[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 4 (Thursday, January 7, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 734]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-33042]


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 Notices
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  Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 4 / Thursday, January 7, 2016 / 
Notices  

[[Page 734]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Office of the Secretary


Notice of the Specialty Crop Committee's Stakeholder Listening 
Session

AGENCY: Research, Education, and Economics, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of stakeholder listening session.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 
U.S.C. App 2, and the Specialty Crop Competitiveness Act of 2004 (Pub. 
L. 108-465), the United States Department of Agriculture announces a 
stakeholder listening session of the Specialty Crop Committee, a 
subcommittee of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, 
Education, and Economics Advisory Board.

DATES: January 7, 2016 starting at 2:00 p.m. EST.

ADDRESSES: The Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference, Room 
105, Savannah International Trade and Convention Center, One 
International Drive, Savannah, Georgia 31402.
    The public may file written comments by January 22, 2016, to: The 
National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics 
Advisory Board Office, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 332-A, 
Jamie L. Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 
20250-2255 or [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michele Esch, Executive Director, 
National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics 
Advisory Board; telephone: (202) 720-8408; fax: (202) 720-6199; or 
email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Specialty Crop Committee was established 
in accordance with the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 
under Title III, Section 303 of Public Law 108-465. This Committee is a 
permanent subcommittee of the National Agricultural Research Extension, 
Education, and Economics Advisory Board (the Board). The Committee's 
charge is to study the scope and effectiveness of research, extension, 
and economics programs affecting the specialty crop industry. The 
congressional legislation defines ``specialty crops'' as fruits, 
vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits and nursery crops (including 
floriculture).
    In order to carry out its responsibilities effectively, the 
Committee is holding a stakeholder listening session. The listening 
session will elicit stakeholder input from industry and state 
representatives, national organizations and institutions, local 
producers, and other groups interested in the issues with which the 
Specialty Crop Committee is charged. This session will be an 
opportunity to share ideas on the specialty crop industry with members 
of USDA's Specialty Crop Committee, including: Measures designed to 
improve the efficiency, productivity, and profitability of specialty 
crop production in the United States; measures designed to improve 
competitiveness through research, extension, and economics programs 
affecting the specialty crop industry; and programs that would: Enhance 
quality and shelf-life, development of new crop protection tools, 
preventing foreign invasive pests and diseases, developing new and 
improved marketing tools, and enhancing food safety, improvement of 
mechanization of production practices, and enhancing irrigation 
techniques. Input received will help formulate recommendations from the 
Specialty Crop Committee to USDA.
    Written comments by attendees and other interested stakeholders 
will be welcomed as additional public input by January 22, 2016. All 
verbal and written statements will become part of the official public 
record of the REE Advisory Board Office.

    Done at Washington, DC, this 21st day of December 2015.
 Catherine Woteki,
Under Secretary, Research, Education, and Economics, Chief Scientist, 
USDA.
[FR Doc. 2015-33042 Filed 1-6-16; 8:45 am]
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