[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 165 (Friday, August 24, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51511-51512]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-20814]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. FSIS-2012-0034]


Codex Alimentarius Commission: Meeting of the Codex Committee on 
Processed Fruits and Vegetables

AGENCY: Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, United 
States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Agricultural Marketing 
Service (AMS), are sponsoring a public meeting on September 17, 2012. 
The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and 
receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States (U.S.) 
positions that will be discussed at the 26th session of the Codex 
Committee on Processed Fruits and Vegetables (CCPFV) of the Codex 
Alimentarius Commission (Codex), which will be held in Montego Bay, 
Jamaica from October 15-19, 2012. The Under Secretary for Food Safety 
and AMS recognize the importance of providing interested parties the 
opportunity to obtain background information on the 26th Session of the 
CCPFV and to address items on the agenda.

DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for September 17, 2012, from 
1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at USDA, Jamie L. Whitten 
Building, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 107-A, Washington, DC 
20250.
    Documents related to the 26th session of the CCPFV will be 
accessible via the World Wide Web at the following address: http://www.codexalimentarius.org/.
    Dorian LaFond, U.S. Delegate to the 26th session of the CCPFV, 
invites U.S. interested parties to submit their comments electronically 
to the

[[Page 51512]]

following email address: [email protected].
    Call-In Number:
    If you wish to participate in the public meeting for the 26th 
session of the CCPFV by conference call, please use the call-in number 
and participant code listed below:
    Call-in Number: 1-888-858-2144
    Participant code: 6208658
    For Further Information About the 26th Session of the CCPFV 
Contact: Dorian LaFond, AMS, Fruits and Vegetables Division, Stop 0235, 
Room 2086, South Agriculture Building, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., 
Washington, DC 20250-0235, Phone: (202) 690-4944, Fax: (202) 720-0016, 
Email: [email protected].
    For Further Information About the Public Meeting Contact: Jasmine 
Curtis, U.S. Codex Office, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 4865, 
Washington, DC 20250. Phone: (202) 690-1124, Fax: (202) 720-3157, 
Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Codex was established in 1963 by two United Nations organizations, 
the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health 
Organization. Through adoption of food standards, codes of practice, 
and other guidelines developed by its committees, and by promoting 
their adoption and implementation by governments, Codex seeks to 
protect the health of consumers and ensure fair practices in the food 
trade.
    The CCPFV is responsible for: Elaborating worldwide standards and 
related texts for all types of processed fruits and vegetables 
including but not limited to canned, dried and frozen products as well 
as fruit and vegetable juices and nectars.
    The Committee is hosted by the United States.

Issues To Be Discussed at the Public Meeting

    The following items on the agenda for the 26th session of the CCPFV 
will be discussed during the public meeting:
     Matters Referred to the CCPFV by Codex and Other Codex 
Committees
     Proposed Draft Codex Standard for Table Olives (Revision 
of Codex Standard 66-1981) (Step 4)
     Proposed Draft Codex Standard for Certain Canned Fruits 
(Revision of Remaining Individual Standards for Canned Fruits) (Step 4)
     Proposed Draft Codex Standard for Certain Quick Frozen 
Vegetables (Revision of Individual Standards for Quick Frozen 
Vegetables) (Step 4)
     Proposed Draft Sampling Plans Including Metrological 
Provisions for Controlling Minimum Drained Weight of Canned Fruits and 
Vegetables in Packing Media (Step 4)
     Food Additive Provisions for Processed Fruits and 
Vegetables: Additional Provisions for Inclusion in Selected Adopted and 
Under Development Standards
     Matters Related to Selected Codex Standards for Processed 
Fruits and Vegetables
     Discussion Paper on the Possible Extension of the 
Territorial Application of the Codex Regional Standard for Ginseng 
Products
     Discussion Paper on the Development of a Codex Standard 
for Chemically Flavored Water-Based Drinks
     Status of Work on the Revision of Codex Standards for 
Processed Fruits and Vegetables
    Each issue listed will be fully described in documents distributed, 
or to be distributed, by the Secretariat prior to the meeting. Members 
of the public may access copies of these documents (see ADDRESSES).

Public Meeting

    At the September 17, 2012, public meeting, draft U.S. positions on 
the agenda items will be described and discussed, and attendees will 
have the opportunity to pose questions and offer comments. Written 
comments may be offered at the meeting or sent to the U.S. Delegate for 
the 26th session of the CCPFV, Dorian LaFond (see ADDRESSES). Written 
comments should state that they relate to activities of the 26th 
session of the CCPFV.

Additional Public Notification

    FSIS will announce this notice online through the FSIS Web page 
located at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations_&_policies/Federal_Register_Notices/index.asp.
    FSIS will also make copies of this Federal Register publication 
available through the FSIS Constituent Update, which is used to provide 
information regarding FSIS policies, procedures, regulations, Federal 
Register notices, FSIS public meetings, and other types of information 
that could affect or would be of interest to constituents and 
stakeholders. The Update is communicated via Listserv, a free 
electronic mail subscription service for industry, trade groups, 
consumer interest groups, health professionals, and other individuals 
who have asked to be included. The Update is also available on the FSIS 
Web page. In addition, FSIS offers an electronic mail subscription 
service which provides automatic and customized access to selected food 
safety news and information. This service is available at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Email_Subscription/.
    Options range from recalls to export information to regulations, 
directives, and notices. Customers can add or delete subscriptions 
themselves, and have the option to password protect their accounts.

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement

    USDA prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on 
the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, 
disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or 
family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) 
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for 
communication of program information (Braille, large print, or 
audiotape) should contact USDA's Target Center at 202-720-2600 (voice 
and TTY).
    To file a written complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Office 
of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue 
SW., Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964 (voice and TTY). 
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

    Done at Washington, DC on August 2, 2012.
Karen Stuck,
U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.
[FR Doc. 2012-20814 Filed 8-23-12; 8:45 am]
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