[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 40 (Wednesday, March 2, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10072-10073]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-4051]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Foreign Agriculture Service


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

AGENCY: Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, notice is 
hereby given that the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary), in 
coordination with the United States Trade Representative (USTR), 
intends to reestablish the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee 
(APAC) for Trade and the six existing Agricultural Technical Advisory 
Committees (ATAC) for Trade. 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 March 31, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Nominations must be hand-delivered (including FedEx, DHL, 
UPS, etc.) to the Legislative Affairs Office, Foreign Agricultural 
Service, USDA, Room 5929-S, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Mail Stop 
1001, Washington, DC 20250-1001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Inquiries or comments regarding the 
reestablishment of these committee also may be sent by electronic mail 
to [email protected], or by fax to (202) 720-5936. The 
Legislative Affairs Office may be reached by telephone at (202) 720-
7645, with inquiries directed to Joan Hurst.

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. 93-618, 19 U.S.C. 2155). 
The purpose of these committees is to advise the Secretary and the 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

    Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act 5 U.S.C. App. II), 
FAS gives notice that the Secretary and the USTR intend to reestablish 
the APAC and the following six ATACs:
     Animals and Animal Products;
     Fruits and Vegetables;
     Grains, Feed, and Oilseeds;
     Processed Foods;
     Sweeteners and Sweetener Products;
     Tobacco, Cotton, Peanuts, and Planting Seeds.
    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:
     The President's Advisory Committee on Trade and Policy 
Negotiations;
     Five general policy advisory committees, including the 
APAC; and,
     Twenty-eight technical advisory committees, including the 
ATACs.
    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

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

General Committee Information

     Each committee has a chairperson, who is elected from the 
membership of that committee.
     Committees meet approximately four times per year, and all 
committee meetings are held in Washington, DC.
     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).
     Throughout the year, members are requested to review 
sensitive trade policy information via a secure Web site, and provide 
comments regarding trade negotiations.
     In addition to their other advisory responsibilities, at 
the conclusion of negotiations of any trade agreement, all committees 
are required 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 the following:
     Negotiating objectives and bargaining positions before the 
United States enters into a trade agreement;
     The operation of various U.S. trade agreements; and
     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 
that affect both domestic and foreign

[[Page 10073]]

production in the commodities of the respective sector, drawing upon 
the technical competence and experience of the members. There will be 
six ATACs, one for each of the following sectors:
     Animals and Animal Products;
     Fruits and Vegetables;
     Grains, Feed, and Oilseeds;
     Processed Foods;
     Sweeteners and Sweetener Products; and
     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 must have 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.
    Nominations: Nominating a person to serve on any of the committees 
requires submission of a current resume for the nominee and the 
following form:
     AD-755 (Advisory Committee Membership Background 
Information), available on the Internet at http://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 http://www.fas.usda.gov/admin/ad1086.pdf. Forms may 
also be requested by sending an e-mail to [email protected], or 
by phone at (202) 720-7645.
    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 11th day of February, 2005.
A. Ellen Terpstra,
Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service.
[FR Doc. 05-4051 Filed 3-1-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-10-M