[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 28 (Friday, February 11, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7224-7225]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-2731]


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 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 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 28 / Friday, February 11, 2005 / 
Notices  

[[Page 7224]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[No.: TM-05-1]


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: Monday, February 28, 2005, 2 p.m. to 5:30 
p.m., Tuesday, March 1, 2005, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 2, 
2005, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Thursday, March 3, 2005, 8 a.m. to 12:15 
p.m. Requests from individuals and organizations wishing to make an 
oral presentation at the meeting are due by the close of business on 
February 11, 2005.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will take place at the Washington Terrace Hotel, 
1515 Rhode Island Avenue, NW., Washington, DC. 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. Francine Torres 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 via facsimile to Ms. Francine Torres at 
(202) 205'7808 or electronically to Ms. Francine Torres at 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard Mathews, Associate Deputy 
Administrator, 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: 
Compliance, Accreditation, and Certification; Crops; Livestock; 
Materials; Handling; and Policy Development.
    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 53 addenda to its 
recommendations and reviewed more than 264 substances for inclusion on 
the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances. The last 
meeting of the NOSB was held on October 12-14, 2004, 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 and hear progress 
reports from NOSB committees regarding work plan items and proposed 
actions. The NOSB will receive an update from the Association of 
American Plant Food Control Officials (AAPFCO) concerning its recent 
labeling committee meeting and discuss actions items concerning the 
formation of the NOSB Aquatic Animal Task Force and Pet Food Task 
Force. The NOSB will also review materials to determine if they should 
be included on the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances.
    The Accreditation, Certification, and Compliance Committee will 
discuss how to operationalize the peer review of NOP's accreditation 
program. It will present, for NOSB consideration, its recommendation to 
expand the information contained on certificates of organic operations 
and provide support for the development of an NOP electronic data 
management system. The Livestock Committee will discuss issues 
involving the formation of an Aquatic Animal Task Force. It will 
discuss priorities for sunset review of livestock substances, a rule 
change for dairy replacement (based on an existing NOSB 
recommendation), and a rule change for apiculture standards (based on 
an existing NOSB recommendation). The committee will present a 
recommendation that addresses options for adding livestock substances, 
already reviewed and approved by NOSB, to the National List. It will 
consider restrictions on the use of certain forms of proteinated 
chelates as livestock feed supplements. The committee will also address 
issues regarding a petition requesting an extension for the use of DL-
Methionine in poultry production and discuss the use and labeling of 
calcium carbonate as an allowed feed supplement. The Livestock 
Committee will submit a draft guidance document for NOSB consideration 
on the requirements for access to pasture for ruminants.
    The Policy Development Committee will discuss the duties of an 
Executive Director for the NOSB and factors to be considered for 
temporary research variances. The committee will present, for NOSB 
consideration, its recommendation concerning the adoption of the NOP 
collaboration policy document and changes to the Board Policies and 
Procedures Manual. The committee will also present its recommendation 
for soliciting USDA support for ensuring consistent use of the word 
``organic'' on AAPFCO regulated fertilizer labels. Finally, the 
committee will submit, for NOSB consideration, a guidance document 
regarding the use of organic and non-organic forms of the same 
ingredient in products labeled, ``made with organic ingredients''. The 
Handling Committee will discuss the priorities for the sunset review of 
natural substances contained on the National List. The committee will 
report on its work for determining when a product is agricultural 
versus nonagricultural. The Handling Committee will also present, for 
NOSB consideration, its recommendation on the following draft guidance 
documents: (1) The status of albumen for use in the

[[Page 7225]]

clarification process of organic wine-making; (2) the calculation of 
percent organic ingredients for the manufacture of organic tea; (3) the 
status of bitter orange as a natural processing aid used in or on 
organic processed products; and (4) the organic certification of retail 
food establishments.
    The Materials Committee will discuss plans for identifying and 
prioritizing substances for sunset review. The committee will present 
recommended action plans for (1) establishing internal procedures for 
NOSB sunset review of substances on the National List; (2) determining 
synthetic vs. non-synthetic substances; and (3) determining the impact 
of various extraction methods on substances reviewed by the NOSB for 
placement on the National List. The committee will also recommend, for 
NOSB consideration, the revised material review procedures developed by 
the NOP and Materials Committee. The Crops Committee will discuss 
priorities for the sunset review of substances used in organic crop 
production. It will also discuss the development of draft hydroponic 
production standards. The Crops Committee will submit, for NOSB 
consideration, draft guidance regarding the use of compost and compost 
tea and the use of waxed boxes used for organic production. The 
committee will submit revisions to the ``natural resource'' sections of 
the NOSB organic farm plan, to better address biodiversity and natural 
resource preservation requirements. The committee will also submit 
guidance on the assessment of commercial availability and equivalent 
varieties of organic seeds.
    Materials to be reviewed at the meeting by the NOSB are as follows: 
for Crop Production: Soy Protein Isolate, Ammonium Bicarbonate, and 
Ferric Phosphate.
    For further information, see http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop. Copies of 
the NOSB meeting agenda can be requested from Ms. Francine Torres by 
telephone at (202) 720-3252; 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, March 1, 2005, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.; and 
Thursday, March 3, 2005, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Individuals and 
organizations wishing to make an oral presentation at the meeting may 
forward their request by mail, facsimile, or e-mail to Ms. Francine 
Torres at addresses listed in ADDRESSES above. 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. 
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: February 8, 2005.
Kenneth C. Clayton,
Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 05-2731 Filed 2-8-05; 2:41 pm]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P