[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 16 (Thursday, January 24, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 3476]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-1749]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. 01-044N]


Codex Alimentarius Commission: Fifth Session of the Codex 
Committee on Milk and Milk Products

AGENCY: Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, the 
Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), U.S. Department of Agriculture 
(USDA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Department of 
Health and Human Services (DHHS), are sponsoring a public meeting on 
March 20, 2002, to review the technical content of the agenda item 
documents and receive comments on all issues coming before the Fifth 
Session of the Codex Committee on Milk and Milk Products, which will be 
held in Wellington, New Zealand, April 2-8, 2002.

DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 20, 2002, 
from 9 a.m. to 12 noon.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held in Room 3501, South 
Agriculture Building, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 14th Street and 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250.
    To receive copies of documents relevant to this notice, contact the 
Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) Docket Room, U.S. Department 
of Agriculture, FSIS, Room 102, Cotton Annex, 300 12th Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20250-3700. The documents will also become accessible 
via the World Wide Web at the following address: http://www.fao.org/waicent/faoinfo/economic/esn/Codex. Send comments, in triplicate, to 
the FSIS Docket Room and reference Docket #01-044N. All comments 
submitted in response to this notice will be available for public 
inspection in the FSIS Docket Room between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., 
Monday through Friday.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patrick J. Clerkin, Associate U.S. 
Manager for Codex; Telephone: (202) 205-7760; Fax: (202) 720-3157. 
Persons requiring a sign language interpreter or other special 
accommodations should notify Mr. Clerkin at the above number.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Codex was established in 1962 by two United Nations organizations, 
the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health 
Organization. Codex is the major international organization for 
encouraging fair international trade in food and protecting the health 
and economic interests of consumers. Through adoption of food 
standards, codes of practice and other guidelines developed by its 
committees, and by promoting their adoption and implementation by 
governments, Codex seeks to ensure that the world's food supply is 
sound, wholesome, free from adulteration and correctly labeled.
    The Codex Committee on Milk and Milk Products was established to 
elaborate codes and standards for Milk and Milk Products. The 
Government of New Zealand hosts this committee and will chair the 
committee meeting.

Issues To Be Discussed at the Public Meeting

    The following specific issues will be discussed during the public 
meeting:
    1. Matters referred by the Codex Alimentarius Commission and other 
Codex committees
    2. Review of the Proposed Draft and Draft Revised Standards: Cream; 
Fermented Milk Products; Dairy Spreads; Processed Cheese; Individual 
Cheeses; and Whey Powders
    3. Proposed Standards for Products in Which Milkfat is Substituted 
for by Vegetable Fat
    4. Model Export Certificate for Milk Products
    5. Review of Proposals for New Standards for ``Parmesan'' and 
``Cheese Specialities''

Additional Public Notification

    Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy 
development is important. Consequently, in an effort to better ensure 
that minorities, women, and persons with disabilities are aware of this 
notice, FSIS will announce it and provide copies of this Federal 
Register publication in the FSIS Constituent Update. FSIS provides a 
weekly Constituent Update, which is communicated via fax to over 300 
organizations and individuals. In addition, the update is available on-
line through the FSIS web page located at http://www.fsis.usda.gov. The 
update is used to provide information regarding FSIS policies, 
procedures, regulations, Federal Register notices, FSIS public 
meetings, recalls, and any other types of information that could effect 
or would be of interest to our constituents/stakeholders. The 
constituent fax list consists of industry, trade, and farm groups, 
consumer interest groups, allied health professionals, scientific 
professionals, and other individuals that have requested to be 
included. Through these various channels, FSIS is able to provide 
information to a much broader, more diverse audience.
    For more information and to be added to the constituent fax list, 
fax your request to the Congressional and Public Affairs Office, at 
(202) 720-5704.

    Done at Washington, DC on: January 18, 2002.
F. Edward Scarbrough,
U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.
[FR Doc. 02-1749 Filed 1-23-02; 8:45 am]
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