[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 118 (Thursday, June 18, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36829-36830]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-13165]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

U.S. Codex Office


Codex Alimentarius Commission: Meeting of the Codex Alimentarius 
Commission

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 June 
25, 2020. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information 
and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States 
(U.S.) positions for the 43rd Session of the of the Codex Alimentarius 
Commission (CAC). The CAC will not be meeting physically during its 
previously scheduled dates in July 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 
and it is currently preparing for the possibility of convening for a 
virtual Commission session. The U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius and 
the Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs 
recognize the importance of providing interested parties the 
opportunity to obtain background information on the 43rd Session of the 
CAC and to address items on the agenda.

DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for June 25, 2020, from 1:00-
4:00 p.m. EDT.

ADDRESSES: If you wish to participate in the public meeting for the 
43rd Session of the CAC, the meeting will be conducted by conference 
call only to be consistent with public health guidance related to 
outbreaks of novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Documents related to the 
43rd Session of the CAC will be accessible via the internet at the 
following address: http://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/meetings/detail/en/?meeting=CAC&session=43.
    Mary Frances Lowe, U.S. Delegate to the 43rd Session of the CAC, 
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 43rd Session of the CAC by conference call, please use the 
call-in-number: 1-

[[Page 36830]]

888-844-9904 and participant code 5126092#.
    Registration: Participants should register to participate in the 
public meeting as described above by submitting their name and 
organizational affiliation to [email protected].
    For further information about the 43rd Session of the CAC or the 
public meeting, please contact the U.S. Codex Office, 1400 Independence 
Avenue SW, Room 4861, South Agriculture Building, Washington, DC 20250, 
Telephone: (202) 205-7760, Fax: (202) 720-3157, Email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Codex Alimentarius 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, Codex seeks 
to protect the health of consumers and ensure fair practices in the 
food trade; promotes coordination of all food standards work undertaken 
by international governmental and nongovernmental organizations; 
determines priorities, initiates, and guides the preparation of draft 
standards; finalizes the standards elaborated and publishes them in a 
Codex Alimentarius (food code) either as regional or worldwide 
standards, wherever this is practicable; and amends published 
standards, as appropriate, in the light of new developments.

Issues To Be Discussed at the Public Meeting

    Currently, there is no agenda available for the 43rd Session of the 
CAC. However, the Codex Secretariat has made available the following 
documents to be considered, including:
     Amendments to the Procedural Manual
     Final Adoption of Codex Texts
     Adoption of Codex Texts at Step 5
     Revocation of Codex Texts
     Proposals for New Work
     Discontinuation of Work
     Amendments to the Codex Standards and Related Texts
    These documents are currently available at: http://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/meetings/detail/en/?meeting=CAC&session=43.
    Each issue listed will be fully described in documents distributed, 
or to be distributed, by the Codex Secretariat before the CAC session. 
Members of the public may access or request copies of these documents 
(see ADDRESSES).

Public Meeting

    At the June 25, 2020, public meeting, draft U.S. positions on the 
anticipated 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 the U.S. Delegate for 
the 43rd Session of the CAC (see ADDRESSES). Written comments should 
state that they relate to activities of the 43rd Session of the CAC.

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 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 their subscription 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 June 12, 2020.
Mary Lowe,
U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.
[FR Doc. 2020-13165 Filed 6-17-20; 8:45 am]
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