[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 34 (Wednesday, February 20, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5047-5048]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-02746]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

U.S. Codex Office


Codex Alimentarius Commission: Meeting of the Codex Committee on 
Methods of Analysis and Sampling

AGENCY: U.S. Codex Office, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The U.S Codex Office is sponsoring a public meeting on May 6, 
2019. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and 
receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States (U.S.) 
positions to be discussed at the 40th Session of the Codex Committee on 
Methods of Analysis (CCMAS) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, in 
Budapest, Hungary, May 27-31 2019. The U.S. Manager for Codex 
Alimentarius and the Under Secretary, Office of Trade and Foreign 
Agricultural Affairs, recognize the importance of providing interested 
parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 40th 
Session of the CCMAS and to address items on the agenda.

DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for May 6, 2019, from 2:00 p.m. 
to 4:00 p.m. EST.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will take place in the United States 
Department of Agriculture (USDA), South Building, Room 1452B, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250. Documents related to the 
40th Session of the CCMAS will be accessible via the internet at the 
following address: http://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/meetings-reports/en.
    Gregory O. Noonan, Ph.D., U.S. Delegate to the 40th Session of the 
CCMAS, 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 40th Session of the CCMAS by conference call, please register 
in advance by emailing [email protected]. Please use the 
call-in-number: 1-888-844-9904 and participant code: 512 6092.
    Registration: Attendees may register to attend the public meeting 
by emailing [email protected] by April 4, 2019. Early 
registration is encouraged because 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 the security screening systems. Attendees who are not able to 
attend the meeting in person, but who wish to participate, may do so by 
phone, as discussed above.
    For further information about the 40th session of CCMAS: Contact 
Gregory O. Noonan, Ph.D., Research Chemist, Center for Food Safety and 
Applied Nutrition (CFSAN), Food and Drug Administration, Harvey W. 
Wiley Federal Building, 5100 Paint Branch Parkway, College Park, MD 
20740. Phone: (240) 402-2250, Fax: (301) 436-2634, Email: 
[email protected].
    For information about the public meeting: Contact Doreen Chen-
Moulec, U.S. Codex Office, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Room 4867, 
South Building, Washington, DC 20250.Phone: (202) 205-7760, 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 (FAO) and the World Health 
Organization (WHO). 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 CCMAS is responsible for defining criteria appropriate to Codex 
Methods of Analysis and Sampling; serving as a coordinating body for 
Codex with other international groups working in methods of analysis 
and sampling and quality assurance systems for laboratories; 
specifying, on the basis of final recommendations submitted to it by 
other bodies, reference methods of analysis and sampling, appropriate 
to Codex standards which are generally applicable to a number of foods; 
considering, amending, and endorsing, as appropriate, methods of 
analysis and sampling proposed by Codex (Commodity) Committees, (except 
that methods of analysis and sampling for residues of pesticides or 
veterinary drugs in food, the assessment of micro-biological quality 
and safety in food, and the assessment of specifications for food 
additives, do not fall within the terms of reference of this 
Committee); elaborating sampling plans and procedures; considering 
specific sampling and analysis problems submitted to it by the 
Commission or any of its committees; and defining procedures, 
protocols, guidelines, or related texts for the assessment of food 
laboratory proficiency, as well as quality assurance systems for 
laboratories.
    The CCMAS is hosted by Hungary, and the meeting is attended by the 
United States as a member country of the Codex Alimentarius.

Issues To Be Discussed at the Public Meeting

    The following items on the Agenda for the 40th Session of the CCMAS 
will be discussed during the public meeting:

 Matters Referred to the Committee by the Codex Alimentarius 
Commission and Other Subsidiary Bodies
 Endorsement of Methods of Analysis Provisions and Sampling 
Plans in Codex Standards
 Review of Dairy Methods for Update of the Recommended 
Methods of Sampling (CXS 234)
 Guidance on Endorsement
 Revision of the Recommended Methods of CXS 234- preamble 
and structure
 Revision to the Guidelines on Measurement Uncertainty
 Revision of the General Guidelines on Sampling
 Report of an Inter-Agency meeting on Methods of Analysis 
and Other Business and Future Work

    Each issue listed will be fully described in documents distributed, 
or to be distributed by the Secretariat before the Committee Meeting. 
Members of the public may access or request copies of these documents 
(see ADDRESSES).

Public Meeting

    At the May 6, 2019, 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 Gregory O. Noonan.

Additional Public Notification

    Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy 
development is important. Consequently, the U.S. Codex Office will 
announce this Federal Register publication on-line through the USDA 
Codex web page located at: http://www.usda.gov/codex, a link that also 
offers an email subscription service providing access to information 
related to Codex. Customers can add or delete

[[Page 5048]]

their 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 February 13, 2019.
Mary Lowe,
U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.
[FR Doc. 2019-02746 Filed 2-19-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE P