[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 186 (Wednesday, September 29, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53942-53943]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-21120]


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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 October 
21, 2021. 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 44th Session of the of the Codex Alimentarius 
Commission (CAC). The CAC will not be meeting physically due to the 
continued COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius 
and the Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign 
Agricultural Affairs recognize the importance of providing interested 
parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 44th 
Session of the CAC and to address items on the agenda.

DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for October 21, 2021, from 1:00-
4:00 p.m. ET.

ADDRESSES: If you wish to participate in the public meeting for the 
44th Session of the CAC, the meeting will be conducted by 
teleconference only to be consistent with public health guidance 
related to outbreaks of novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Documents related 
to the 44th 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=44 Mary Frances Lowe, U.S. 
Delegate to the 44th Session of the CAC, invites U.S. interested 
parties to submit their comments electronically to the following email 
address: [email protected].
    Registration: Participants should register to participate in the 
public meeting at the following link: https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIsc-GsqDotGb4l3ySJrLPQpRdHvb6jLuM.
    For further information about the 44th Session of the CAC or the 
public meeting, please contact the U.S. Codex Office, 1400 Independence 
Avenue SW, Room 4861, South Agriculture Building,

[[Page 53943]]

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

The following items on the Agenda for the 44th Session of the CAC will 
be discussed during the public meeting:

 Report by the Chairperson on the 80th and 81st Sessions of the 
Executive Committee (including matters referred)
 Amendments to the Procedural Manual
 Work of Codex Committees and Task Forces (adoption, new work, 
revocation, discontinuation, and editorial amendments to Codex texts 
proposed by the following committees and task force)
    [cir] Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs
    [cir] Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods
    [cir] Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling
    [cir] Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and 
Certification Systems
    [cir] Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods
    [cir] Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues
    [cir] Codex Committee on Food Additives
    [cir] Codex Committee on Food Labelling
    [cir] Ad hoc Codex Intergovernmental Task Force on Antimicrobial 
Resistance
 Editorial amendments to Codex texts proposed by the Codex 
Secretariat
 Matters arising from Codex Subsidiary Bodies
 Codex Budgetary and Financial Matters
 Matters arising from FAO and WHO
    [cir] New food sources and production systems: need for Codex 
attention and guidance?
    [cir] New FAO Food Safety Strategy 2022-2031--update of status
    [cir] WHO Global Strategy for Food Safety 2022-2030--Update of the 
status
    [cir] Codex Trust Fund: lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic
 Election of the Chairperson and Vice-Chairpersons and Members 
of the Executive Committee elected on a Geographical Basis
 Designation of Countries responsible for appointing the 
Chairpersons of Codex Subsidiary Bodies

    Relevant documents are or will be available at: http://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/meetings/detail/en/?meeting=CAC&session=44.
    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 October 21, 2021, 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 44th Session of the CAC (see ADDRESSES). Written 
comments should state that they relate to activities of the 44th 
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: https://www.usda.gov/codex 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.
Mary Frances Lowe,
U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.
[FR Doc. 2021-21120 Filed 9-28-21; 8:45 am]
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