[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 116 (Wednesday, June 17, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34606-34608]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-14840]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. FSIS-2015-0014]
Codex Alimentarius Commission: Meeting of the Codex Committee on
Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
AGENCY: Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, USDA.
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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 holding a public meeting on August 6, 2015. The
purpose of the 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 19th Session of the Codex Committee on Fresh
Fruits and Vegetables (CCFFV) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission
(Codex). The Session will be held in Mexico [the specific location in
Mexico will be determined], October 5-9, 2015. The Deputy Under
Secretary for Food Safety and the Agricultural Marketing Service
recognize the importance of providing interested parties the
opportunity to obtain background information on the 19th Session of
CCFFV and to address items on the agenda.
DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for August 6, 2015, from 2:00-
5:00 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA), Jamie L. Whitten Building, 1400
Independence Avenue SW., Room 107-A, Washington, DC 20250. Documents
related to the 19th Session of CCFFV will be accessible via the
Internet at the following address: http://www.codexalimentarius.org/meetings-reports/en/.
The U.S. Delegate of the 19th Session of the CCFFV 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 19th
Session of the CCFFV, by conference call, please use the call in number
and participant code listed 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.
Registration
Attendees may register to attend the public meeting by emailing
[email protected] by August 4, 2015. Early registration is
encouraged because it will expedite entry into the building. The
meeting will be held in a Federal building. Attendees should also bring
photo identification and plan for adequate time to pass through
security screening systems. Attendees who are not able to attend the
meeting in person, but who wish to participate, may do so by phone.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
About the 19th Session of CCFFV: Dorian LaFond, Agricultural
Marketing Service, Fruits and Vegetables Division, Stop 0235-Room 2086,
United States Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW.,
Washington, DC 20250. Phone: (202) 690-4944, Fax: (202) 720-0016,
email: [email protected].
About the Public Meeting: Kenneth Lowery, U.S. Codex Office, 1400
Independence Avenue, Room 4861, Washington, DC 20250. Phone: (202) 690-
4042, 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 CCFFV is responsible for elaborating worldwide standards and
codes of practice as may be appropriate for fresh fruits and vegetables
and for consulting with other international organizations in the
standards development process to avoid duplication.
The Committee is hosted by Mexico.
Issues To Be Discussed at the Public Meeting
The following items on the Agenda for the 19th Session of CCFFV
will be discussed during the public meeting:
Matters referred by the Codex and other Codex Committees
Matters referred by other international organizations on the
standardization of fresh fruits and vegetables
Proposed Draft Standard for Okra
Proposed Draft Standard for Ware Potatoes
Proposed Draft Standard for Garlic
Proposed Draft Standard for Aubergines
Proposed Draft Standard for Kiwifruit
Minimum maturity requirements for table grapes
Proposals for new work for Codex standards for fresh fruits
and vegetables
Proposed layout for Codex standards for fresh 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 or request copies of these documents (see
ADDRESSES).
Public Meeting
At the August 6, 2015, 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 19th
Session of CCFFV, Dorian LaFond (see ADDRESSES). Written comments
should state that they relate to activities of the 19th Session of
CCFFV.
Additional Public Notification
Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy
development is important. Consequently, FSIS will announce this Federal
Register publication on-line through the FSIS Web page located at:
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/federal-register.
FSIS also will make copies of this 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 our constituents and
stakeholders. The Update is available on the FSIS Web page. Through the
Web page, FSIS is able to provide information to a much broader, more
diverse audience. In addition, FSIS offers an email 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, regulations, directives, and notices. Customers can add or
delete subscriptions themselves, and have the option to password
protect their accounts.
USDA Non-Discrimination Statement
No agency, officer, or employee of the USDA shall, on the grounds
of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual
orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status,
income derived from a public assistance program, or political beliefs,
exclude from participation in, deny the benefits of, or subject to
discrimination any person in the United States under any program or
activity conducted by the USDA.
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How To File a Complaint of Discrimination
To file a complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program
Discrimination Complaint Form, which may be accessed online at http://www.ocio.usda.gov/sites/default/files/docs/2012/Complain_combined_6_8_12.pdf, or write a letter signed by you or your
authorized representative.
Send your completed complaint form or letter to USDA by mail, fax,
or email:
Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of
Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-9410.
Fax: (202) 690-7442.
Email: [email protected].
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for
communication (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.), should contact
USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).
Done at Washington, DC on June 11, 2015.
Mary Frances Lowe,
U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.
[FR Doc. 2015-14840 Filed 6-16-15; 8:45 am]
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