[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 34 (Tuesday, February 20, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 10873]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-4250]


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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 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 34 / Tuesday, February 20, 2001 / 
Notices  

[[Page 10873]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[TM-01-01]


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: March 6, 2001, from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and March 7, 2001, from 
8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (Pacific Time each day).

PLACE: Embassy Suites Hotel, Buena Park, 7762 Beach Boulevard, Buena 
Park, CA 90620. Telephone: (714) 739-5600.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith Jones, Program Manager, National 
Organic Program, USDA-AMS-TMP-NOP, Room 2945-So., Ag Stop 0268, P.O. 
Box 96456, Washington, DC 20090-6456, Telephone: (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 make recommendations about whether a substance should be 
allowed or prohibited in organic production or handling, 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 five committees working on various 
aspects of the program. The committees are: Accreditation, Crops, 
Livestock, Materials, and Processing.
    In August of 1994, the NOSB provided its initial recommendations 
for the National Organic Program (NOP) to the Secretary of Agriculture. 
Since that time the NOSB has submitted 30 addenda to its 
recommendations and reviewed more than 185 substances for inclusion on 
the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances. The last 
meeting of the NOSB was held on November 15-17, 2000, in Washington, 
DC.
    The Department of Agriculture (USDA) published its final National 
Organic Program regulation in the Federal Register on December 21, 2000 
(65 FR 80548). The rule becomes effective February 20, 2001.

Purpose and Agenda

    The principal purposes of this meeting are to provide an 
opportunity for the NOSB to: receive committee reports, receive an 
update from the Aquatic Task Force Working Group; receive an update 
from the USDA/NOP; review materials for possible inclusion on the 
National List of Approved and Prohibited Substances; and receive a 
presentation from the EPA on organic product labeling List 3 inerts. 
The Livestock Committee will report on the development of guidelines 
for ``access to pasture.'' The Processing Committee will present a 
proposal on ``commercial availability'' (with Crops Committee input). 
As noted in the final National Organic Program regulation, AMS is 
soliciting additional comment concerning the development of criteria 
for determining the commercial availability of organically produced 
agricultural commodities used in processed products labeled as organic. 
The specific issues on which AMS is soliciting comment are presented in 
the final regulation (65 FR 80562-80563). The Processing Committee will 
also present a proposal for restructuring the National List. The 
Materials Committee will review the materials decision matrix, review 
materials, and develop a policy for updating the National List. 
Materials to be reviewed at the meeting are for Livestock production: 
Hydroxyquinoline Sulfate, and Poloxalene; and for Processing: 
L-cysteine, Calcium Sulfate, Ammonium Hydroxide, Cyclohexlamine, 
Diethylaminoethanol, Morpholine, and Octadecylamine. For further 
information see http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop. Copies of the NOSB meeting 
agenda can be requested from Mrs. Toni Strother, USDA-AMS-TMP-NOP, Room 
2510-So., Ag Stop 0268, P.O. Box 96456, Washington, DC 20090-6456; by 
telephone at (202) 720-3252; or by accessing the NOP website at http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop on or after February 16, 2001.

Type of Meeting

    This meeting is open to the public. The NOSB has scheduled time for 
public input on Tuesday, March 6, 2001, from 8 a.m. until 9:30 a.m., 
and on Wednesday, March 7, 2001, from 4 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. at the 
Embassy Suites Hotel, Buena Park, 7762 Beach Boulevard, Buena Park, CA 
90620. Telephone: (714) 739-5600. Individuals and organizations wishing 
to make an oral presentation at the meeting should forward their 
request to Mrs. Toni Strother at USDA-AMS-TMP-NOP, Room 2510-So., Ag 
Stop 0268, P.O. Box 96456, Washington, DC 20090-6456, or by FAX to 
(202) 205-7808, or by e-mail at [email protected], by close of 
business March 1, 2001. While persons wishing to make a presentation 
may sign up at the door, advance registration will ensure a person has 
the opportunity to speak during the allotted time period and will help 
the NOSB to better manage the meeting and to 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. Written submissions may 
contain information other than that presented at the oral presentation. 
Written comments may be submitted to the NOSB at the meeting or to Mrs. 
Strother after the meeting at the above address.

    Dated: February 15, 2001.
Kenneth C. Clayton,
Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 01-4250 Filed 2-15-01; 1:34 pm]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P