[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 147 (Monday, August 1, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 50460]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-18107]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
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. 81, No. 147 / Monday, August 1, 2016 /
Notices
[[Page 50460]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Document Number AMS-NOP-16-0049; NOP-16-07]
Notice of Meeting of the National Organic Standards Board
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as
amended, (5 U.S.C. App.), the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS),
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), is announcing a meeting of the
National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) to assist the USDA in the
development of standards for substances to be used in organic
production and to advise the Secretary of Agriculture on any other
aspects of the implementation of Organic Foods Production Act.
DATES: The Board will receive public comments via webinar on November
3, 2016 from 1:00 p.m. to approximately 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET). A
face-to-face meeting will be held November 16-18, 2016, from 8:30 a.m.
to approximately 6:00 p.m. ET. The deadline to submit written comments
and/or sign up for oral comment at either the webinar or face-to-face
meeting is 11:59 p.m. ET, October 26, 2016.
ADDRESSES: The November 3, 2016 webinar is virtual and will be accessed
via the internet and/or phone. Access information will be available on
the AMS Web site prior to the webinar. The November 16-18, 2016 meeting
will take place at the Chase Park Plaza Hotel, 212 N. Kingshighway
Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63108. Detailed information pertaining to the
webinar and face-to-face meeting, including instructions about
providing written and oral comments can be found at www.ams.usda.gov/NOSBMeetings.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Michelle Arsenault, Advisory
Committee Specialist, National Organic Standards Board, USDA-AMS-NOP,
1400 Independence Ave. SW., Room 2642-S, Mail Stop 0268, Washington, DC
20250-0268; Phone: (202) 720-3252; Email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NOSB makes recommendations to the
Department of Agriculture about whether substances should be allowed or
prohibited in organic production and/or handling, assists in the
development of standards for organic production, and advises the
Secretary on other aspects of the implementation of the Organic Foods
Production Act (7 U.S.C. 6501-6522). The public meeting allows the NOSB
to discuss and vote on proposed recommendations to the USDA, receive
updates from the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) on issues
pertaining to organic agriculture, and receive comments from the
organic community. The meeting is open to the public. All meeting
documents, including the meeting agenda, NOSB proposals and discussion
documents, instructions for submitting and viewing public comments, and
instructions for requesting time for oral comments will be available on
the AMS Web site at www.ams.usda.gov/NOSBMeetings. Please check the Web
site periodically for updates. Meeting topics will encompass a wide
range of issues, including: Substances petitioned for addition to or
deletion from the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances
(National List), substances on the National List that require NOSB
review before their 2018 sunset dates, and guidance on organic
policies. At this meeting, the NOSB will complete its review of
substances that have a sunset date in 2018. Participants and attendees
may take photos and video at the meeting, but not in a manner that
disturbs the proceedings.
Public Comments: Comments should address specific topics noted on
the meeting agenda.
Written comments: Written public comments will be accepted on or
before 11:59 p.m. ET October 26, 2016 via http://www.regulations.gov.
Comments submitted after this date will be provided to the NOSB, but
Board members may not have adequate time to consider those comments
prior to making recommendations. The NOP strongly prefers comments to
be submitted electronically; however, written comments may also be
submitted (i.e. postmarked) by the deadline, via mail to the person
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.
Oral Comments: The NOSB is providing the public multiple dates and
opportunities to provide oral comments and will accommodate as many
individuals and organizations as time permits. Persons or organizations
wishing to make oral comments must pre-register by 11:59 p.m. ET,
October 26, 2016, and can only register for one speaking slot: Either
during the webinar, November 3, 2016, or at the face-to-face meeting,
November 16-18, 2016. Once the schedule is full, individuals will be
added to a waiting list. Instructions for registering and participating
in the webinar can be found at www.ams.usda.gov/NOSBMeetings.
Meeting Accommodations: The meeting hotel is ADA Compliant, and the
USDA provides reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities
where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation to
participate in this public meeting, please notify the person listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Determinations for reasonable
accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Dated: July 26, 2016.
Elanor Starmer,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-18107 Filed 7-29-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P