[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 84 (Thursday, May 1, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23277-23278]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-10871]


 ========================================================================
 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. 68, No. 84 / Thursday, May 1, 2003 / 
Notices  

[[Page 23277]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[TM-03-01]


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 13, 2003, 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and 
May 14, 2003, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Requests from individuals and 
organizations wishing to make an oral presentation at the meeting are 
due by the close of business on April 28, 2003.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will take place at the Radisson Hotel and 
Suites, The Travis Room, 111 E. Cesar Chavez, Austin, Texas. Requests 
for copies of the NOSB meeting agenda, requests to make an oral 
presentation at the meeting, or written comments 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. Section 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 the OFPA. The NOSB met for the first time in 
Washington, DC, in March 1992, and currently has six committees working 
on various aspects of the organic program. The committees are: 
Accreditation, Crops, Livestock, Materials, Processing, and 
International.
    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 47 addenda to its 
recommendations and reviewed more than 246 substances for inclusion on 
the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances. The last 
meeting of the NOSB was held on October 19-20, 2002, in Washington, DC.
    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, hear a presentation from USDA, AMS Audit Review and 
Compliance Branch, receive reports from the Board Policy Task Force, 
Composting Task Force, and Inerts 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 breeder stock replacement; fiber bearing animal 
standards; dairy animal replacement standards; clarification of 
requirements for reviewing livestock materials; and review of 
Ivermectin for removal from, and review of Benzimidazole for addition, 
to the National List (parasiticides). The Livestock Committee will also 
report on alternative feed supplements to DL--Methionine. The Materials 
Committee will explain the materials review process and report on the 
status of current petitioned materials. The Materials Committee will 
also present for NOSB consideration 15 materials for possible inclusion 
on the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances. The 
Processing Committee will present for NOSB consideration its 
recommendations regarding the food contact substance policy, and 
clarification of the use of chlorine in direct contact with organic 
food. The Processing Committee will also present a report on 
differentiation of handling and processing for producers and retailers. 
The Crops Committee will present for NOSB consideration its recommended 
guidance document for hydropondic production. Finally, the 
Accreditation Committee will present for NOSB consideration its 
recommendation on minor non-compliances.
    Materials to be reviewed at the meeting by the NOSB are as follows: 
for Crop Production: Tetrahydrofurfuryl Alcohol, Potassium Silicate, 
Phosphoric Acid, and Glycerine Oleate/Glycerine Monooleate; for 
Livestock Production: Proteinated Chelates, Calcium Propionate, 
Furosemide, Mineral Oil, Atropine, and Moxidectin; and for Processing: 
Egg White Lysozyme, Nitrous Oxide, Malic Acid, Sodium Acid 
Pyrophosphate, and Microorganisms.
    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 Tuesday, May 13, 2003, from 9 a.m. until 11:10 a.m.; 
and Wednesday, May 14, 2003, from 8 a.m. until 9 a.m. 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 23278]]

Written submissions may contain information other than that presented 
at the oral presentation.
    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 Web site to view 
documents from the meeting.

    Dated: April 28, 2003.
A.J. Yates,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 03-10871 Filed 4-30-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P