[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 174 (Monday, September 11, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62315-62316]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-19461]


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 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
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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 
 and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
 statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
 appearing in this section.
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  Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 174 / Monday, September 11, 2023 / 
Notices  

[[Page 62315]]



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 18, 2023, from 1:00-4:00 p.m. EDT. The objective of the public 
meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda 
items and draft U.S. positions to be discussed at the 46th Session of 
the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC46), which will meet in Rome, 
Italy from November 27, 2023 to December 2, 2023. 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 46th 
Session of the CAC and to address items on the agenda.

DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for October 18, 2023, from 1:00-
4:00 p.m. EDT.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will take place via Video Teleconference 
only. Documents related to the 46th Session of the CAC will be 
accessible via the internet at the following address: https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/meetings/detail/en/?meeting=CAC&session=46.
    Mary Frances Lowe, U.S. Delegate to the 46th Session of CAC, 
invites interested U.S. parties to submit their comments electronically 
to the following email address: [email protected].
    Registration: Attendees may register to attend the public meeting 
at the following link: https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJItcuqgrzsuHOvxmm8j2MedkvGy-3fZOiA. After registering, you will 
receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the 
meeting.
    For further information about the 46th session of CAC, contact U.S. 
Delegate, Mary Frances Lowe, U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius, 
Office of the Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural 
Affairs, U.S. Department of Agriculture, (202) 205-7760, 
[email protected]. For an additional contact regarding the 
public meeting, contact the U.S. Codex Office by email at: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The Codex Alimentarius Commission 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; 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 the 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 46th Session of CAC will 
be discussed during the public meeting:

 Report by the Chairperson on the 84th and 85th Sessions of the 
Executive Committee (including matters referred)
 Amendments to the Procedural Manual
 Work of Codex Committees (adoption, new work, revocation, 
discontinuation, and amendments to Codex texts proposed by the 
following committees):
[cir] Codex Committee on Food Hygiene
[cir] Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods
[cir] Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses
[cir] Codex Committee on Food Additives
[cir] Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods
[cir] Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and 
Certification Systems
[cir] Codex Committee on Food Labelling
[cir] Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling
[cir] Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues
[cir] Codex Committee on General Principles
[cir] FAO/WHO Regional Coordinating Committees
 Editorial amendments to Codex texts proposed by the Codex 
Secretariat
 Other matters related to Codex Subsidiary Bodies
 Application of the Statements of Principle concerning the role 
of science in the Codex decision-making process and the extent to which 
other factors are taken into account (SoP)
 New Food Sources and Production Systems
 Codex Budgetary and Financial Matters
 Matters arising from FAO and WHO
 Election of Chairperson and Vice-Chairpersons and Members 
Elected on a Geographical Basis to the Codex Executive Committee and 
appointment of Coordinators
 Designation of Countries responsible for appointing the 
Chairpersons of Codex Subsidiary Bodies

    Relevant documents are or will be available at the following 
address: https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/meetings/detail/en/?meeting=CAC&session=46.

Public Meeting

    At the public meeting on October 18, 2023, 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 Mary Frances Lowe, 
U.S. Delegate to the 46th Session of CAC, at [email protected]. 
Written comments should state that they relate to activities of the 
46th Session of CAC.

Additional Public Notification

    Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy 
development is

[[Page 62316]]

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 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 https://www.usda.gov/oascr/filing-program-discrimination-complaint-usda-customer, 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 September 5, 2023.
Mary Frances Lowe,
U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.
[FR Doc. 2023-19461 Filed 9-8-23; 8:45 am]
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