[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 78 (Monday, April 23, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 17642]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-08350]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Foreign Agricultural Service


Request for Stakeholder Input Relevant to the North American 
Regional Priorities for the Food and Agricultural Organization of the 
United Nations

ACTION: Request for stakeholder input.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. 
Department of State will host for the U.S. government the 2018 Food and 
Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Informal North 
American Regional Conference (INARC).

DATES: The INARC will be held on April 18-19, 2018. Stakeholder 
comments should be submitted to the point of contact listed below, by 
May 18, 2018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Candice Bruce, (202) 720-1324, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The INARC is a biennial meeting co-chaired 
with the Government of Canada to discuss the FAO North American 
region's priorities as member countries of the FAO. Written input from 
stakeholders on their views for the 2018-2019 biennium priorities for 
the region is welcome and encouraged. Stakeholder input may be examined 
by the Governments of the United States and Canada while developing 
priorities for the 2018-2019 biennium. Priorities recommended by FAO 
member countries at regional conferences are taken into account in the 
FAO Programme of Work and Budget and are used to justify funding 
levels, work streams, and programming.
    The North American priorities highlighted at the 2016 INARC 
included FAO's normative work and activities related to standards, 
guidelines, and practices; boosting FAO's regulatory capacity building; 
FAO's continued provision of impartial, evidence-based information to 
help small-holder farmers increase productivity and production in a 
sustainable manner; and increasing FAO's partnerships when implementing 
North American priorities. The North American region highlights FAO's 
science and evidence-based work and aims to ensure that FAO uses 
resources efficiently and operates primarily in its areas of 
comparative advantage.
    Topics of focus to be discussed during the 2018 INARC include agri-
food trade and global food security; gender equality and the 
empowerment of women; agricultural innovations; and FAO's work in 
emergencies and emerging threats. These are the specific topics on 
which comments are sought. North America's priorities will be published 
in the 5th INARC report which will be available to the public.
    The U.S. Government solicits written input from stakeholders who 
want to provide views related to the focus of the discussion areas 
regarding the FAO North American region's priorities. This notice 
remains open after the INARC meeting; input received after April 18 may 
still be considered prior to the publication of the INARC report.

    Dated: April 9, 2018.
Bobby Richey, Jr.
Acting Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-08350 Filed 4-20-18; 8:45 am]
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