[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 48 (Tuesday, March 12, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8840-8841]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-04543]


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 Notices
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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 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 48 / Tuesday, March 12, 2019 / 
Notices  

[[Page 8840]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Announcement of First Meeting of the 2020 Dietary Guidelines 
Advisory Committee and Request for Comments

AGENCY: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food, Nutrition and 
Consumer Services (FNCS); Department of Health and Human Services.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services 
announce the first meeting of the newly appointed 2020 Dietary 
Guidelines Advisory Committee (the Committee). This meeting will be 
open to the public. Additionally, this notice opens a public comment 
period that will remain open until early 2020, throughout the 
Committee's deliberations.

DATES: This notice is being provided to the public on March 12, 2019. 
The first meeting will be held on March 28, 2019, from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. 
and March 29, 2019, from 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. The public comment period 
opens with the publication of this notice.

ADDRESSES: (a) The meeting will be accessible by webcast on the 
internet or by attendance in-person. Registrants will receive the 
webcast information prior to the meeting. In-person participants also 
must register prior to the meeting; the meeting will take place at the 
U.S. Department of Agriculture, South Building, Jefferson Auditorium, 
1400 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20250.
    (b) You may send comments, identified by Docket FNS-2019-0001, by 
either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for sending comments. (Preferred method.)
     Mail: Kristin Koegel, USDA Food and Nutrition Service, 
Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 
1034, Alexandria, VA 22302.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and Docket FNS-2019-0001. For detailed instructions on sending 
comments, see the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.
    Docket: For access to Docket FNS-2019-0001 to read background 
documents or comments received, go to www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Designated Federal Officer (DFO), 2020 
Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, Eve Stoody, Ph.D.; Center for 
Nutrition Policy and Promotion, Food and Nutrition Service, USDA; 3101 
Park Center Drive, Room 1034; Alexandria, VA 22302: Telephone (703) 
305-7600; Fax (703) 305-3300. Additional information is available on 
the internet at www.DietaryGuidelines.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Authority and Purpose: Under Section 301 of Public Law 101-445 (7 
U.S.C. 5341, the National Nutrition Monitoring and Related Research Act 
of 1990, Title III) the Secretaries of USDA and HHS are directed to 
publish the Dietary Guidelines for Americans jointly at least every 
five years. The law instructs that this publication shall contain 
nutritional and dietary information and guidelines for the general 
public, shall be based on the preponderance of scientific and medical 
knowledge current at the time of publication; and shall be promoted by 
each Federal agency in carrying out any Federal food, nutrition, or 
health program. Recent editions of the Dietary Guidelines provide 
dietary advice for Americans ages 2 years and older. The Agricultural 
Act of 2014 mandates the addition of dietary guidance for women who are 
pregnant and infants and toddlers from birth to 24 months of age 
beginning with the 2020 edition.
    USDA and HHS appointed the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory 
Committee to conduct an independent scientific review that will help 
inform the Departments' development of the next edition of the Dietary 
Guidelines. Information on the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee 
membership and the topics and scientific questions the Departments 
identified to be examined by the Committee is available at 
www.DietaryGuidelines.gov.
    The 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee's formation is 
governed under the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act 
(FACA), Public Law 92-463, as amended (5 U.S.C., App), which sets forth 
standards for the formation and use of advisory committees.
    Committee's Task: The work of the Committee will be solely advisory 
in nature and time-limited. The Committee will examine the current 
Dietary Guidelines for Americans, take into consideration new 
scientific evidence and current resource documents, and based on the 
preponderance of current scientific and medical knowledge, develop a 
report to the Secretaries of USDA and HHS that outlines its science-
based assessment and rationale. The Committee's report will help inform 
the Departments' development of the ninth edition of the Dietary 
Guidelines for Americans. The Committee will hold approximately five 
meetings, open to the public, to review and discuss recommendations. 
Meeting dates, times, locations, and other relevant information will be 
announced at least 15 days in advance of each meeting via Federal 
Register notice and at www.DietaryGuidelines.gov. As stipulated in the 
charter, the Committee will be terminated after delivery of its final 
report to the Secretaries of USDA and HHS or two years from the date 
the charter was filed, whichever comes first.
    Purpose of the Meeting: In accordance with FACA, and to promote 
transparency of the process, deliberations of the Committee will occur 
in a public forum. The purpose of this first meeting is to orient the 
Committee to the Dietary Guidelines revision process and mark the 
beginning of its work.
    Meeting Agenda: The meeting agenda will include (a) review of 
operations for the Committee members, (b) overview of the topics and 
questions identified by the Departments to be examined by the 
Committee, (c) presentations on the evidence-based approaches for 
reviewing the scientific evidence, including systematic reviews, data 
analyses, and food pattern modeling analyses, and (d) plans for future 
Committee work.
    Meeting Registration: The meeting is open to the public. The 
meeting will be accessible by webcast or by attendance in-person. 
Registration is required for

[[Page 8841]]

both web viewing and in-person attendance. To register, go to 
www.DietaryGuidelines.gov and click on the link for ``Meeting 
Registration.'' Online registration begins March 19, 2019, and closes 
at 5:00 p.m. March 26, 2019. To register by phone or to request a sign 
language interpreter or other special accommodations, please call for 
registration and logistics assistance through USDA's Center for 
Nutrition Policy and Promotion, Susan Cole at (703) 605-4266 by 5:00 
p.m., March 26, 2019. All registrants will be asked to provide their 
name, affiliation, phone number or email address, days attending, and 
whether they will be participating via webcast or in-person.
    Webcast Public Participation: After registration, individuals 
participating by webcast will receive webcast access information via 
email.
    In-Person Public Participation and Building Access: For in-person 
participants, this meeting will be held at the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Jefferson Auditorium (South Building), as noted above in 
the Addresses section. Details regarding registration capacity and 
directions will be posted on www.DietaryGuidelines.gov. For in-person 
(registered) participants, check-in at the meeting's on-site 
registration desk is required and will begin at 7:30 a.m. each day.
    Public Comments and Meeting Documents: Written comments from the 
public will be accepted throughout the Committee's deliberative process 
and will not be restricted to meeting dates and times. Opportunities to 
present oral comments to the Committee will be provided at a future 
meeting(s).
     Electronic submissions: Follow the instructions for 
submitting comments at www.regulations.gov. Comments submitted 
electronically, including attachments, will be posted to Docket FNS-
2019-0001. (Preferred method.)
     Written/paper submissions: Mail/courier to Kristin Koegel, 
USDA Food and Nutrition Service, Center for Nutrition Policy and 
Promotion, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 1034, Alexandria, VA 22302. For 
written/paper submissions, CNPP will post your comment, as well as any 
attachments, to www.regulations.gov.
    Meeting materials will be available for public viewing at this 
meeting. Meeting materials related to each meeting will subsequently be 
accessible at www.DietaryGuidelines.gov and at the USDA Food and 
Nutrition Service, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion; 3101 Park 
Center Drive, Room 1034; Alexandria, VA 22302. Materials may be 
requested by: Telephone (703) 305-7600, Fax (703) 305-3300, 
[email protected].

    Dated: March 5, 2019.
Brandon Lipps,
Acting Deputy Under Secretary, Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services, 
U.S. Department of Agriculture.
[FR Doc. 2019-04543 Filed 3-11-19; 8:45 am]
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