[Federal Register: March 20, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 53)]
[Notices]
[Page 11904-11905]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr20mr09-23]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[AMS-TM-09-0014; TM-09-03]
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
amended, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is announcing a
forthcoming meeting of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB).
DATES: The meeting dates are Monday, May 4, 2009, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.;
Tuesday, May 5, 2009, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Wednesday, May 6, 2009,
8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Requests from individuals and organizations wishing
to make oral presentations at the meeting are due by the close of
business on April 20, 2009.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will take place at the Washington Plaza Hotel,
10 Thomas Circle, NW., Washington, DC 20005.
Requests for copies of the NOSB meeting agenda, may be
sent to Ms. Valerie Frances, Executive Director, NOSB, USDA-AMS-TMP-
NOP, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Room 4004-So., Ag Stop 0268,
Washington, DC 20250-0268. The NOSB meeting agenda and proposed
recommendations may also be viewed at http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop.
Comments on proposed NOSB recommendations may be submitted
by the close of business on April 20, 2009, in writing to Ms. Valerie
Frances at either the postal address above or via the Internet at
http://www.regulations.gov only. The comments should identify Docket
No. AMS-TM-09-0014. It is our intention to have all comments to this
notice whether they are submitted by mail or the Internet available for
viewing on the http://www.regulations.gov Web site.
Requests to make an oral presentation at the meeting may
also be sent by April 20, 2009, to Ms. Valerie Frances at the postal
address above, by e-mail at valerie.frances@ams.usda.gov, via facsimile
at (202) 205-7808, or phone at (202) 720-3252.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Valerie Frances, Executive Director,
NOSB, National Organic Program (NOP), (202) 720-3252, or visit the NOP
Web site at: http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop.
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 subcommittees
working on various aspects of the organic program. The committees are:
Compliance, Accreditation, and Certification; Crops; Handling;
Livestock; Materials; and Policy Development.
In August of 1994, the NOSB provided its initial recommendations
for the NOP to the Secretary of Agriculture. Since that time, the NOSB
has submitted 166 addenda to its recommendations and reviewed more than
342 substances for inclusion on the National List of Allowed and
Prohibited Substances. 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.
In addition, the OFPA authorizes the National List of Allowed and
Prohibited Substances and provides that no allowed or prohibited
substance would remain on the National List for a period exceeding five
years unless the exemption or prohibition is reviewed and recommended
for renewal by the NOSB and adopted by the Secretary of Agriculture.
This expiration is commonly referred to as sunset of the National List.
The National List appears at 7 CFR part 205, subpart G.
The principal purposes of the NOSB 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 last NOSB meeting was held on November
17-20, 2008, in Washington, DC.
At its last meeting, the Board recommended the addition of two
materials with one on the National List section 205.601 for use in
crops, and with one on section 205.606 for use in handling. The Board
also recommended an expiration date of October 21, 2012, for all forms
of Tetracycline used in organic crop production on section 205.601.
At this meeting, the NOSB will begin its review of the 11 materials
scheduled
[[Page 11905]]
to expire after September 12, 2011. There are two synthetic substances:
Hydrogen chloride (CAS 7647-01-0) and Ferric phosphate (CAS
10045-86-0), currently allowed for use in organic crop
production, that will no longer be allowed for use after September 12,
2011. There are nine materials: Egg white lysozyme (CAS 9001-
63-2), L-Malic acid (CAS 97-67-6), Microorganisms, Activated
charcoal (CAS s 7440-44-0; 64365-11-3), Cyclohexylamine (CAS
108-91-8), Diethylaminoethanol (CAS 100-37-8),
Octadecylamine (CAS 124-30-1), Peracetic acid/Peroxyacetic
acid (CAS 79-21-0), Sodium acid pyrophosphate (CAS
7758-16-9), and Tetrasodium pyrophosphate (CAS 7722-88-5),
currently allowed for use in organic handling, that will no longer be
allowed for use after September 12, 2011. The sunset review process
must be concluded no later than September 12, 2011. If renewal is not
concluded by those dates, the use or prohibition of these 11 materials
will no longer be in compliance with the NOP.
At this meeting, the Policy Development Committee will present
recommendations regarding revisions to the NOSB Policy and Procedures
Manual and the Guide for new NOSB members as well as discuss their on-
going collaboration with the NOP to review the NOP responses to prior
NOSB recommendations.
The Compliance, Accreditation, and Certification Committee will
present their recommendations for use as guidance by accredited
certifying agents for the labeling of products certified as 100 percent
organic and their recommendation for use as guidance by the NOP to meet
the requirements of Sec. 2117 (7 U.S.C. 6516) and section 205.509 in
regard to Peer Review.
The Compliance, Accreditation, and Certification and the Crops
Committees will jointly present their recommendation offering guidance
for accredited certifying agents and the NOP to strengthen the
implementation of the principles of biodiversity and conservation
throughout the organic standards.
The Crops Committee will present recommendations on the materials:
Isoparrafinic hydrocarbon and the on-farm manufacture of Sulfurous Acid
petitioned for use on section 205.601. The Committee will begin their
review on the continued use or prohibition of the material exemptions
for Hydrogen chloride (CAS 7647-01-0) and Ferric phosphate
(CAS 10045-86-0), with their respective annotations and
limitations, currently allowed for use in organic crop production, that
will no longer be allowed for use after September 12, 2011.
The Livestock Committee will present their recommendations on the
materials: Propionic Acid and Injectable vitamins and minerals for use
as supplements, petitioned for inclusion in 205.603 for use in organic
livestock production. The Committee will also present their
recommendation in regard to the development of organic aquaculture
standards for bivalves.
The Materials and Handling Committees will jointly present their
recommendation on the definition of a nonagricultural substance in
section 205.2.
The Handling Committee will present their recommendations on the
materials: Propionic acid, Sodium chlorite, acidified, and Propane as a
processing aid, petitioned for inclusion in section 205.605 for use in
organic products. The Committee will present their recommendations on
the materials: Chickory Root Extract, Red Corn Color, Myrrh Essential
Oil, and Wheat Germ, petitioned for inclusion in section 205.606 for
use in organic products depending on final commercial availability
determinations performed by accredited certifying agents. The Committee
will present their recommendations on the material: Lecithin, bleached,
petitioned for removal from use from section 205.605 (b) in organic
products and on the material Lecithin, unbleached, fluid, petitioned
for removal from section 205.606 for use in organic products.
The Handling Committee will also begin their review on the
continued use or prohibition of the material exemptions for nine
materials: Egg White Lysozyme (CAS 9001-63-2), L-Malic acid
(CAS 97-67-6), Microorganisms, Activated charcoal (CAS
s 7440-44-0; 64365-11-3), Cyclohexylamine (CAS 108-
91-8), Diethylaminoethanol (CAS 100-37-8), Octadecylamine
(CAS 124-30-1), Peracetic acid/Peroxyacetic acid (CAS
79-21-0), Sodium acid pyrophosphate (CAS 7758-16-
9), and Tetrasodium pyrophosphate (CAS 7722-88-5), with their
respective annotations and limitations currently allowed for use in
organic handling on section 205.605, that will no longer be allowed for
use after September 12, 2011.
The meeting is open to the public. The NOSB has scheduled time for
public input for Monday, May 4, 2009, from 10:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. and
Tuesday, May 5, 2009, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Individuals and
organizations wishing to make oral presentations at the meeting may
forward their requests by mail, facsimile, e-mail, or phone to Ms.
Valerie Frances as listed in ADDRESSES above. Individuals or
organizations will be given approximately five minutes to present their
views. All persons making oral presentations are requested to provide
their comments in writing. Written submissions may contain information
other than that presented at the oral presentation. Anyone may submit
written comments at the meeting. Persons submitting written comments
are asked to provide 30 copies.
Interested persons may visit the NOSB portion of the NOP Web site
at http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop to view available meeting documents
prior to the meeting, or visit http://www.regulations.gov to submit and
view comments as provided for in ADDRESSES above. Documents presented
at the meeting will be posted for review on the NOP Web site
approximately six weeks following the meeting.
Dated: March 16, 2009.
Robert C. Keeney,
Acting Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. E9-6056 Filed 3-19-09; 8:45 am]
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