[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 68 (Tuesday, April 11, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 17407]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-07214]


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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 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 68 / Tuesday, April 11, 2017 / 
Notices  

[[Page 17407]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Document No. AMS-ST-17-0013]


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, April 27, 2017, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maria Pratt, Program Analyst, USDA, 
AMS, Science and Technology Programs, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., 
Washington, DC 20250. Telephone: (202) 260-898; 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 sponsoring a meeting of 
the Board on April 27, 2017. 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 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 provides for a 
statutory Board (7 U.S.C. 2327). The Board is composed of 14 
individuals who are experts in various areas of development and 
represent the 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 
FACA; (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 FACA, ``Public 
Interest in Wide Usage'' (7 U.S.C. 2404).
    Meeting Agenda: The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss the 
PVPO 2017 achievements, the electronic application system, and PVP 
cooperation with other countries. The Board plans to discuss program 
activities that encourage the development of new plant varieties and 
address appeals to the Secretary. The meeting will be open to the 
public. Those wishing to participate are encouraged to pre-register by 
April 16, 2017, by contacting Maria Pratt, Program Analyst; Telephone: 
(202) 260- 8983; Email: [email protected].
    Meeting Accommodation: The meeting at USDA will provide reasonable 
accommodation to individuals with disabilities where appropriate. If 
you need reasonable accommodation to participate in this public 
meeting, please notify Maria Pratt at: Email: [email protected] 
or (202) 268- 8983. 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 on the internet at 
http://www.ams.usda.gov/PVPO.

    Dated: April 5, 2017.
Bruce Summers,
Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-07214 Filed 4-10-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P