of the NOSB. The purpose of the NOSB is to
make recommendations about whether a substance should be allowed or
prohibited in organic production or handling, to assist in the
development of standards for substances to be used in organic
production, and to advise the Secretary on other aspects of the
implementation of the OFPA. The NOSB met for the first time in
Washington, DC, in March 1992, and currently has six committees working
on various aspects of the organic program. The committees are:
Compliance, Accreditation, and Certification; Crops; Livestock;
Materials; Handling; and Policy Development.
In August of 1994, the NOSB provided its initial recommendations
for the National Organic Program (NOP) to the Secretary of Agriculture.
Since that time, the NOSB has submitted 101 addenda to its
recommendations and reviewed more than 269 substances for inclusion on
the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances. The last
meeting of the NOSB was held on April 19-20, 2006, in State College,
PA.
The Department of Agriculture (USDA) published its final National
Organic Program regulation in the Federal Register on December 21,
2000, (65 FR 80548). The rule became effective April 21, 2001.
The principal purposes of the meeting are to provide an opportunity
for the NOSB to receive an update from the USDA/NOP and hear progress
reports from NOSB committees regarding work plan items and proposed
action items.
The Policy Development Committee will present recommendations
regarding revisions to the NOSB Policy and Procedures Manual and
discuss the development of a guide for new NOSB members. The Policy
Development and Crops Committees will provide an update and will
discuss issues regarding the development of a recommendation on
temporary variances allowed for certified organic research facilities
for products not to be marketed as organic.
The Crops Committee will present recommendations regarding guidance
for the use of compost tea, vermiculture and dehydrated manure, and on
petitioned materials: lime mud, sodium lauryl sulfate, sulfuric acid
(to stabilize dehydrated manures), and calcium chloride. The Crops
Committee will discuss issues related to public comments received
concerning commercial availability requirements for the use of
certified organic seed on certified organic farms. In addition, the
Committee will provide an update to their work on developing guidance
for the certification of hydroponic crops.
The Materials and Handling Committees will present a joint
recommendation on determining when a product is agricultural versus
nonagricultural. These same committees will also discuss their work to
clarify the definitions of materials on the National List.
The Handling Committee will present a recommendation that will
specify criteria necessary to facilitate determinations related to the
commercial availability of organic agricultural ingredients. The
Committee will also present, in closure of its review of the first
sunset of substances under the requirements of the OFPA, a
recommendation to remove colors from the National List and a
recommendation to affirm their removal of bleached lecithin from the
National List. The Committee will receive the report of the Pet Food
Task Force regarding their efforts to draft standards for organic pet
food. In addition, the Committee will discuss the status of materials
petitioned for use in handling .
The Livestock Committee will invite public input on issues
regarding the development of organic aquaculture (finfish) standards.
The Compliance, Accreditation, and Certification Committee (CACC)
will present recommendations to address questions and answers regarding
the labeling of certified organic products of retailers and private
labelers. The CACC will present recommendations that address the
standardization of information required on organic certificates, the
addition of an expiration date, and procedures for managing expiration
dates on certificates. Finally, the CACC will discuss future Peer
Review Procedures.
Copies of the NOSB meeting agenda and additional information can be
requested from Ms. Valerie Frances by telephone at (202) 720-3252; or
by accessing the NOP Web site at http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop.
The Meeting is Open to the Public. The NOSB has scheduled time for
public input for Tuesday, October 17, 2006, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. and
from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and Wednesday, October 18, 2006, from 1:45 p.m.
to 5 p.m. Individuals and organizations wishing to make an oral
presentation at the meeting may forward their request by mail,
facsimile, or e-mail to Valerie Frances at addresses listed in
ADDRESSES above. Individuals or organizations will be given
approximately 5 minutes to present their views. All persons making an
oral presentation are requested to provide their comments in writing.
Written submissions may contain information other than that presented
at the oral presentation. Written comments may also be submitted at the
meeting. Persons submitting written comments at the meeting are asked
to provide 30 copies.
Interested persons may visit the NOSB portion of the NOP Web site
http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop to view available documents prior to the
meeting. Approximately 6 weeks following the meeting interested persons
will be able to visit the NOSB portion of the NOP Web site to view
documents from the meeting.
Dated: September 25, 2006.
Kenneth C. Clayton,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 06-8419 Filed 9-29-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P