[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 198 (Wednesday, October 14, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 55084]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-27580]


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 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
 and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
 statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
 appearing in this section.
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  Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 198 / Wednesday, October 14, 1998 / 
Notices  

[[Page 55084]]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service
[TM-98-00-6]


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) announces a 
forthcoming meeting of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB).

DATES: October 27, 1998, at 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.; October 28, 1998, 
from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; and October 29, 1998, from 9:00 a.m. to 
5:00 p.m.

PLACE: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., 
Room 3501 South Building, Washington, D.C. 20250. Phone: (202) 690-
3655.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith Jones, Program Manager, Room 
2945 South Building, U.S. Department of Agriculture, AMS, 
Transportation and Marketing, National Organic Program, P.O. Box 96456, 
Washington, D.C. 20090-6456. Phone (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. Section 6501 
et seq.) requires the establishment of the NOSB. The purpose of the 
NOSB is to assist in the development of standards for substances to be 
used in organic production and to advise the Secretary on any other 
aspects of the implementation of OFPA. The NOSB met for the first time 
in Washington, D.C., in March 1992 and currently has six committees 
working on various aspects of the program. The committees are: Crops 
Standards; Processing, Labeling and Packaging; Livestock Standards; 
Accreditation; Materials; and International Issues. In August 1994, the 
NOSB provided its initial recommendations for the National Organic 
Program (NOP) to the Secretary of Agriculture and since that time has 
submitted 30 addenda to the recommendations and reviewed more than 170 
substances for inclusion on the National List of Allowed and Prohibited 
Substances. The last meeting of the NOSB was held in July 1998, in 
Washington, DC. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) published its 
proposed rule in the Federal Register on December 16, 1997 (62 FR 
65849). An extension of the comment period on the proposed rule was 
published in the Federal Register on February 9, 1998 (63 FR 6498-
6499). The comment period was extended until April 30, 1998.

Purpose and Agenda

    The principal purpose of this meeting is to provide an opportunity 
for the NOSB and the Agency to discuss issues raised during the comment 
period on the proposed rule, as well options under consideration 
concerning those issues. The Board will also receive committee reports 
from its standing and ad hoc committees. A detailed agenda for this 
meeting will be available on October 19, 1998. Copies of the final 
agenda can be requested from Ms. Karen Thomas, Room 2510, South 
Building, U.S. Department of Agriculture, AMS, Transportation and 
Marketing, National Organic Program, P.O. Box 96456, Washington, D.C. 
20090-6456, by phone at (202) 690-3655 or by accessing the NOP website 
at http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop.

Type of Meeting

    All meetings will be open to the public. The NOSB has scheduled 
time for public input on October 27, 1998, from 8:00 a.m. until 10:00 
a.m. and on October 29, 1998 from 1:30 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. Individuals 
and organizations wishing to make an oral presentation at the meeting 
should forward the request to Ms. Thomas at the above address or by FAX 
to (202) 205-7808 by October 16, 1998. While persons wishing to make a 
presentation may sign up at the door, advance registration will ensure 
an opportunity to speak during the allotted time period and will help 
the NOSB to better manage the meeting and accomplish its agenda. 
Individuals or organizations will be given approximately 5 minutes to 
orally present their views. All persons making an oral presentation are 
requested to provide their comments in writing, if possible. Written 
submissions may supplement the oral presentation with additional 
material. Attendees who do not wish to make an oral presentation are 
invited to submit written comments to the NOSB at the meeting. All 
persons submitting written comments should provide 20 copies.

    Dated: October 8, 1998.
Eileen S. Stommes,
Deputy Administrator, Transportation and Marketing.
[FR Doc. 98-27580 Filed 10-8-98; 4:40 pm]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P