[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 240 (Wednesday, December 14, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 90318-90319]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-29945]


 ========================================================================
 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
 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.
 
 ========================================================================
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 240 / Wednesday, December 14, 2016 / 
Notices  

[[Page 90318]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. FSIS-2016-0043]


Codex Alimentarius Commission: Meeting of the Codex Committee on 
Spices and Culinary Herbs

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting and request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: The Office of the Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Agricultural Marketing Service 
(AMS), are sponsoring a public meeting on January 17, 2017. The 
objective of the meeting is to provide information and receive public 
comments on agenda items and draft United States (U.S.) positions to be 
discussed at the 3rd Session of the Codex Committee on Spices and 
Culinary Herbs (CCSCH) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), 
taking place in Chennai, India, February 6-10,2017. The Deputy Under 
Secretary for Food Safety and AMS recognize the importance of providing 
interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on 
the 3rd Session of the CCSCH and to address items on the agenda.

DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 17, 2017 
from 2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will take place at the USDA, Jamie L. 
Whitten Building, Room 107-A, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, 
DC 20250.
    Documents related to the 3rd Session of the CCSCH will be 
accessible via the Internet at the following address: http://www.codexalimentarius.org/meetings-reports/en/.
    Dorian LaFond, U.S. Delegate to the 3rd Session of the CCSCH, 
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 3rd 
Session of the CCSCH 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 following Web page: 
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 January 12, 2017. Early registration is 
encouraged as it will expedite entry into the building. The meeting 
will take place in a Federal building. Attendees should bring photo 
identification and plan for adequate time to pass through security 
screening systems. Attendees that are not able to attend the meeting in 
person, but who wish to participate may do so by phone.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE 3rd Session of CCSCH CONTACT: Dorian 
LaFond, Agricultural Marketing Service, Fruits and Vegetables Division, 
Mail Stop 0235, Room 2086, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., 
Washington, DC 20250. Telephone: (202) 690-4944, Fax: (202) 720-0016, 
email: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE PUBLIC MEETING CONTACT: Marie 
Maratos, U.S. Codex Office, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 4861, 
Washington, DC 20250. Telephone: (202) 205-7760, Fax: (202) 720-3157, 
email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The 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, the Codex 
seeks to protect the health of consumers and ensure that fair practices 
are used in trade.
    The CCSCH is responsible for elaborating worldwide standards for 
spices and culinary herbs in their dried and dehydrated state in whole, 
ground, and cracked or crushed form. The CCSCH consults as necessary 
with other international organizations in the standards development 
process to avoid duplication.
    The CCSCH is hosted by India.

Issues To Be Discussed at the Public Meeting

    The following items on the Agenda for the 3rd Session of the CCSCH 
will be discussed during the public meeting:
     Matters Referred by the Codex Alimentarius Commission and 
its Subsidiary bodies;
     Activities of International Organizations relevant to the 
Work of CCSCH;
     Draft Standard for Cumin;
     Draft Standard for Thyme;
     Proposed draft Standard for Black, White and Green Pepper;
     Proposed draft Standard for Oregano;
     Sampling plans for cumin and thyme;
     Further work on grouping of spices and culinary herbs;
     Discussion paper on glossary of terms for spices and 
culinary herbs;
     Discussion paper on further processing (in the context of 
spices and culinary herbs);
     Proposal for new work (replies to CL 2015/27-SCH); and
     Other business.
    Each issue listed will be fully described in documents distributed, 
or to be distributed, by the Secretariat before the Meeting. Members of 
the public may access or request copies of these documents (see 
ADDRESSES).

Public Meeting

    At the January 17, 2017, public meeting, draft U.S. positions on 
the agenda items will be described and discussed. 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. Delegates for the 3rd 
Session of the CCSCH,(see ADDRESSES). Written comments should state 
that they relate to the activities of the 3rd Session of the CCSCH.

Additional Public Notification

    Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy 
development is

[[Page 90319]]

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.

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 December 8, 2016.
Paulo Almeida,
Acting U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.
[FR Doc. 2016-29945 Filed 12-13-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P