[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 90 (Wednesday, May 9, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23664-23665]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-11593]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Foreign Agricultural Service


Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee for Trade and the 
Agricultural Technical Advisory Committees for Trade; Reestablishment 
and Nominations.

AGENCY: Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA.

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Secretary of Agriculture, 
after consultation with the United States Trade Representative, has 
reestablished the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee for Trade 
(APAC) and the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committees for Trade 
(ATACs). FAS also announces that nominations are being sought for 
persons to serve on the APAC and the ATACs.

DATES: Written nominations must be received by the Foreign Agricultural 
Service before or close of business June 8, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Send all nominating materials to Ms Sharon McClure, Foreign 
Agricultural Service, USDA, Room 5065-S, STOP 1001, 1400 Independence 
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-1001. The forms may also be submitted 
by fax to (202) 720-8097.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Comments regarding the reestablishment 
of these committees should be addressed to Ms. Sharon McClure, Acting 
Executive Secretary, Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA, 1400 
Independence Avenue, SW., Room 5065-S, Stop 1001, Washington, DC 20250-
1001, or Ms. Denise Bell at the same address. Persons interested in 
serving on the APAC or an ATAC, or in nominating individuals to serve, 
should contact FAS by telephone (202)-720-6829), fax (202-720-8097), by 
mail (Ms. Sharon McClure, Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA, 1400 
Independence Avenue, SW., Room 5065-S, Stop 1001, Washington, DC 20250-
1001) or electronic mail ([email protected]) and request Form AD-755 
and Form SF-181. These forms are also available on the Internet at the 
FAS homepage. For Form AD-755, go to http://www.fas.usda.gov/ad755.pdf. 
For Form SF-181, go to http://www.fas.usda.gov/admin/ad 1086.

[[Page 23665]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee 
for Trade (APAC) and the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committees for 
Trade (ATACs) are authorized by sections 135(c)(1) and (2) of the Trade 
Act of 1974, as amended (Pub. L. No. 93-618, 19 U.S.C. 2155). The 
purpose of the committees is to provide advice to the Secretary and the 
U.S. Trade Representative concerning agricultural trade policy and are 
intended to ensure that representative elements of the private sector 
have an opportunity to make known their views to the U.S. Government.

Rechartering

    Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. Appendix), 
the Foreign Agricultural Service gives notice that the Secretary of 
Agriculture and the U.S. Trade Representative have reestablished the 
Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee for Trade (APAC) and the 
Agricultural Technical Advisory Committees for Trade (ATACs). In 1974, 
Congress established a private sector advisory committee system to 
ensure that U.S. trade policy and negotiation objectives adequately 
reflect U.S. commercial and economic interests. The private sector 
advisory system now consists of almost 40 committees, arranged in three 
tiers:
     The President's Advisory Committee on Trade and Policy 
Negotiations (ACTPN);
     Seven advisory committees, including the APAC, and;
     Over 30 technical advisory committees, including the 
ATACs. The renewal of such committees is in the public interest in 
connection with the duties of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 
imposed by the Trade Act of 1974, as amended.

General Committee Information

    All APAC and ATAC committee members are appointed by the Secretary 
of Agriculture and the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), and serve at 
the directions of the Secretary and the USTR. To serve and attend 
committee meetings, members must be U.S. citizens, and have 
successfully completed a confidential security clearance. Committee 
members serve without compensation; they are not reimburbsed for their 
travel expense.
    Committee meetings will be open to the public, unless the U.S. 
Trade Representative determines that the committees will be discussing 
issues the disclosure of which justify closing a meeting or portions of 
the meeting, in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(c).
    All committee appointments expire on May 1, 2003; by the Secretary 
and USTR may renew an appointment for one or more additional terms.
    Each committee has a chairperson, who is elected from the 
membership of that committee. In addition to their individual 
responsibilities, all communities are required to meet at the 
conclusion of negotiations for each trade agreement, and to provide a 
report on each agreement to the President, Congress, and to the u.S. 
Trade Representative.
    [All meetings will be held in Washington, D.C.]

Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee for Trade (APAC)

    The APAC has approximately 50 members, and is composed of a broad 
spectrum of agricultural interests. It provides advice concerning:
     Negotiating objectives and bargaining positions before the 
United States enters into a trade agreement;
     The operation of various U.S. trade agreements; and
     Other matters arising from the administration of U.S. 
trade policy.

Agricultural Technical Advisory Committees for Trade (ATACs)

    The ATACs provide advice and information regarding trade issues 
which affect both domestic and foreign production in the commodities, 
drawing upon the technical competence and experience of its members. 
There are five ATACs, one for each of the following sectors:
     Grains, Feed, and Oilseeds;
     Animals and Animal Products;
     Fruits and Vegetables;
     Sweetners and Sweetner Products; and
     Tobacco, Cotton, and Peanuts.
    Each ATAC has approximately 25 members, for a total of 
approximately 125 members.

Nominations and Selection of Members

    Nominations are open to all individuals without regard to race, 
color, religion, sex, national origin, age, mental or physical 
handicap, marital status or sexual orientation. To ensure that the 
recommendations of the committees take into account the needs of the 
diverse groups served by the Department, membership shall include, to 
the extent practicable, individuals with demonstrated ability to 
represent minorities, women, and persons with disabilities.
    Members are slected primarily for their expertise and knowledge of 
agriculture trade as it relates to policy and commodity specific 
products. No person, company, producer, farm organization, trade 
association, or other entity has a right to representation on a 
committee. All members serve at the discretion of the Secretary of 
Agriculture and the U.S. Trade Representative. In making selections, 
every effort will be made tomaintain balanced representation on the 
committees: representation from producers, farm and commodity 
organizations, processors, traders, consumers, as well as geographical 
balance.

    Issued at Washington, D.C. this 1st day of May, 2001.

    Dated: May 1, 2001.

Paul W. Fiddick,
Assistant Secretary for Administration.
[FR Doc. 01-11593 Filed 5-8-01; 8:45 am]
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