Notice of Meeting of the National Organic Standards Board, 58046-58047 [07-5042]
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58046
Notices
Federal Register
Vol. 72, No. 197
Friday, October 12, 2007
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.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Doc. No. AMS–TM–07–0118; TM–07–09]
Notice of Meeting of the National
Organic Standards Board
Agricultural Marketing Service,
USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: In accordance with the
Federal Advisory Committee Act, as
amended, the Agricultural Marketing
Service (AMS) is announcing a
forthcoming meeting of the National
Organic Standards Board (NOSB).
DATES: The meeting dates are
Wednesday, November 28, 2007, 8 a.m.
to 5:30 p.m.; Thursday, November 29,
2007, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; and Friday,
November 30, 2007, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Requests from individuals and
organizations wishing to make oral
presentations at the meeting are due by
the close of business on November 12,
2007.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will take place
at The Holiday Inn National Airport
Hotel, 2650 Jefferson Davis Hwy,
Arlington, VA 22202.
• Requests for copies of the NOSB
meeting agenda, may be sent to Ms.
Valerie Frances, Executive Director,
NOSB, USDA–AMS–TMP–NOP, 1400
Independence Ave., SW., Room 4008–
So., Ag Stop 0268, Washington, DC
20250–0268. The NOSB meeting agenda
and proposed recommendations may
also be viewed at https://
www.ams.usda.gov/nop.
• Comments on proposed NOSB
recommendations may be submitted in
writing to Ms. Frances at either the
postal address above or via the internet
at https://www.regulations.gov only. The
comments should identify Docket No.
AMS–TM–07–0118. It is our intention
to have all comments to this notice
whether they are submitted by mail or
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:35 Oct 11, 2007
Jkt 214001
the internet available for viewing on the
https://www.regulations.gov Web site.
• Requests to make an oral
presentation at the meeting may also be
sent to Ms. Valerie Frances at the postal
address above, by e-mail at
valerie.frances@usda.gov, via facsimile
at (202) 205–7808, or phone at (202)
720–3252.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Valerie Frances, Executive Director,
NOSB, National Organic Program
(NOP), (202) 720–3252, or visit the NOP
Web site at: https://www.ams.usda.gov/
nop.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section
2119 (7 U.S.C. 6518) of the Organic
Foods Production Act of 1990 (OFPA),
as amended (7 U.S.C. 6501 et seq.)
requires the establishment of the NOSB.
The purpose of the NOSB is to make
recommendations about whether a
substance should be allowed or
prohibited in organic production or
handling, to assist in the development
of standards for substances to be used in
organic production, and to advise the
Secretary on other aspects of the
implementation of the OFPA. The
NOSB met for the first time in
Washington, DC, in March 1992, and
currently has six subcommittees
working on various aspects of the
organic program. The committees are:
Compliance, Accreditation, and
Certification; Crops; Handling;
Livestock; Materials; and Policy
Development.
In August of 1994, the NOSB
provided its initial recommendations for
the NOP to the Secretary of Agriculture.
Since that time, the NOSB has
submitted 148 addenda to its
recommendations and reviewed more
than 324 substances for inclusion on the
National List of Allowed and Prohibited
Substances. The Department of
Agriculture (USDA) published its final
National Organic Program regulation in
the Federal Register on December 21,
2000, (65 FR 80548). The rule became
effective April 21, 2001.
In addition, the OFPA authorizes the
National List of Allowed and Prohibited
Substances and provides that no
allowed or prohibited substance would
remain on the National List for a period
exceeding 5 years unless the exemption
or prohibition is reviewed and
recommended for renewal by the NOSB
and adopted by the Secretary of
Agriculture. This expiration is
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
commonly referred to as sunset of the
National List. The National List appears
at 7 CFR part 205, subpart G.
The principal purposes of the NOSB
meeting are to provide an opportunity
for the NOSB to receive an update from
the USDA/NOP and hear progress
reports from NOSB committees
regarding work plan items and proposed
action items. The last meeting of the
NOSB was held on March 27–29, 2007,
in Washington, DC.
At its last meeting, the Board
recommended the addition of 35
materials to the National List 205.606
for use in handling and began the sunset
review process of 11 materials. At this
meeting, the Board will continue the
sunset review process of these 11
materials. There are 7 substances for use
in crops and handling which were
placed on the National List on
November 3, 2003, and are scheduled to
expire on November 3, 2008. There are
4 substances for use in handling which
were placed on the National List on
November 4, 2003, and are scheduled to
expire on November 4, 2008. The sunset
review process must be concluded no
later than November 3 and 4, 2008,
respectively. If renewal is not concluded
by those dates, the use or prohibition of
these 11 materials will no longer be in
compliance with the National Organic
Program.
The Policy Development Committee
will present recommendations regarding
revisions to the NOSB Policy and
Procedures Manual and the Guide for
new NOSB members as well as discuss
their on-going collaboration with the
NOP to review the NOP responses to
prior NOSB recommendations. The
Policy Development, Crops and
Livestock Committees will jointly
present their two recommendations:
Guidance on the Certification of
Operations Involved in Crops Research
and Guidance on Temporary Research
Variances.
The Materials and Handling
Committees will jointly present their
recommendation to clarify the
definitions of materials on the National
List in §§ 205.605(a), (b) and § 205.606.
The Handling Committee will present
their recommendations on materials
petitioned for consideration for
inclusion on either § 205.605 or
§ 205.606 for use in organic products:
Gellan Gum and Grape Seed Extract.
The Committee will present their
E:\FR\FM\12OCN1.SGM
12OCN1
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 197 / Friday, October 12, 2007 / Notices
recommendations on the continued use
or prohibition of the material
exemptions on § 205.605(a) which is
Agar-agar and due to expire on
November 3, 2008, and Animal
enzymes, Calcium sulfate, and Glucono
delta-lactone, with their respective
annotations and limitations, due to
expire on November 4, 2008. The
Committee will also present their
recommendations on the continued use
or prohibition of the material exemption
on § 205.605(b) which is Cellulose with
its respective annotations and
limitations, due to expire on November
4, 2008. Additionally, the Committee
will present their recommendation on
the development of standards for
organic pet food.
The Crops Committee will present
recommendations on the materials
Potassium Silicate, Sodium Carbonate
Peroxyhydrate, and Sodium Ferric
Hydroxy EDTA petitioned for use on
§ 205.601. The Committee will present
their recommendations on the
continued use or prohibition of Copper
sulfate, Ozone gas, Peracetic acid, and
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
List 3—Inerts of unknown toxicity, with
their respective annotations and
limitations. These National List material
exemptions are due to expire on
November 3, 2008, from § 205.601. The
Committee will also present their
recommendation on the continued use
or prohibition of Calcium chloride for
use as a brine-sourced foliar spray.
Calcium chloride is otherwise
considered a prohibited natural
substance on § 205.602 and is also due
to expire on November 3, 2008.
The Livestock Committee will receive
the Aquaculture Working Group:
Supplement to Interim Final Report on
Bivalve molluscs as well as discuss the
outstanding issues related to fish feed
and open net pens in regards to the
aquaculture standards for finfish.
The Compliance, Accreditation, and
Certification Committee will present
their recommendation on the
standardization of certificates, and their
recommendations offering guidance for
accredited certifying agents regarding
annual commercial availability
determinations for ingredients listed on
§ 205.606 and organic seed sourcing by
farmers under § 205.204, and on the
certification of multi-site operations,
including community grower groups.
The Meeting is Open to the Public.
The NOSB has scheduled time for
public input for Wednesday, November
28, 2007, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and
from 1:15 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Thursday,
November 29, 2007, from 3:30 p.m. to
5:30 p.m., and Friday, November 30,
2007, from 8 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:35 Oct 11, 2007
Jkt 214001
Individuals and organizations wishing
to make oral presentations at the
meeting may forward their requests by
mail, facsimile, e-mail, or phone to
Valerie Frances as listed in ADDRESSES
above. Individuals or organizations will
be given approximately 5 minutes to
present their views. All persons making
oral presentations are requested to
provide their comments in writing.
Written submissions may contain
information other than that presented at
the oral presentation. Anyone may
submit written comments at the
meeting. Persons submitting written
comments are asked to provide 30
copies.
Interested persons may visit the
NOSB portion of the NOP Web site at
https://www.ams.usda.gov/nop to view
available meeting documents prior to
the meeting, or visit https://
www.regulations.gov to submit and view
comments as provided for in ADDRESSES
above. Documents presented at the
meeting will be posted for review on the
NOP Web site approximately 6 weeks
following the meeting.
Dated: October 9, 2007.
Lloyd C. Day,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing
Service.
[FR Doc. 07–5042 Filed 10–11–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–02–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service
[Docket No. APHIS–2007–0128]
Notice of Availability of a Pest Risk
Analysis for the Importation of Sweet
Cherries From Australia Into the
Continental United States and Hawaii
Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: We are advising the public
that we have prepared a pest risk
analysis that evaluates the risks
associated with the importation into the
continental United States and Hawaii of
sweet cherries from Australia. Based on
that analysis, we believe that the
application of one or more designated
phytosanitary measures will be
sufficient to mitigate the risks of
introducing or disseminating plant pests
or noxious weeds via the importation of
sweet cherries from Australia. We are
making the pest risk analysis, as well as
an environmental assessment we have
prepared in connection with this action,
available for review and comment.
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
58047
We will consider all comments
we receive on or before December 11,
2007.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
by either of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov, select
‘‘Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service’’ from the agency drop-down
menu, then click ‘‘Submit.’’ In the
Docket ID column, select Docket No.
APHIS–2007–0128 to submit or view
public comments and to view
supporting and related materials
available electronically. Information on
using Regulations.gov, including
instructions for accessing documents,
submitting comments, and viewing the
docket after the close of the comment
period, is available through the site’s
‘‘User Tips’’ link.
• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery:
Please send four copies of your
comment (an original and three copies)
to Docket No. APHIS–2007–0128,
Regulatory Analysis and Development,
PPD, APHIS, Station 3C71, 4700 River
Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737–
1238. Please state that your comment
refers to Docket No. APHIS–2007–0128.
Reading Room: You may read any
comments that we receive on this
docket in our reading room. The reading
room is located in room 1141 of the
USDA South Building, 14th Street and
Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC. Normal reading room
hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday
through Friday, except holidays. To be
sure someone is there to help you,
please call (202) 690–2817 before
coming.
Other Information: Additional
information about APHIS and its
programs is available on the Internet at
https://www.aphis.usda.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.
Donna L. West, Senior Import
Specialist, Commodity Import Analysis
and Operations, Plant Health Programs,
PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 133,
Riverdale, MD 20737–1231; (301) 734–
8758.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the
regulations in ‘‘Subpart—Fruits and
Vegetables’’ (7 CFR 319.56 through
319.56–47, referred to below as the
regulations), the Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of
the U.S. Department of Agriculture
prohibits or restricts the importation of
fruits and vegetables into the United
States from certain parts of the world to
prevent plant pests from being
introduced into and spread within the
United States.
Section 319.56–4 of the regulations
contains a performance-based process
DATES:
E:\FR\FM\12OCN1.SGM
12OCN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 197 (Friday, October 12, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58046-58047]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-5042]
========================================================================
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.
========================================================================
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 197 / Friday, October 12, 2007 /
Notices
[[Page 58046]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Doc. No. AMS-TM-07-0118; TM-07-09]
Notice of Meeting of the National Organic Standards Board
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as
amended, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is announcing a
forthcoming meeting of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB).
DATES: The meeting dates are Wednesday, November 28, 2007, 8 a.m. to
5:30 p.m.; Thursday, November 29, 2007, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; and
Friday, November 30, 2007, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Requests from
individuals and organizations wishing to make oral presentations at the
meeting are due by the close of business on November 12, 2007.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will take place at The Holiday Inn National
Airport Hotel, 2650 Jefferson Davis Hwy, Arlington, VA 22202.
Requests for copies of the NOSB meeting agenda, may be
sent to Ms. Valerie Frances, Executive Director, NOSB, USDA-AMS-TMP-
NOP, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Room 4008-So., Ag Stop 0268,
Washington, DC 20250-0268. The NOSB meeting agenda and proposed
recommendations may also be viewed at https://www.ams.usda.gov/nop.
Comments on proposed NOSB recommendations may be submitted
in writing to Ms. Frances at either the postal address above or via the
internet at https://www.regulations.gov only. The comments should
identify Docket No. AMS-TM-07-0118. It is our intention to have all
comments to this notice whether they are submitted by mail or the
internet available for viewing on the https://www.regulations.gov Web
site.
Requests to make an oral presentation at the meeting may
also be sent to Ms. Valerie Frances at the postal address above, by e-
mail at valerie.frances@usda.gov, via facsimile at (202) 205-7808, or
phone at (202) 720-3252.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Valerie Frances, Executive Director,
NOSB, National Organic Program (NOP), (202) 720-3252, or visit the NOP
Web site at: https://www.ams.usda.gov/nop.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 2119 (7 U.S.C. 6518) of the Organic
Foods Production Act of 1990 (OFPA), as amended (7 U.S.C. 6501 et seq.)
requires the establishment of the NOSB. The purpose of the NOSB is to
make recommendations about whether a substance should be allowed or
prohibited in organic production or handling, to assist in the
development of standards for substances to be used in organic
production, and to advise the Secretary on other aspects of the
implementation of the OFPA. The NOSB met for the first time in
Washington, DC, in March 1992, and currently has six subcommittees
working on various aspects of the organic program. The committees are:
Compliance, Accreditation, and Certification; Crops; Handling;
Livestock; Materials; and Policy Development.
In August of 1994, the NOSB provided its initial recommendations
for the NOP to the Secretary of Agriculture. Since that time, the NOSB
has submitted 148 addenda to its recommendations and reviewed more than
324 substances for inclusion on the National List of Allowed and
Prohibited Substances. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) published
its final National Organic Program regulation in the Federal Register
on December 21, 2000, (65 FR 80548). The rule became effective April
21, 2001.
In addition, the OFPA authorizes the National List of Allowed and
Prohibited Substances and provides that no allowed or prohibited
substance would remain on the National List for a period exceeding 5
years unless the exemption or prohibition is reviewed and recommended
for renewal by the NOSB and adopted by the Secretary of Agriculture.
This expiration is commonly referred to as sunset of the National List.
The National List appears at 7 CFR part 205, subpart G.
The principal purposes of the NOSB meeting are to provide an
opportunity for the NOSB to receive an update from the USDA/NOP and
hear progress reports from NOSB committees regarding work plan items
and proposed action items. The last meeting of the NOSB was held on
March 27-29, 2007, in Washington, DC.
At its last meeting, the Board recommended the addition of 35
materials to the National List 205.606 for use in handling and began
the sunset review process of 11 materials. At this meeting, the Board
will continue the sunset review process of these 11 materials. There
are 7 substances for use in crops and handling which were placed on the
National List on November 3, 2003, and are scheduled to expire on
November 3, 2008. There are 4 substances for use in handling which were
placed on the National List on November 4, 2003, and are scheduled to
expire on November 4, 2008. The sunset review process must be concluded
no later than November 3 and 4, 2008, respectively. If renewal is not
concluded by those dates, the use or prohibition of these 11 materials
will no longer be in compliance with the National Organic Program.
The Policy Development Committee will present recommendations
regarding revisions to the NOSB Policy and Procedures Manual and the
Guide for new NOSB members as well as discuss their on-going
collaboration with the NOP to review the NOP responses to prior NOSB
recommendations. The Policy Development, Crops and Livestock Committees
will jointly present their two recommendations: Guidance on the
Certification of Operations Involved in Crops Research and Guidance on
Temporary Research Variances.
The Materials and Handling Committees will jointly present their
recommendation to clarify the definitions of materials on the National
List in Sec. Sec. 205.605(a), (b) and Sec. 205.606.
The Handling Committee will present their recommendations on
materials petitioned for consideration for inclusion on either Sec.
205.605 or Sec. 205.606 for use in organic products: Gellan Gum and
Grape Seed Extract. The Committee will present their
[[Page 58047]]
recommendations on the continued use or prohibition of the material
exemptions on Sec. 205.605(a) which is Agar-agar and due to expire on
November 3, 2008, and Animal enzymes, Calcium sulfate, and Glucono
delta-lactone, with their respective annotations and limitations, due
to expire on November 4, 2008. The Committee will also present their
recommendations on the continued use or prohibition of the material
exemption on Sec. 205.605(b) which is Cellulose with its respective
annotations and limitations, due to expire on November 4, 2008.
Additionally, the Committee will present their recommendation on the
development of standards for organic pet food.
The Crops Committee will present recommendations on the materials
Potassium Silicate, Sodium Carbonate Peroxyhydrate, and Sodium Ferric
Hydroxy EDTA petitioned for use on Sec. 205.601. The Committee will
present their recommendations on the continued use or prohibition of
Copper sulfate, Ozone gas, Peracetic acid, and Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) List 3--Inerts of unknown toxicity, with their respective
annotations and limitations. These National List material exemptions
are due to expire on November 3, 2008, from Sec. 205.601. The
Committee will also present their recommendation on the continued use
or prohibition of Calcium chloride for use as a brine-sourced foliar
spray. Calcium chloride is otherwise considered a prohibited natural
substance on Sec. 205.602 and is also due to expire on November 3,
2008.
The Livestock Committee will receive the Aquaculture Working Group:
Supplement to Interim Final Report on Bivalve molluscs as well as
discuss the outstanding issues related to fish feed and open net pens
in regards to the aquaculture standards for finfish.
The Compliance, Accreditation, and Certification Committee will
present their recommendation on the standardization of certificates,
and their recommendations offering guidance for accredited certifying
agents regarding annual commercial availability determinations for
ingredients listed on Sec. 205.606 and organic seed sourcing by
farmers under Sec. 205.204, and on the certification of multi-site
operations, including community grower groups.
The Meeting is Open to the Public. The NOSB has scheduled time for
public input for Wednesday, November 28, 2007, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
and from 1:15 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Thursday, November 29, 2007, from 3:30
p.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Friday, November 30, 2007, from 8 a.m. to 10:45
a.m. Individuals and organizations wishing to make oral presentations
at the meeting may forward their requests by mail, facsimile, e-mail,
or phone to Valerie Frances as listed in ADDRESSES above. Individuals
or organizations will be given approximately 5 minutes to present their
views. All persons making oral presentations are requested to provide
their comments in writing. Written submissions may contain information
other than that presented at the oral presentation. Anyone may submit
written comments at the meeting. Persons submitting written comments
are asked to provide 30 copies.
Interested persons may visit the NOSB portion of the NOP Web site
at https://www.ams.usda.gov/nop to view available meeting documents
prior to the meeting, or visit https://www.regulations.gov to submit and
view comments as provided for in ADDRESSES above. Documents presented
at the meeting will be posted for review on the NOP Web site
approximately 6 weeks following the meeting.
Dated: October 9, 2007.
Lloyd C. Day,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 07-5042 Filed 10-11-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P
