[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 74 (Monday, April 18, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 21701]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-9326]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Document No. AMS-ST-11-0028]
Plant Variety Protection Board; Open Meeting
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of meeting.
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SUMMARY: This notice is intended to notify the public of their
opportunity to attend an open meeting of the Plant Variety Protection
Board.
DATES: May 11 and 12, 2011, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., open to the public.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in the United States Department of
Agriculture George Washington Carver Center, 5601 Sunnyside Avenue,
Room 4-2223, Beltsville, MD 20705.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Natalie Worku, Plant Variety
Protection Office, Science and Technology Programs, Agricultural
Marketing Service, United States Department of Agriculture, 10301
Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD 20705. Telephone number (301) 504-
5518, fax (301) 504-5291, or e-mail: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the provisions of section 10(a)
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C., Appendix 2), this
notice is given regarding an upcoming Plant Variety Protection (PVP)
Board meeting. The Plant Variety Protection Act (PVPA) (7 U.S.C. 2321
et seq.) provides legal protection in the form of intellectual property
rights to developers of new varieties of plants, which are reproduced
sexually by seed or are tuber-propagated. A Certificate of Plant
Variety Protection is awarded to an owner of a crop variety after an
examination shows that it is new, distinct from other varieties,
genetically uniform and stable through successive generations. The term
of protection is 20 years for most crops and 25 years for trees,
shrubs, and vines. The PVPA also provides for a statutory Board (7
U.S.C. 2327). The duties of the Board are to: (1) Advise the Secretary
concerning the adoption of rules and regulations to facilitate the
proper administration of the Act; (2) provide advisory counsel to the
Secretary on appeals concerning decisions on applications by the PVP
Office and on requests for emergency public-interest compulsory
licenses; and (3) advise the Secretary on any other matters under the
Regulations and Rules of Practice and on all questions under Section 44
of the Act, ``Public Interest in Wide Usage'' (7 U.S.C. 2404).
The proposed agenda for the PVP Board meeting will include a
welcome by Department officials followed by a discussion focusing on
program activities that encourage the development of new plant
varieties and appeals to the Secretary. The agenda will also include
presentations on the financial status of the PVP Office, ongoing
business process reengineering project, E-business update,
international outreach activities and other related topics.
The meeting will be open to the public. Those wishing to attend the
meeting are encouraged to pre-register by May 9, 2011 with the person
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Visitors entering the
George Washington Carver Center should inform security personnel that
they are attending the PVP Board meeting. Identification will be
required to be admitted to the building. Security personnel will direct
visitors to Room 4-2223. If you require accommodations, such as sign
language interpreter, please contact the person listed under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Minutes of the meeting will be available
for public review 30 days following the meeting at the address listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. The minutes will also be posted
on the Internet Web site http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/pvpo.
Dated: April 12, 2011.
David R. Shipman,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-9326 Filed 4-15-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P