[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 54 (Thursday, March 20, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13665-13666]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-6794]


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 Notices
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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 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 68, No. 54 / Thursday, March 20, 2003 / 
Notices  

[[Page 13665]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Foreign Agricultural Service


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

AGENCY: Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. 
II), notice is hereby given that the Secretary of Agriculture 
(Secretary), after consultation with the Office of the United States 
Trade Representative (USTR), intends to reestablish the Agricultural 
Policy Advisory Committee (APAC) for Trade and the five existing 
Agricultural Technical Advisory Committees (ATAC) for Trade; and 
establish a new ATAC for Trade in Processed Foods. The Foreign 
Agricultural Service (FAS) is requesting nominations for persons to 
serve on these seven committees.

DATES: Written nominations must be received by FAS before the close of 
business on April 4, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Nominations must be hand-delivered (including FedEx, DHL, 
UPS, etc.) to the Legislative Affairs Office, Foreign Agricultural 
Service, USDA, Room 5065-S, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, 
DC 20250.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Inquiries or comments regarding the 
establishment or reestablishment of these committees can also be sent 
by electronic mail to [email protected], or by fax to (202) 720-
8097 or (202) 720-5936. The Legislative Affairs Office can be contacted 
by telephone at (202) 720-7829, with inquiries directed to Chanda 
Beckman or Tanya Fari[ntilde]a.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Introduction

    The APAC and the 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 these committees is to advise the Secretary of 
Agriculture and the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) concerning 
agricultural trade policy. The committees are intended to ensure that 
representative elements of the private sector have an opportunity to 
express their views to the U.S. Government.

Rechartering of Existing Committees and Establishment of New Committees

    Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. Appendix), 
the FAS gives notice that the Secretary and the USTR intend to 
reestablish the APAC and the following five ATACs:
    [sbull] Animals and Animal products;
    [sbull] Fruits and Vegetables;
    [sbull] Grains, Feed, and Oilseeds;
    [sbull] Sweeteners and Sweetener Products; and
    [sbull] Tobacco, Cotton, Peanuts, and Planting Seeds.
    FAS also gives notice that the Secretary and the USTR intend to 
establish a new ATAC for Processed Foods.
    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 committee system currently consists of three tiers:
    [sbull] The President's Advisory Committee on Trade and Policy 
Negotiations;
    [sbull] Five general policy advisory committees, including the APAC 
and;
    [sbull] 28 technical advisory committees, including the ATAC for 
Processed Foods.
    The establishment and renewal of such committees is in the public 
interest in connection with the duties of the USDA imposed by the Trade 
Act of 1974, as amended.

Committee Membership Information

    [sbull] All committee members are appointed by the Secretary and 
the USTR, and serve at the discretion of the Secretary and the USTR.
    [sbull] Committee size will be limited up to approximately 35 
members each.
    [sbull] All committee appointments will expire in 2 years, but the 
Secretary and USTR may renew an appointment for one or more additional 
terms.
    [sbull] All committee members must be U.S. citizens.
    [sbull] To attend certain meetings, committee members must have a 
current security clearance or have submitted an application for a 
security clearance.
    [sbull] Committee members serve without compensation; they are not 
reimbursed for their travel expenses.
    [sbull] No person can serve on more than one USDA advisory 
committee at the same time.

General Committee Information

    [sbull] Each committee has a chairperson, who his elected from the 
membership of that committee.
    [sbull] All committee meetings will be held in Washington, DC.
    [sbull] Committee meetings will be open to the public, unless the 
USTR determines that a committee will be discussing issues that justify 
closing a meeting or portions of a meeting, in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 
552(c).
    [sbull] In addition to their other advisory responsibilities, all 
committees are required to meet at the conclusion of negotiations of 
any trade agreement, and to provide a report on each agreement to the 
President, Congress, and the USTR.

Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee for Trade

    The APAC is composed of a broad spectrum of agricultural interests. 
The APAC provides advice concerning:
    [sbull] Negotiating objectives and bargaining positions before the 
U.S. enters into a trade agreement;
    [sbull] The operation of various U.S. trade agreements; and
    [sbull] Other matters arising from the administration of U.S. trade 
policy.

Agricultural Technical Advisory Committees for Trade

    The ATACs provide advice and information regarding trade issues 
which affect both domestic and foreign production in their commodities, 
drawing upon the technical competence and experience of its members. 
There will be six ATACs, one for each of the following sectors:
    [sbull] Animals and Animal Products;
    [sbull] Fruits and Vegetables;
    [sbull] Grains, Feed, and Oilseeds;

[[Page 13666]]

    [sbull] Processed Foods;
    [sbull] Sweeteners and Sweetener Products; and
    [sbull] Tobacco, Cotton, Peanuts, and Planting Seeds.

Nominations and Appointment of Members

    Nominations for APAC and ATAC membership 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 USDA, 
membership shall include, to the extent practicable, individuals with 
demonstrated ability to represent minorities, women, and persons with 
disabilities.
    Members are appointed primarily for their expertise and knowledge 
of agricultural 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 membership on a committee. 
In making appointments, every effort will be made to maintain balanced 
representation on the committees: representation from producers, farm 
and commodity organizations, processors, traders, and consumers. 
Geographical balance on each committee will also be sought.
    Nominees to the new ATAC for processed foods should represent a 
company or trade association of companies engaged in the production 
and/or trade of processed or value-added food, pet food, or beverage 
products at the retail, distribution, or processor level, and have 
knowledge of the effects that various trade barriers (including 
technical barriers to trade) can have on the products they represent. 
Each nominee representing a trade association should represent a 
membership comprised largely of processed food companies and/or 
companies engaged in the trade of processed or value-added products. 
All nominees should be recognized leaders in their fields, and be able 
to defend those interests fully and professionally. Processed products, 
according to the International Trade Commission's report Processed 
Foods and Beverages: A Description of Tariff and Non-tariff Barriers 
for Major Products and Their Impact on Trade, ``generally include food 
and beverage products that have some degree of value-added through 
processing beyond any minimal first-stage processing (e.g., grading, 
sorting, washing) and either (i) can be directly consumed as a food or 
beverage product, either immediately or with minimal preparation, or 
(ii) can be directly used as an input in the production of a food or 
beverage product without significant further processing.''
    Nominations: Nominating a person to serve on any of the committees 
requires submission of a current resume for the nominee and the 
following form:
    [sbull] AD-755 (Advisory Committee Membership Background 
Information), available on the Internet at www.fas.usda.gov/admin/ad755.pdf.

In addition, FAS encourages the submission of the optional form AD-1086 
(Applicant for Advisory Committees Supplemental Sheet), available on 
the Internet at www.fas.usda.gov/admin/ad1086.pdf. Forms can also be 
requested by phone at (202) 720-6829.

    Foreign Firms: Persons who are employed by firms that are 50 
percent plus one share foreign-owned must state the extent to which the 
organization or interest to be represented by the nominee is owned by 
non-U.S. citizens, organizations, or interests. If the nominee is to 
represent an entity or corporation with 10 percent or greater non-U.S. 
ownership, the nominee must demonstrate at the time of nomination that 
this ownership interest does not constitute control and will not 
adversely affect his or her ability to serve as an advisor on the U.S. 
agriculture advisory committee for trade.

    Issued at Washington, DC this 18th day of March, 2003.
A. Ellen Terpstra,
Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service.
[FR Doc. 03-6794 Filed 3-19-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-10-M