[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 100 (Tuesday, May 25, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28154-28155]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-13355]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service
[TM-99-00-2]


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: June 8, 1999, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; June 9, 1999, from 
9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; and, June 10, 1999, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 
(EST).

PLACE: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Room 3109-South Building, Washington, DC 20250. Phone: (202) 720-3252.

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, DC 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. 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, DC, in March 1992 and currently has seven 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, NOSB provided its initial recommendations for the 
National Organic Program (NOP) to the Secretary of Agriculture and 
since that time it has submitted 30 addenda to the recommendations and 
reviewed more than 170 substances for inclusion on the National List of 
Allowed and Prohibited

[[Page 28155]]

Substances. The last meeting of the NOSB was held February 9-11, 1999, 
in Washington, DC.
    The Department of Agriculture (USDA) published its proposed rule 
for the NOP in the Federal Register on December 16, 1997 (62 FR 65849). 
A notice extending 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. On October 
28, 1998, three issue papers for which public comment was requested by 
USDA were published in the Federal Register (63 FR 57624-57626). These 
papers addressed certain issues raised during the NOP's proposed rule's 
comment period. The issue papers were: Issue Paper 1--Livestock 
Confinement in Organic Production Systems; Issue Paper 2--The Use of 
Antibiotics and Parasiticides in Organic Livestock Production; and 
Issue Paper 3--Termination of Certification by Private Certifiers. 
Comments received on these papers are being considered during the 
development of a revised NOP proposed rule. The comment period for the 
issue papers closed December 14, 1998.

PURPOSE AND AGENDA: The principal purpose of this meeting is to provide 
an opportunity for NOSB to receive committee reports from its standing 
and ad hoc committees and address issues that arose from the February 
1999 NOSB meeting. These issues include, wild caught salmon, the NOP 
recommendations on manure use in vegetable production, a mock materials 
review, and enforcement criteria. At the meeting the Agency will give a 
status report on the proposed rule, report on the 27th Codex Committee 
meeting on Food Labeling, and report on other trade related issues. 
Copies of the NOSB meeting agenda can be requested from Karen Thomas, 
Room 2510-South Building, U.S. Department of Agriculture, AMS, 
Transportation and Marketing, National Organic Program, P.O. Box 96456, 
Washington, DC 20090-6456, or 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. NOSB has 
scheduled time for public input on Tuesday, June 8, 1999, from 1:30 
p.m. until 5:00 p.m. in Room 3109-S. Individuals and organizations 
wishing to make an oral presentation at the meeting should forward 
their request to Ms. Thomas at the above address, or by FAX to (202) 
205-7808, by the close of business June 4, 1999. 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 present their views. All persons making an oral presentation 
are requested to provide their comments in writing, if possible. 
Written submissions may supplement any oral presentation that is made 
at the meeting. Attendees who do not wish to make an oral presentation 
are invited to submit written comments to the NOSB at the meeting, or 
to Ms. Thomas after the meeting at the above address. All persons 
submitting written comments should provide 20 copies.

    Dated: May 21, 1999.
Eileen S. Stommes,
Deputy Administrator, Transportation and Marketing.
[FR Doc. 99-13355 Filed 5-21-99; 1:08 pm]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P