[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 83 (Wednesday, April 30, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24371-24372]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-09859]


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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 
 appearing in this section.
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  Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 83 / Wednesday, April 30, 2014 / 
Notices  

[[Page 24371]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. FSIS-2014-0005]


Codex Alimentarius Commission: Meeting of the Codex Alimentarius 
Commission

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, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture (USDA) is sponsoring a public meeting on June 
18, 2014. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information 
and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States 
positions to be discussed at the Thirty-seventh session of the Codex 
Alimentarius Commission (CAC), taking place in Geneva, Switzerland July 
14-18, 2014. The Under Secretary for Food Safety recognizes the 
importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain 
background information on the 37th session of the CAC and to address 
items on the agenda.

DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, June 18, 2014 
from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will take place at The Jamie L. Whitten 
Building, United States Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence 
Avenue SW., Room 107-A, Washington, DC 20250. Documents related to the 
37th Session of the CAC will be accessible via the Internet at the 
following address: http://www.codexalimentarius.org/meetings-reports/en/.
    The U.S. Delegate to the 37th Session of the CAC invites U.S. 
interested parties to submit their comments electronically to the 
following email address: [email protected].
    Call-In Number: If you wish to participate in the public meeting 
for the 37th Session of the CAC, by conference call, please use the 
call in number below:
    Call in Number: 1-888-844-9904.
    The participant code will be posted on the Web page below: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/international-affairs/us-codex-alimentarius/public-meetings.
    Contact for Further Information about the 37th Session of the CAC: 
Barbara McNiff, U.S. Codex Office, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 
4861, South Building, Washington, DC 20250; Telephone: (202) 690-4719; 
Fax: (202) 720-3157; Email: [email protected].
    Contact for Further Information about the Public Meeting: Jasmine 
Curtis, U.S. Codex Office, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 4865, 
South Building, Washington, DC 20250; Telephone: (202) 205-7760; Fax: 
(202) 720-3157; Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Codex Alimentarius (Codex) was established in 1963 by two 
United Nations organizations, the Food and Agriculture Organization 
(FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). 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; promotes coordination of all food 
standards work undertaken by international governmental and 
nongovernmental organizations; determines priorities and initiates and 
guides the preparation of draft standards through and with the aid of 
appropriate organizations; finalizes standards elaborated and publish 
them in a Codex Alimentarius either as regional or worldwide standards, 
together with international standards already finalized by other 
bodies, wherever this is practicable; Amends published standards, as 
appropriate, in the light of new developments.

Issues To Be Discussed at the Public Meeting

    The following items on the Agenda for the 37th Session of CAC will 
be discussed during the public meeting:
     Report by the Chairperson on the 69th Session of the 
Executive Committee.
     Proposed amendments to the Procedural Manual/Comments on 
Proposed Amendments to the Procedural Manual.
     Draft Standards and Related Texts at Step 8 of the 
Procedure (including those submitted at Step 5 with a recommendation to 
omit Steps 6 and 7 and at Step 5 of the Accelerated Procedure)/Comments 
on Draft Standards and Related Texts submitted to the Commission for 
adoption.
     Proposed Draft Standards and Related Texts at Step 5/
Comments on Draft Standards and Related Texts at Step 5.
     Revocation of Existing Codex Standards and Related Texts.
     Amendments to the Codex Standards and Related Texts.
     Proposals for the Elaboration of New Standards and Related 
Texts and for the Discontinuation of Work.
     Matters referred to the Commission by Codex Committees and 
Task Forces.
     Codex Strategic Plan 2014-2019:
    (a) General Implementation Status.
     Financial and Budgetary Matters.
     Matters arising from FAO and WHO:
    (a) FAO/WHO Project and Trust Fund for Enhanced Participation in 
Codex.
    (b) Other Matters arising from FAO and WHO.
     Relations between the Codex Alimentarius Commission and 
other International Organizations.
     Election of Chairperson and Vice Chairperson and 
Appointment of the Coordinators.
     Designation of Countries responsible for Appointing the 
Chairpersons of Codex Committees.
     Other Business.
    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 or request copies of these documents (see 
ADDRESSES).

Public Meeting

    At the June 18, 2014 public meeting, draft U.S. positions on the 
agenda items will be described, 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 37th 
Session of CAC (see

[[Page 24372]]

ADDRESSES). Written comments should state that they relate to 
activities of the 37th session of the CAC.

Additional Public Notification

    FSIS will announce this notice online through the FSIS Web page 
located at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/federal-register.
    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/subscribe. 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

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (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, audiotape, 
etc.) 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 April 18, 2014.
Paulo Almeida,
Associate U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.
[FR Doc. 2014-09859 Filed 4-29-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P