[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 45 (Thursday, March 7, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 10355]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-5479]


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 Notices
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  Federal Register / Vol. 67, No. 45 / Thursday, March 7, 2002 / 
Notices  

[[Page 10355]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Commodity Credit Corporation


Dockage Specifications for Wheat for Foreign Food Assistance 
Programs

AGENCY: Commodity Credit Corporation, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) is soliciting public 
comment on the dockage specifications for CCC purchases of U.S. wheat 
for foreign food assistance programs and potential purchases under 
section 5(d) of the CCC Charter Act beginning in U.S. fiscal year 2003.

DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received on or before 
April 8, 2002 to be assured of consideration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please direct written correspondence 
to: Mary Chambliss, Acting Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service, 
STOP 1001, 1400 Independence Ave. SW., Washington, DC 20250. Direct 
phone, fax and e-mail may be directed to: Robert Riemenschneider, 
Director, Grain and Feed Division, Foreign Agricultural Service, Phone: 
(202) 720-6219, Fax: (202) 720-0340, E-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In June 2000, as part of the U.S. Department 
of Agriculture's (USDA) ``Clean Wheat Initiative,'' CCC announced that 
it would progressively tighten the standards for the cleanliness of 
U.S. wheat exports destined for overseas food aid. In fiscal year 2000, 
the maximum dockage specification for wheat purchased by the CCC for 
food aid was lowered from 1.0 to 0.8 percent. This specification was 
lowered again to 0.7 percent for fiscal year 2001 purchases.
    USDA announced on February 5, 2002, that it would lower the maximum 
acceptable dockage level for wheat purchases by the CCC for U.S. 
foreign food aid programs from 0.7 percent to 0.6 percent for the 
remainder of fiscal year 2002. We are now seeking public comment 
regarding whether we should reduce the dockage level further to 0.5 
percent in fiscal year 2003.
    The CCC purchasing requirements for wheat will apply to CCC's food 
donations under the Food for Progress Act of 1985, and, with the 
concurrence of the United States Agency for International Development, 
title II of the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 
1954 (P.L. 480), and any surplus removal under section 5(d) of the CCC 
Charter Act.
    Comments are invited on all aspects of reducing dockage for U.S. 
foreign food aid purchases under the Clean Wheat Initiative for fiscal 
year 2003 and future years, i.e., whether the dockage level should be 
tightened further to 0.5 percent in fiscal year 2003; whether it should 
remain the same, that is 0.6 percent; whether it should be relaxed; or 
whether CCC should abandon the Clean Wheat Initiative completely and 
return to the 1.0 percent dockage level that was in place prior to this 
initiative. Economic and/or marketing reasons should be discussed, 
including any likelihood that CCC may be reducing the pool of eligible 
suppliers of commodities resulting in an adverse impact on competition.

Mary Chambliss,
Acting Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service and Acting Vice 
President, Commodity Credit Corporation.
[FR Doc. 02-5479 Filed 3-6-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-10-P