[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 24 (Friday, February 4, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5490-5492]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-2570]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Research Service


Notice of Appointment of the Advisory Committee on Agricultural 
Biotechnology

AGENCY:  Office of the Under Secretary, Research, Education, and 
Economics, USDA.

ACTION:  Notification of Appointment of the Advisory Committee on 
Agricultural Biotechnology.

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SUMMARY:  The Office of the Under Secretary, Research, Education, and 
Economics of the Department of Agriculture, in accordance with the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. 2, announces members 
appointed to the Advisory Committee on Agricultural Biotechnology. 
Thirty-eight members were appointed from nominations of more than 220 
well-qualified individuals, representing the biotechnology industry, 
conventional, sustainable, and organic farmers, food manufacturers, 
commodity processors and shippers, environmental and consumer groups, 
along with academic researchers as well as experts on consumer 
attitudes, bioethics, and legal issues. Equal opportunity practices 
were followed in appointing committee members. To assure that 
recommendations of the advisory committee take into account the needs 
of diverse groups served by the Department, membership includes, to the 
extent practicable, individuals with demonstrated ability to represent 
minorities, women, and persons with disabilities.
    The following appointments to the Advisory Committee on 
Agricultural Biotechnology have been made:
    Dennis E. Eckart will serve as Chair of the Committee. He is an 
attorney at Baker and Hostetler, LLP, in Washington, DC, and a former 
member of Congress from Ohio;
    Dale E. Bauman, Liberty Hyde Bailey Professor and Professor of 
Nutritional Biochemistry in the Department of Animal Science and the 
Division of Nutritional Sciences at Cornell University in Ithaca, New 
York;
    Daniel R. Botkin, Research Professor, Department of Ecology, 
Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California, in Santa 
Barbara, California;

[[Page 5491]]

    Carolyn Brickey, Executive Director, National Campaign for 
Pesticide Policy Reform, in San Francisco, California, and member, 
National Organic Standards Board;
    R. Jeffrey Burkhardt, Professor of Food and Resource Economics, 
Food and Resource Economics Department, University of Florida in 
Gainesville, Florida, and member, US/EU Committee on Ethics and Food 
Biotechnology;
    R. James Cook, R. James Cook Endowed Chair in Wheat Research, 
Department of Plant Pathology, Washington State University, in Pullman, 
Washington;
    James F. Dodson, Farmer and seed sales representative for Pioneer 
Hi-Bred International, Inc., in Robstown, Texas and Chairman, 
Environmental Task Force, National Cotton Council;
    Linda J. Fisher, Vice President for Government and Public Affairs, 
Monsanto Company, in Washington, DC;
    Carol T. Foreman, Distinguished Fellow and Director, the Food 
Policy Institute, Consumer Federation of America, in Chevy Chase, 
Maryland, and member, USDA Meat and Poultry Inspection Advisory 
Committee;
    David J. Frederickson, President, Minnesota Farmers Union, in St. 
Paul, Minnesota;
    Rebecca J. Goldburg, Senior Scientist, Environmental Defense Fund, 
in New York, New York;
    Michael K. Hansen, Research Associate, Consumer Policy Institute, 
Consumers Union, in Yonkers, New York;
     Neil E. Harl, Professor of Economics and Charles F. Curtiss 
Distinguished Professor in Agriculture, Iowa State University, in Ames, 
Iowa;
     Thomas J. Hoban, Professor, Department of Sociology and 
Anthropology, North Carolina State University, in Raleigh, North 
Carolina;
     Marjorie A. Hoy, Eminent Scholar and Davies, Fischer, and Eckes 
Professor of Biological Control, Department of Entomology and 
Nematology, University of Florida, in Gainesville, Florida;
     Charles S. Johnson, Chairman, President and Chief Executive 
Officer, Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., and member, USDA-Foreign 
Agricultural Service Emerging Market Committee, in Des Moines, Iowa;
     Anne R. Kapuscinski, Professor and Extension Specialist, 
Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, University of Minnesota, in St. 
Paul, Minnesota;
     Edward L. Korwek, Attorney at Hogan and Hartson, LLP, in 
Washington, DC;
     Sharan A. Lanini, Farmer and Sales/Marketing Manager for Growers 
Transplanting, Inc./Rocket Farms, and member, California Department of 
Food and Agriculture Organic Food Act Advisory Committee, in Salinas, 
California;
     Mark Lipson, Organic Farmer and Policy Program Director, Organic 
Farming Research Foundation, in Davenport, California;
     Marshall A. Martin, Professor, Department of Agricultural 
Economics, Purdue University, in West Lafayette, Indiana, and member, 
National Agricultural Biotechnology Council;
     Mary-Howell Martens, Organic Farmer and Adjunct Biology 
Instructor, Finger Lakes Community College, in Penn Yan, New York;
     J. Calman McCastlain, Attorney at Pender, McCastlain, and Ptak, 
P.A., Farmer and Grain Elevator Operator, and Director, Arkansas Wheat 
Promotion Board, in Little Rock, Arkansas;
     E. Bruce McEvoy, Chief Executive Officer, Seald Sweet Growers, 
Inc., in Vero Beach, Florida;
     Margaret G. Mellon, Director, Agriculture and Biotechnology 
Program, Union of Concerned Scientists, in Washington, DC;
     Lorraine D. Nakai, Entomologist and Farmer, Navajo Agricultural 
Products Industry, in Farmington, New Mexico;
     Philip T. Nelson, Farmer, Chairman, Livestock and Dairy GRITS 
Committee, Illinois Farm Bureau, and Chairman, American Farm Bureau 
Federation Swine Advisory Committee, in Seneca, Illinois;
     Carol Nottenburg, Attorney and Director of Intellectual Property 
and Principal Scientist, Center for the Application of Molecular 
Biology to International Agriculture, in Red Hill, Australia;
     Roger C. Pine, Farmer and President, National Corn Growers 
Association, in Lawrence, Kansas;
     Channapatna S. Prakash, Professor of Plant Molecular Genetics, 
College of Agriculture, Tuskegee University, in Auburn, Alabama, and 
member of the U.S. Sweetpotato Crop Advisory Committee;
     Frank L. Sims, President, North American Grain, Cargill, Inc., in 
Minnetonka, Minnesota, and member, Chicago Board of Trade;
     J. Michael Sligh, Director for Sustainable Agriculture, Rural 
Advancement Foundation International--U.S.A., in Chapel Hill, North 
Carolina;
     Jerome B. Slocum, Farmer and President, North Mississippi Grain 
Company, in Biloxi, Mississippi;
     Austin P. Sullivan, Jr., Senior Vice President for Corporate 
Relations, General Mills, Inc., in Plymouth, Minnesota, and Chairman, 
Biotechnology Task Force, Grocery Manufacturers of America;
     Virginia V. Weldon, Physician and Director, Center for the Study 
of American Business, Washington University, in St. Louis, Missouri, 
and member, President's Committee of Advisors on Science and 
Technology;
     David M. Winkles, Jr., Farmer and President, South Carolina Farm 
Bureau, in Sumter, South Carolina, and member, United Soybean Board;
     Margaret M. Wittenberg, Vice-President of Government and Public 
Affairs, Whole Foods Market, Inc., in Dripping Springs, Texas, and 
member, National Organic Standards Board;
     Michael W. Yost, Farmer and President, American Soybean 
Association, in Murdock, Minnesota.
    Committee members will serve two-year terms. In the event of a 
vacancy, the Secretary will appoint a new member as appropriate and 
subject to the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The 
duties of the Committee are solely advisory. The Committee will advise 
the Secretary of Agriculture on a broad array of issues related to the 
expanding dimensions of agricultural biotechnology. These issues may 
include: effects of industry concentration and consolidation on farmers 
and consumers; effects of changing intellectual property right status 
of agricultural materials on farmers; ways to maximize or encourage 
potential benefits of biotechnology and minimize potential adverse 
effects in different sectors of the agricultural economy; guidance on 
priorities and resource allocations for research, and for other 
activities to help the functioning of the agricultural marketplace; 
recommendations for scientific studies that might be conducted by the 
new USDA-sponsored Standing Committee on Biotechnology at the National 
Research Council; ways to improve public understanding and input into 
USDA's regulatory process; and USDA's role in assuring that farmers 
have an array of choices for future agricultural technology and 
practices.
    The Committee will advise the Secretary through an annual report 
and other means as necessary and appropriate.
    The Committee will meet in Washington, DC, up to four (4) times per 
year.
    Committee members will serve without pay. Reimbursement of travel 
expenses and per diem costs shall be made to Committee members who 
would be unable to attend Committee meetings without such 
reimbursement.

[[Page 5492]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Questions should be e-mailed to 
[email protected], faxed to 202-690-4265, or telephoned to 
Michael Schechtman, 202-720-3817; all mailed correspondence should be 
sent to Michael Schechtman, Designated Federal Official, Office of the 
Deputy Secretary, USDA, 202B Jamie L. Whitten Federal Building, 14th 
and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250.

    Dated: January 21, 2000.
I. Miley Gonzalez,
Under Secretary, Reserach, Education, and Economics.
[FR Doc. 00-2570 Filed 2-3-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-01-P