Codex Alimentarius Commission: Proposals for New Work and Priorities for the Codex ad hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Foods Derived From Biotechnology, 7712-7713 [05-2824]

Download as PDF 7712 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 30 / Tuesday, February 15, 2005 / Notices eliminate domestic diseases, as well as to take actions to prevent and manage exotic diseases such as hog cholera, foot-and-mouth disease, and other foreign diseases. Disease prevention is the most effective method for maintaining a healthy animal population and enhancing APHIS ability to compete in the world market of animals and the trade of animal products. Because of serious threat to the U.S. swine industry, Congress passed Pub. L. 96–468 ‘‘Swine Health Protection Act’’ on October 17, 1980. This law requires USDA to ensure that all garbage is treated prior to its being fed to swine that are intended for interstate or foreign commerce or that substantially affect such commerce. Garbage is one of the primary media through which numerous infections or communicable diseases of swine are transmitted. The Act and the regulations will allow only operators of garbage treatment facilities, which meet certain specification to utilize garbage for swine feeding. APHIS will use various forms to collect information. Need and Use of the Information: APHIS collects information from persons desiring to obtain a permit (license) to operate a facility to treat garbage. Prior to issuance of a license, an inspection will be made of the facility by an authorized representative to determine if it meets all requirements of the regulations. Periodic inspections will be made to determine if licenses are meeting the standards for operation of their approved facilities. Upon receipt of the information from the Public Health Officials, the information is used by Federal or State animal health personnel to determine whether the waste collector is feeding garbage to swine, whether it is being treated, and whether the feeder is licensed or needs to be licensed. Description of Respondents: Farms; business or other for profit. Number of Respondents: 347. Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; reporting: on occasion. Total Burden Hours: 1,493. Ruth Brown, Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer. [FR Doc. 05–2877 Filed 2–14–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–34–M VerDate jul<14>2003 17:50 Feb 14, 2005 Jkt 205001 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Food Safety and Inspection Service [Docket No. 04–053N] Codex Alimentarius Commission: Proposals for New Work and Priorities for the Codex ad hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Foods Derived From Biotechnology Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice of public meeting, request for comments. AGENCY: SUMMARY: The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), United States Department of Health and Human Services, are sponsoring a public meeting on March 3, 2005, to provide information and receive public comments on new work and priorities for the ad hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Food Derived from Biotechnology of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex). Following approval at the 27th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (June 28–July 3, 2004) to establish the Task Force, under the chairmanship of Japan, Codex agreed to solicit comments on the work that the Task Force should undertake and on the priorities for this new work. DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 3, 2005, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held in Room 107–A of the Jamie L. Whitten Federal Building, 12th & Jefferson Drive, SW., Washington DC. FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments on this notice. Comments may be submitted by any of the following methods: • Mail, including floppy disks or CD– ROMs, and hand- or courier-delivered items: Send to the FSIS Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, 300 12th Street, SW., Room 102, Cotton Annex, Washington, DC 20730. All comments received must include the Agency name and docket number 04–053N. All comments submitted in response to this notice will be available for public inspection in the FSIS Docket Room at the address listed above between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The comments also will be posted on the Agency’s Web site at https://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations/ 2005 Notices Index/index.asp. For further information about the Codex ad hoc Intergovernmental Task PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Force on Food Derived from Biotechnology contact: Bernice Slutsky, Ph.D., Special Assistant to the Secretary for Biotechnology, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 12th Street & Jefferson Drive, Washington, DC 20250. Phone: (202) 690–0735, e-mail: Bernice.slutsky@usda.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE PUBLIC MEETING CONTACT: Paulo Almeida, U.S. Codex Office, FSIS, Room 4861, South Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250–3700, phone: (202) 690–4042, Fax: (202) 720–3157. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background The Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex) was established in 1962 by two United Nations organizations, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Codex is the major international standard-setting organization for protecting the health and economic interests of consumers and encouraging fair international trade in food. 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 ensure that the world’s food supply is sound, wholesome, free from adulteration, and correctly labeled. In the United States, USDA, FDA, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) manage and carry out U.S. Codex activities. The Codex ad hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Foods Derived from Biotechnology develops standards, guidelines and recommendations for foods derived from modern biotechnology or for traits introduced into foods by modern biotechnology, on the basis of scientific evidence and risk analysis, having regard, where appropriate, to other legitimate factors relevant to the health of consumers and the promotion of fair practices in the food trade. Public Meeting At the March 3, 2005 public meeting, attendees will have the opportunity to pose questions and offer comments on work to be undertaken by the Codex ad hoc Task Force on Foods Derived from Biotechnology. Written comments may be offered at the meeting or sent to Dr. Bernice Slutsky (See ADDRESSES). Written comments should state that they relate to activities of the proposed ad hoc Codex Intergovernmental Task E:\FR\FM\15FEN1.SGM 15FEN1 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 30 / Tuesday, February 15, 2005 / Notices Force for Foods Derived from Biotechnology. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Bureau of the Census Additional Public Notification [Docket Number 040408110–5026–02] Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy development is important. Consequently, in an effort to ensure that the public and in particular minorities, women, and persons with disabilities, are aware of this notice, FSIS will announce it on-line through the FSIS Web page located at https:// www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations/ 2005_Notices_Index/. FSIS also will make copies of this Federal Register publication available through the FSIS Constituent Update, which is used to provide information regarding FSIS policies, procedures, regulations, Federal Register notices, FSIS public meetings, recalls, and other types of information that could affect or would be of interest to our constituents and stakeholders. The update is communicated via Listserv, a free e-mail subscription service consisting of industry, trade, and farm groups, consumer interest groups, allied health professionals, scientific professionals, and other individuals who have requested to be included. The update also is available on the FSIS Web page. Through Listserv and the Web page, FSIS is able to provide information to a much broader, more diverse audience. In addition, FSIS offers an email subscription service which provides an automatic and customized notification when popular pages are updated, including Federal Register publications and related documents. This service is available at https://www.fsis.usda.gov/ news_and_events/email_subscription/ and allows FSIS customers to sign up for subscription options across eight categories. Options range from recalls to export information to regulations, directives and notices. Customers can add or delete subscriptions themselves and have the option to password protect their account. Done in Washington, DC on: February 8, 2005. F. Edward Scarbrough, U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius. [FR Doc. 05–2824 Filed 2–14–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–DM–P VerDate jul<14>2003 17:50 Feb 14, 2005 Jkt 205001 RIN 0607–AA42 2010 Census Redistricting Data Program Commencement of Phase 1: State Legislative District Project Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce. ACTION: Notice of program. AGENCY: SUMMARY: This notice announces the commencement of Phase 1 of the 2010 Redistricting Data Program: The State Legislative District Project. This first phase specifically provides States the opportunity to provide their legislative districts (House and Senate) to the Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau) for the development of data products by legislative district. States may continue to update their legislative district plans with any changes during the decade as they currently do with changes to their U.S. Congressional plans. DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by March 17, 2005. The deadline for States to notify the Census Bureau that they wish to participate in Phase 1: State Legislative District Project is August 1, 2005. ADDRESSES: Please direct all written comments on this notice to the Director, U.S. Census Bureau, Room 2049, Federal Building 3, Washington, DC 20233. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Catherine C. McCully, Chief of the Census Redistricting Data Office, U.S. Census Bureau, Room 3631, Federal Building 3, Washington, DC 20233, telephone (301) 763–4039. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the provisions of Public Law 94–171 (Title 13, United States Code (U.S.C.), Section 141(c)), the Director of the Census Bureau is required to provide the ‘‘officers or public bodies with initial responsibility for legislative apportionment or districting of each state * * *’’ with the opportunity to specify small geographic areas (for example, voting districts, wards, and election precincts) for which they wish to receive decennial census population totals for the purpose of reapportionment and redistricting. By April 1 of the year following the decennial census, the Secretary is required to furnish the State officials or their designees with population counts for counties, cities, census blocks, and State-specified congressional districts, legislative districts, and voting districts PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 7713 that meet Census Bureau technical criteria. In accordance with the provisions of Title 13, U.S.C. Section 141(c), and on behalf of the Secretary of Commerce, the Director announces the commencement of Phase 1 of the 2010 Census Redistricting Data Program. The purpose of this notice is to provide further information on the commencement of Phase 1 of the 2010 Census Redistricting Data Program, Phase 1—State Legislative District Project. Future notices will address the other phases of the 2010 Program. The 2010 Census Redistricting Data Program was initially announced on May 13, 2004, in the Federal Register (69 FR 26547). The Census Bureau received and responded to two comments regarding the Redistricting Data Program. Both comments were concerned with the effect the census residence rules have on State legislative redistricting. In response, the Census Bureau explained that, while we work closely with the States to identify new construction; correct political boundaries; and add nonstandard features for use as block boundaries, our data tabulation programs consistently use the residence rules established for census collection and tabulation purposes. Beginning in the winter of 2005, the Director of the Census Bureau will invite the Governor and the legislative leadership of the majority and minority parties in each State to designate a liaison to work with the Census Bureau on the 2010 Census Redistricting Data Program. In a separate letter, the Census Bureau will invite each State to participate in Phase 1, the State Legislative District Project. This phase will include a verification step and tabulations based on Census 2000 data. In addition, ongoing changes to Congressional district plans will be collected, and new tabulations will be developed, as needed. Boundaries of legislative and Congressional districts will be held as 2010 tabulation census block boundaries for those participating States. Participation in Phase 1 is not a prerequisite for participation in Phase 2 or 3 of the 2010 Census Redistricting Data Program. With the commencement of the American Community Survey (ACS), the Census Bureau will produce ACS data for States participating in Phase 1 on a flow basis. For the 2010 census, the ACS will replace the long form. The deadline for each State to respond with intent to participate is August 1, 2005. The Census Bureau will work with each State or organize a kickoff meeting to ensure States are E:\FR\FM\15FEN1.SGM 15FEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 30 (Tuesday, February 15, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7712-7713]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-2824]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. 04-053N]


Codex Alimentarius Commission: Proposals for New Work and 
Priorities for the Codex ad hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Foods 
Derived From Biotechnology

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting, request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, United 
States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Food and Drug 
Administration (FDA), United States Department of Health and Human 
Services, are sponsoring a public meeting on March 3, 2005, to provide 
information and receive public comments on new work and priorities for 
the ad hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Food Derived from 
Biotechnology of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex). Following 
approval at the 27th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (June 
28-July 3, 2004) to establish the Task Force, under the chairmanship of 
Japan, Codex agreed to solicit comments on the work that the Task Force 
should undertake and on the priorities for this new work.

DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 3, 2005, 
from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held in Room 107-A of the Jamie 
L. Whitten Federal Building, 12th & Jefferson Drive, SW., Washington 
DC.
    FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments on this notice. 
Comments may be submitted by any of the following methods:
     Mail, including floppy disks or CD-ROMs, and hand- or 
courier-delivered items: Send to the FSIS Docket Clerk, U.S. Department 
of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, 300 12th Street, 
SW., Room 102, Cotton Annex, Washington, DC 20730. All comments 
received must include the Agency name and docket number 04-053N.
    All comments submitted in response to this notice will be available 
for public inspection in the FSIS Docket Room at the address listed 
above between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The 
comments also will be posted on the Agency's Web site at https://
www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations/2005 Notices Index/index.asp.
    For further information about the Codex ad hoc Intergovernmental 
Task Force on Food Derived from Biotechnology contact: Bernice Slutsky, 
Ph.D., Special Assistant to the Secretary for Biotechnology, Office of 
the Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 12th Street & Jefferson 
Drive, Washington, DC 20250. Phone: (202) 690-0735, e-mail: 
Bernice.slutsky@usda.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE PUBLIC MEETING CONTACT: Paulo 
Almeida, U.S. Codex Office, FSIS, Room 4861, South Building, 1400 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-3700, phone: (202) 690-
4042, Fax: (202) 720-3157.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex) was established in 1962 
by two United Nations organizations, the Food and Agriculture 
Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Codex is 
the major international standard-setting organization for protecting 
the health and economic interests of consumers and encouraging fair 
international trade in food. 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 ensure that the world's food supply is sound, wholesome, free from 
adulteration, and correctly labeled. In the United States, USDA, FDA, 
and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) manage and carry out U.S. 
Codex activities.
    The Codex ad hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Foods Derived from 
Biotechnology develops standards, guidelines and recommendations for 
foods derived from modern biotechnology or for traits introduced into 
foods by modern biotechnology, on the basis of scientific evidence and 
risk analysis, having regard, where appropriate, to other legitimate 
factors relevant to the health of consumers and the promotion of fair 
practices in the food trade.

Public Meeting

    At the March 3, 2005 public meeting, attendees will have the 
opportunity to pose questions and offer comments on work to be 
undertaken by the Codex ad hoc Task Force on Foods Derived from 
Biotechnology. Written comments may be offered at the meeting or sent 
to Dr. Bernice Slutsky (See ADDRESSES). Written comments should state 
that they relate to activities of the proposed ad hoc Codex 
Intergovernmental Task

[[Page 7713]]

Force for Foods Derived from Biotechnology.

Additional Public Notification

    Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy 
development is important. Consequently, in an effort to ensure that the 
public and in particular minorities, women, and persons with 
disabilities, are aware of this notice, FSIS will announce it on-line 
through the FSIS Web page located at https://www.fsis.usda.gov/
regulations/2005_Notices_Index/.
    FSIS also will make copies of this Federal Register publication 
available through the FSIS Constituent Update, which is used to provide 
information regarding FSIS policies, procedures, regulations, Federal 
Register notices, FSIS public meetings, recalls, and other types of 
information that could affect or would be of interest to our 
constituents and stakeholders. The update is communicated via Listserv, 
a free e-mail subscription service consisting of industry, trade, and 
farm groups, consumer interest groups, allied health professionals, 
scientific professionals, and other individuals who have requested to 
be included. The update also is available on the FSIS Web page. Through 
Listserv and the Web page, FSIS is able to provide information to a 
much broader, more diverse audience.
    In addition, FSIS offers an email subscription service which 
provides an automatic and customized notification when popular pages 
are updated, including Federal Register publications and related 
documents. This service is available at https://www.fsis.usda.gov/news_
and_events/email_subscription/ and allows FSIS customers to sign up 
for subscription options across eight categories. Options range from 
recalls to export information to regulations, directives and notices. 
Customers can add or delete subscriptions themselves and have the 
option to password protect their account.

    Done in Washington, DC on: February 8, 2005.
F. Edward Scarbrough,
U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.
[FR Doc. 05-2824 Filed 2-14-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P

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