[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 76 (Friday, April 19, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19375-19376]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-9576]


 ========================================================================
 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 
 appearing in this section.
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  Federal Register / Vol. 67, No. 76 / Friday, April 19, 2002 / 
Notices  

[[Page 19375]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[TM-02-02]


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) is announcing a 
forthcoming meeting of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB).

DATES: The meeting dates are: May 6, 2002, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; May 7, 
2002, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and, May 8, 2002, 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Requests 
from individuals and organizations wishing to make an oral presentation 
at the meeting are due by the close of business on April 25, 2002.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will take place at the Clarion Inn & Suites 
Conference Center, The Ballroom (Walnut/Oak Room) 2200 1H-35 South, 
Austin, Texas. Requests for copies of the NOSB meeting agenda and 
requests to make an oral presentation at the meeting may be sent to Ms. 
Katherine Benham at USDA-AMS-TMD-NOP, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, 
Room 4008-So., Ag Stop 0268, Washington, DC 20250-0200. Requests to 
make an oral presentation at the meeting may also be sent 
electronically to Ms. Katherine Benham at [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard Mathews, Program Manager, 
National Organic Program, (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. 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 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 organic 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 39 addenda to its 
recommendations and reviewed more than 210 substances for inclusion on 
the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances. The last 
meeting of the NOSB was held on October 15-17, 2001, in Washington, 
D.C.
    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 became effective April 21, 2001.
    The principal purposes of the meeting are to provide an opportunity 
for the NOSB to: receive an update from the USDA/NOP, receive various 
committee reports, receive reports from the Board Policy Task Force and 
Composting Task Force, and review materials to determine if they should 
be included on the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances.
    The Livestock Committee will present for NOSB consideration its 
recommendations on ``feed ingredients,'' ``dairy animal replacement,'' 
``access to outdoors for poultry'' and ``excipients in medications. The 
Materials Committee will explain the materials review process, report 
on petitioned materials, and present for NOSB consideration its 
recommendation on Konjac Flour. The Materials Committee will also 
present 11 materials for possible inclusion on the National List of 
Allowed and Prohibited Substances. The Processing Committee will 
discuss clarification of Section 205.606--Natural Flavors, and review 
guidelines/comments for determining which processing technologies 
require review by NOSB. The Processing Committee will also present for 
NOSB consideration its recommendations on documentation requirements 
regarding the nonuse of prohibited substances and compliance with 
National List annotations, and GRAS materials as inerts. The Crops 
committee will present for NOSB consideration its recommendations on 
composting, hydroponic production, organic planting stock and 
transitional products. The Accreditation Committee will lead 
discussions on grower group certification criteria, accreditation 
complaint procedures, and certifying agent issues. Finally, the 
International Committee will discuss a proposed recommendation on US/EU 
Equivalency.
    Materials to be reviewed at the meeting by the NOSB are as follows: 
for Crop Production: Calcium Oxide, Calcium Hydroxide, Potassium 
Sorbate, Sodium Proprionate and Sodium Nitrate; for Crops and Livestock 
Production: Spinosad; and for Processing: Gelatin, Dewaxed Flake 
Shellak, Calcium Stearate, Diethylaminoethanol, and Glycerol Monoleate.
    For further information, see http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop. Copies of 
the NOSB meeting agenda can be requested from Ms. Katherine Benham by 
telephone at (202) 205-7806; or by accessing the NOP Web site at http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop.
    The meeting is open to the public. The NOSB has scheduled time for 
public input on Monday, May 6, 2002, from 8:45 a.m. until 10:45 a.m.; 
and Wednesday, May 8, 2002, from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m., at the Clarion 
Inn & Suites Conference Center, The Ballroom (Walnut/Oak Room), 2200 
IH-35 South, Austin, Texas. Individuals and organizations wishing to 
make an oral presentation at the meeting may forward their request by 
facsimile to Ms. Katherine Benham at (202) 205-7808. While persons 
wishing to make a presentation may sign up at the door, advance 
registration will ensure that 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.

[[Page 19376]]

Written submissions may contain information other than that presented 
at the oral presentation.
    Written comments must be submitted to Ms. Benham at the above 
address prior to or after the meeting. Written comments may also be 
submitted at the meeting. Persons submitting written comments at the 
meeting are asked to provide 30 copies.
    Interested persons may visit the NOSB portion of the NOP Web site 
http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop to view available documents prior to the 
meeting. Approximately 6 weeks following the meeting interested persons 
will be able to visit the NOSB portion of the NOP website to view 
documents from this meeting.

    Dated: April 12, 2002.
A.J. Yates,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 02-9576 Filed 4-18-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P