[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 195 (Tuesday, October 11, 2022)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 61268-61269]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-22012]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
7 CFR Part 205
[Doc. No. AMS-NOP-21-0008]
RIN 0581-AE02
Inert Ingredients in Pesticides for Organic Production
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking; extension of comment
period.
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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is providing
additional time for the public to submit comments and information about
how to update the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
organic regulations on inert ingredients in pesticides used in organic
production. AMS seeks comments on alternatives to its existing
regulations that would align with the Organic Foods Production Act of
1990 (OFPA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA)
regulatory framework for inert ingredients.
[[Page 61269]]
Information from public comments would inform AMS's approach to this
topic, including any proposed revisions of the USDA organic
regulations.
DATES: The comment period for the notice originally published on
September 2, 2022, at 87 FR 54173, is extended. Comments must be
submitted on or before December 31, 2022.
ADDRESSES: To submit comments on the ANPR, use any of the following
procedures:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments. You can access this
ANPR and instructions for submitting public comments by searching for
document number, AMS-NOP-21-0008.
Mail: Jared Clark, Standards Division, National Organic
Program, USDA-AMS-NOP, 1400 Independence Ave. SW, Room 2642-S., Ag Stop
0268, Washington, DC 20250-0268.
All submissions received must include the docket number AMS-NOP-21-
0008, NOP-21-01, and/or Regulatory Information Number (RIN) 0581-AE02
for this notice. AMS seeks information and feedback on specific topics
listed in this notice. Commenters are also invited to provide
information and perspectives on inert ingredients for topics not
requested by AMS in this notice. Specific and relevant information and
data to support your comments is encouraged, including, scientific,
environmental, manufacturing, industry, or impact information. Comments
received will be posted to https://www.regulations.gov.
To access the document, related documents, and comments received,
go to https://www.regulations.gov (search for Docket ID AMS-NOP-21-
0008).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jared Clark, Standards Division,
National Organic Program, 1400 Independence Ave. SW, Room 2642-S., Ag
Stop 0268, Washington, DC 20250-0268; Telephone: (202) 720-3252; Email:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A notice published in the Federal Register
on September 2, 2022 (87 FR 54173), requested comments and information
from the public about how to update the United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA) organic regulations on inert ingredients in
pesticides used in organic production. This advance notice of proposed
rulemaking (ANPR) established a 60-day comment period, ending November
1, 2022. During this comment period, AMS received requests from two
industry organizations asking for additional time to submit comments,
citing the complexity of the questions and topic. Further, one
organization notes that this comment period overlaps with two other
National Organic Program (NOP) comment periods: Organic Livestock and
Poultry Standards (87 FR 48562), closing October 11, 2022, and the
National Organic Standards Board Meeting (87 FR 37495), closing
September 29, 2022.
AMS is extending the comment period by 60 days to encourage
constructive input on the topics raised by the ANPR. The September 2,
2022, ANPR includes numerous specific alternatives and questions for
commenter consideration. Included for reference in this docket (AMS-
NOP-21-0008) are several documents to aid consideration and evaluation
of these questions, including: NOSB recommendations; copies of EPA List
3, List 4A, and List 4B; National List petition procedures; and a 2015
spreadsheet identifying inert ingredients used in organic production
(based on a 2011 survey by the Organic Materials Review Institute).
Comments received would inform AMS's approach on this topic
regarding the allowance of inert ingredients in organic production. We
ask that commenters please fully explain all views and alternative
solutions or suggestions and supply examples, data, or other
information to support those views. Substantive, well-reasoned, and
constructive comments will assist AMS in identifying challenges and
evaluating alternatives as we move forward with rulemaking.
Erin Morris,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-22012 Filed 10-7-22; 8:45 am]
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