[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 212 (Thursday, November 3, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66817-66818]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-22045]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Doc. No. TM-06-01]


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 Wednesday, November 16, 2005, 9 a.m. to 
4:45 p.m.; and Thursday, November 17, 2005, 9 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. 
Requests from individuals and organizations wishing to make an oral 
presentation at the meeting are due by the close of business on 
November 11, 2005.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will take place at the Channel Inn Hotel, The 
Captain's Room, 650 Water Street, SW., Washington, DC 20024. 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 via facsimile 
to Ms. Katherine Benham at (202) 205-7808 or electronically to Ms. 
Katherine Benham at [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Katherine E. Benham, Advisory Board 
Specialist, National Organic Program, (202) 205-7806.

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 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 77 addenda to its 
recommendations and reviewed more than 269 substances for inclusion on 
the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances. The last 
meeting of the NOSB was held on August 15-17, 2005, 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 
action items. The NOSB subcommittees (Crops, Livestock, and Handling 
Committees) will also present and propose, to the full NOSB, 
recommendations concerning the continued use or prohibition of 
substances being reviewed under the OFPA's sunset provisions for the 
National List. The NOSB will vote on these recommendations.
    The OFPA authorized a National List of Allowed and Prohibited 
Substances. The Act also provides that no allowed or prohibited 
substance would remain on the National List for a period exceeding 5 
years unless the exemption or prohibition is reviewed and recommended 
for renewal by the NOSB and adopted by the Secretary of Agriculture. 
This expiration is commonly referred to as sunset of the National List. 
The National List was implemented on October 21, 2002 contained over 
170 substances. This first sunset of the National List triggers a 
review process that must be concluded no later than October 21, 2007. 
If renewal is not concluded by that date, the use or prohibition of 
hundreds of materials will no longer be valid for the organic industry, 
causing most if not all of the organic industry to be in noncompliance 
with the National Organic Standards. Because this first sunset process 
involves Federal rulemaking, the NOSB and the NOP has issued guidance 
and begun work on the National List Sunset process in order to avoid 
expiration of the National List on October 21, 2007.
    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 for Sunset Review on Wednesday, November 16, 2005, from 
9:40 a.m. to 11:45 a.m., and time for public input on Pasture for 
Organic Livestock on Thursday, November 17, 2005, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. 
Individuals and organizations wishing to make an oral presentation at 
the meeting may forward their request by mail, facsimile, or e-

[[Page 66818]]

mail to Katherine Benham at addresses listed in ADDRESSES above. While 
persons wishing to make a presentation for Sunset Review and/or Pasture 
for Organic Livestock may sign up at the door, advance registration 
will ensure that a person has the opportunity to speak during the 
allotted time 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: October 31, 2005.
Lloyd C. Day,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 05-22045 Filed 11-2-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P