[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 122 (Thursday, June 25, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34628-34629]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-17109]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service; 
Solicitation of Input From Stakeholders Regarding the Initiative for 
Future Agriculture and Food Systems; Public Meeting

AGENCY: Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, 
USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act 
of 1998, creates a new research, education, and extension program 
called the Initiative for Future Agriculture and Food Systems (the 
Initiative). By this notice, the Cooperative State Research, Education, 
and Extension Service (CSREES), acting on behalf of the Secretary of 
Agriculture, is soliciting public comment from persons who conduct or 
use agricultural research, extension or education regarding the 
priorities to be addressed by this new program as required by Section 
401(f)(1)(D) of the Act. The Initiative is authorized with mandatory 
funds at the level of $120 million per year from fiscal year 1999 
through fiscal year

[[Page 34629]]

2003. This funding will support competitive research, education, and 
extension grants as well as activities carried out under the 
Alternative Agricultural Research and Commercialization Act of 1990.
    The Secretary of Agriculture is soliciting public comment regarding 
establishing priorities for the research, education, and extension 
grant purposes of the Initiative. Statutory purposes of the grant 
program are defined as ``critical emerging agricultural issues related 
to:
    (i) Future food production;
    (ii) Environmental quality and natural resource management; or
    (iii) Farm income'' which also address ``priority mission areas 
related to:
    (A) Agricultural genome;
    (B) Food safety, food technology, and human nutrition;
    (C) New and alternative uses and production of agricultural 
commodities and products;
    (D) Agricultural biotechnology;
    (E) Natural resource management, including precision agriculture; 
and
    (F) Farm efficiency and profitability, including the viability and 
competitiveness of small- and medium-sized dairy, livestock, crop, and 
other commodity operations.''
    The meeting is open to the public. Written comments and suggestions 
on issues that may be considered in the meeting may be submitted to the 
CSREES Docket Clerk at the address below.

DATES: The meeting will be held on Thursday, July 9, 1998, from 9:00 
a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Jefferson Auditorium, United 
States Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, 
Washington, DC 20250.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Persons wishing to orally present 
comments at this meeting are requested to pre-register by contacting 
Ms. Sarah Poythress at (202) 720-4423, by fax at (202) 720-8987 or by 
e-mail to [email protected]. Participants may reserve a 5-minute 
comment period when they register. More time may be available, 
depending on the number of people wishing to make a presentation and 
the time needed for questions, following the presentations. 
Reservations will be confirmed on a first-come, first-served basis. All 
other attendees may register at the meeting. Written comments may also 
be submitted for the record at the meeting or mailed to Ms. Sarah 
Poythress, USDA/CSREES, Room 305A, Jamie L. Whitten Federal Building, 
1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-2201. Please provide 
three copies of the comments. Written comments must be received by 
Friday, July 24, 1998, to be considered. All comments and the official 
transcript of the meeting, when it becomes available, will be available 
for review for six months at the address listed above from 8:30 a.m. to 
4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
    Participants who require a sign language interpreter or other 
special accommodations should contact Ms. Poythress as directed above.

    Done in Washington, DC, on this 23rd day of June, 1998.
Colien Hefferan,
Acting Administrator, Cooperative State Research, Education, and 
Extension Service.
[FR Doc. 98-17109 Filed 6-24-98; 8:45 am]
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