[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 132 (Friday, July 10, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39745-39746]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-16900]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Document No. AMS-ST-15-0024]


Plant Variety Protection Board; Open Teleconference Meeting

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), the 
Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is announcing a meeting of the 
Plant Variety Protection Board (Board). The meeting is being held to 
discuss a variety of topics including, but not limited to, work and 
outreach plans, subcommittee activities, and proposals for procedure 
changes. The meeting is open to the public. This notice sets forth the 
schedule and location for the meeting.

DATES: Thursday, August 6, 2015, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The Board meeting will be held at the United States 
Department of Agriculture, Room 3543, South Building, 1400 Independence 
Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maria Pratt, Program Analyst, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture (USDA), AMS, Science and Technology Programs, 
1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250. Telephone: (202) 
720-1104; Fax: (202) 260-8976, or Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the provisions of section 10(a) 
of the FACA (5 U.S.C., Appendix 2), this notice informs the public that 
the Plant Variety Protection Office (PVPO) is having a Board meeting 
earlier than the 15 day requirement of the FACA. The Plant Variety 
Protection Act (PVPA) (7 U.S.C. 2321 et seq.) provides legal protection 
in the form of intellectual property rights to developers of new 
varieties of plants, which are reproduced sexually by seed or are 
tuber-propagated. A Certificate of Plant Variety Protection (PVP) is 
awarded to an owner of a crop variety after an examination shows that 
it is new, distinct from other varieties, genetically uniform and 
stable through successive generations. The term of protection is 20 
years for most crops and 25 years for trees, shrubs, and vines. The 
PVPA also

[[Page 39746]]

provides for a statutory Board (7 U.S.C. 2327). The PVPA Board is 
composed of 14 individuals who are experts in various areas of 
development and represent the private or seed industry sector, academia 
and government. The duties of the Board are to: (1) Advise the 
Secretary concerning the adoption of rules and regulations to 
facilitate the proper administration of the PVPA; (2) provide advisory 
counsel to the Secretary on appeals concerning decisions on 
applications by the PVP Office and on requests for emergency public-
interest compulsory licenses; and (3) advise the Secretary on any other 
matters under the Regulations and Rules of Practice and on all 
questions under Section 44 of the PVPA, ``Public Interest in Wide 
Usage'' (7 U.S.C. 2404).
    The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss the PVPO's 2015 
achievements, the electronic application system, the reports of the 
subcommittees to change PVP forms and to evaluate molecular techniques 
for PVP distinctness characterization, and PVP cooperation with other 
countries.
    Agenda Items: The agenda will include, welcome and introductions, 
discussions on program activities that encourage the development of new 
plant varieties and also address appeals to the Secretary. There will 
be presentations on 2015 accomplishments, the electronic PVP 
application system, proposed changes to PVP forms, the use of molecular 
markers for PVP applications, and PVP cooperation with other countries. 
The meeting will be open to the public. Those wishing to participate 
are encouraged to pre-register by July 30, 2015 by contacting Maria 
Pratt, Program Analyst; Telephone: (202) 720-1104; Email: 
[email protected].
    Meeting Accommodation: If you need a reasonable accommodation to 
participate in this public meeting, please notify Maria Pratt at: 
Email: [email protected] or (202) 720-1104. Determinations for 
reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Minutes 
of the meeting will be available for public review 30 days following 
the meeting at the internet Web site http://www.ams.usda.gov/PVPO.

    Dated: July 7, 2015.
Rex A. Barnes,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-16900 Filed 7-9-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-02-P