[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 216 (Thursday, November 9, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77260-77261]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-24773]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
U.S. Codex Office
Codex Alimentarius Commission: Meeting of the Codex Committee on
Spices and Culinary Herbs
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
December 6, 2023. 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 7th Session of the Codex Committee on
Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission
(CAC). CCSCH7 will be held in Kochi, Kerala, India, from January 29-
February 2, 2024. 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 7th Session of the CCSCH and to address
items on the agenda.
DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for December 6, 2023, from 1:00-
2:30 p.m. EDT.
ADDRESSES: The public meeting will take place via Video Teleconference
only. Documents related to the 7th Session of the CCSCH will be
accessible via the internet at the following address: https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/meetings/detail/en/?meeting=CCSCH&session=7.
Mr. Dorian LaFond, U.S. Delegate to the 7th Session of the CCSCH,
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
here: https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJItcuyqrDgsEpm1ar9sahLeoFTqCPXeXig. After registering, you will
receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the
meeting.
For further information about the 7th Session of the CCSCH, contact
U.S. Delegate, Mr. Dorian LaFond, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, [email protected], (202) 690-4944. 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.
The Terms of Reference of the Codex Committee on Spices and
Culinary Herbs (CCSCH) are:
(a) To elaborate worldwide standards for spices and culinary herbs
in their dried and dehydrated state in whole, ground, and cracked or
crushed form;
(b) To consult, as necessary, with other international
organizations in the standards development process to avoid
duplication.
The CCSCH is hosted by India. The United States attends the CCSCH
as a member country of Codex.
[[Page 77261]]
Issues To Be Discussed at the Public Meeting
The following items from the forthcoming Agenda for the 7th Session
of the CCSCH will be discussed during the public meeting:
Matters referred to the Committee by the Codex Alimentarius
Commission and/or its subsidiary bodies
Draft standard for small cardamom
Draft standard for spices in the form of dried fruits and
berries: Part A--Requirements for allspice, juniper berry, star anise
Proposed draft standard for spices in the form of dried fruits
and berries: Part B--Requirements for vanilla
Proposed draft standard for turmeric
Consideration of the proposals for new work
Update to the template for spices and culinary herbs standards
Date and place of the next session
Public Meeting
At the December 6, 2023, public meeting, 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 Mr. Dorian LaFond,
U.S. Delegate for the 7th Session of the CCSCH, at
[email protected]. Written comments should state that they relate
to activities of the 7th Session of the CCSCH.
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
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 November 3, 2023.
Mary Frances Lowe,
U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.
[FR Doc. 2023-24773 Filed 11-8-23; 8:45 am]
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