Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee, 31425-31426 [E8-12228]

Download as PDF 31425 Notices Federal Register Vol. 73, No. 106 Monday, June 2, 2008 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 Dated: May 27, 2008. Lloyd C. Day, Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service. [FR Doc. E8–12221 Filed 5–30–08; 8:45 am] Office of the Secretary [Docket Number: AMS–CN–07–0093; CN– 07–007] Advisory Committee on Universal Standards; Meeting BILLING CODE 3410–02–P Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice of meeting. AGENCY: In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announces a forthcoming meeting of the Advisory Committee on Universal Cotton Standards. DATES: June 12, 2008, at 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on June 13, 2008, at 9 a.m. until the review is complete. Place: On June 12, at the Peabody Hotel, 149 Union Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee 38103. Phone (901) 529– 4000. On June 13, at USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service, Cotton and Tobacco Programs office at 3275 Appling Road, Memphis, Tennessee 38133. Phone (901) 384–3000. The meeting is open to the public. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Knowlton, Standardization and Engineering Branch, Cotton and Tobacco Programs, AMS, USDA, 3275 Appling Road, Memphis, Tennessee 38133; Phone (901) 384–3030, facsimile (901) 384–3032, or e-mail at james.knowlton@usda.gov. SUMMARY: The committee includes representatives of all segments of the U.S. cotton industry and the twenty-three overseas associations that are signatories to the Universal Cotton Standards Agreement which is authorized under the United States Cotton Standards Act (U.S.C. 51– 65). The purpose of the meeting is: (1) To recommend to the Secretary of Agriculture any changes considered jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: VerDate Aug<31>2005 19:06 May 30, 2008 Jkt 214001 necessary to the Universal Standards; and (2) to review freshly prepared sets of Universal Cotton Standards for conformity with existing standards. The meeting is open to the public. Written comments may be submitted in advance or following the meeting to Mr. Knowlton. Notice of this meeting is provided in accordance with section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Public Law No. 92– 463). DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Agricultural Marketing Service [Docket No. FV–08–378] Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice of public meeting. AGENCY: SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to notify all interested parties that the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will hold a Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee (Committee) meeting that is open to the public. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) established the Committee to examine the full spectrum of issues faced by the fruit and vegetable industry and to provide suggestions and ideas to the Secretary of Agriculture on how USDA can tailor its programs to meet the fruit and vegetable industry’s needs. This notice sets forth the schedule and location for the meeting. DATES: Monday, September 8, 2008, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ADDRESSES: The Committee meeting will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 1480 Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA 22202. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew Hatch, Designated Federal Official, USDA, AMS, Fruit and Vegetable Programs. Telephone: (202) 690–0182. Facsimile: (202) 720–0016. Email: andrew.hatch@usda.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 (FACA) (5 U.S.C. App. II), the Secretary of Agriculture established the Committee in August 2001 to examine the full spectrum of issues faced by the fruit and vegetable industry and to provide suggestions and ideas to the Secretary on how USDA can tailor its programs to meet the fruit and vegetable industry’s needs. The Committee was re-chartered in July 2003, June 2005 and again in May 2007 with new members appointed by USDA from industry nominations. AMS Deputy Administrator for Fruit and Vegetable Programs, Robert C. Keeney, serves as the Committee’s Executive Secretary. Representatives from USDA mission areas and other government agencies affecting the fruit and vegetable industry will be called upon to participate in the Committee’s meetings as determined by the Committee Chairperson. AMS is giving notice of the Committee meeting to the public so that they may attend and present their recommendations. Reference the DATES and ADDRESSES section of this announcement for the time and place of the meeting. Topics of discussion at the Committee meeting will include: The Market News reporting of fruits and vegetables, Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act license fees, the restructuring of fresh fruit and vegetable grading services at terminal markets, USDA crop insurance programs, and Maximum Residue Levels for pesticides in food. Additional agenda items can be expected. Those parties that would like to speak at the meeting should register on or before August 29, 2008. To register as a speaker, please e-mail your name, affiliation, business address, e-mail address, and phone number to Mr. Andrew Hatch at: andrew.hatch@usda.gov. or facsimile to (202) 720–0016. Speakers who have registered in advance receive priority. Groups and individuals may submit comments for the Committee’s consideration to the same e-mail address. The meeting will be recorded, and information about obtaining a transcript will be provided at the meeting. The Secretary of Agriculture selected a diverse group of members representing a broad spectrum of persons interested in providing suggestions and ideas on how USDA can tailor its programs to E:\FR\FM\02JNN1.SGM 02JNN1 31426 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 106 / Monday, June 2, 2008 / Notices meet the fruit and vegetable industry’s needs. Equal opportunity practices were considered in all appointments to the Committee in accordance with USDA policies. If you require special accommodations, such as a sign language interpreter, please use the contact name listed above. Dated: May 27, 2008. Lloyd Day, Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service. [FR Doc. E8–12228 Filed 5–30–08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–02–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Agricultural Marketing Service [Docket #: AMS–FV–07–0080; FV–06–326] Proposed United States Standards for Grades of Olive Oil and Olive-Pomace Oil Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice. jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES AGENCY: SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) is soliciting comments on the proposed revision to the United States Standards for Grades of Olive Oil. The proposal includes two major groups of oil: ‘‘olive oil,’’ produced from olives by mechanical means; and ‘‘olive-pomace oil,’’ produced using heat and a solvent to separate the oil from the olive-pomace remaining after olive oil is produced. The proposal includes new product descriptions, definitions, and requirements for the following grade designations: ‘‘U.S. Extra Virgin Olive Oil,’’ ‘‘U.S. Virgin Olive Oil,’’ ‘‘U.S. Lampante Virgin Olive Oil—Not Fit for Human Consumption,’’ ‘‘U.S. Refined Olive Oil,’’ ‘‘U.S. Olive Oil,’’ ‘‘U.S. Olive-Pomace Oil,’’ ‘‘U.S. Refined OlivePomace Oil,’’ and ‘‘U.S. Crude OlivePomace Oil.’’ The proposed revisions to the grade standards are intended to provide a uniform language for commerce and the use of the standards would be voluntary. The proposed standards include objective criteria for determining quality and purity among the grades of olive oil and olive-pomace oil, thereby facilitating the marketing of olive oil and olive-pomace oil. DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before August 1, 2008. ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments concerning this notice. Written comments may be mailed to Chere L. VerDate Aug<31>2005 19:06 May 30, 2008 Jkt 214001 Shorter, Assistant Head, Inspection and Standardization Section, Processed Products Branch (PPB), Fruit and Vegetable Programs (FV), AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 0709, South Building; STOP 0247, Washington, DC 20250; telephone: (202) 720–5021; fax: (202) 690–1527; or Internet: https://www.regulations.gov. The United States Standards for Grades of Olive Oil are available either through the address cited above or by accessing the AMS website on the Internet at https://www.ams.usda.gov/ processedinspection. All comments should reference the docket number, date, and page number of this issue of the Federal Register. Comments will be made available for public inspection at the above address during regular business hours, or can be viewed at: https://www.regulations.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chere L. Shorter, Assistant Section Head, Inspection and Standardization Section, USDA, AMS, FV, PPB. Telephone: (202) 720–5021 or (202) 720–4693. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: AMS is proposing to revise the U.S. Standards for Grades of Olive Oil and establish new grade standards for Olive-Pomace Oil using the procedures that appear in Part 36 of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations (7 CFR Part 36). Section 203(c) of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, as amended, (7 U.S.C. 1621–1627) directs and authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture ‘‘to develop and improve standards of quality, condition, quantity, grade and packaging, and recommend and demonstrate such standards in order to encourage uniformity and consistency in commercial practices.’’ AMS is committed to carrying out this authority in a manner that facilitates the marketing of agricultural commodities and makes copies of official standards available upon request. Those United States standards for grades of fruits and vegetables no longer appear in the Code of Federal Regulations but are now maintained by USDA, AMS, FV Programs. Background AMS received a petition from the California Olive Oil Council (COOC), an association of olive oil producers, requesting the revision of the United States Standards for Grades of Olive Oil to reflect current industry standards commonly accepted in the United States and abroad. The petitioners requested that the U.S. grade standards be revised to make them consistent with the International PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Olive Council (IOC) standards for olive and olive-pomace oil. The IOC develops standards of quality used by major olive oil producing countries, including Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal, and Turkey. The IOC is an intergovernmental organization created by the United Nations that is headquartered in Madrid, Spain. It influences the marketing of over 95 percent of the world’s olive oil production. The United States is not a member of the IOC but has observer status. The petitioners also requested that no value be provided for linolenic acid in the fatty acid profile pending the outcome of a review of the appropriate fatty acid limits for linolenic acid by the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC). The CAC is a United Nations organization through which member countries, including the United States, formulate and harmonize international food standards. To date, the CAC has not made a decision on the appropriate fatty acid limits for linolenic acid. AMS published a Notice in the November 8, 2004, Federal Register (69 FR 64713) with a thirty-day comment period to determine if there was an interest in revising the U.S. grade standards in response to the request by COOC. Thirty comments were received in response to the Federal Register notice. All of the comments are available on the AMS Web site located at https://www.ams.usda.gov/ processedinspection. With one exception, all of the comments agreed that the U.S. grade standards should be revised. One commenter, however, wanted the extra virgin olive oil free fatty acid level, expressed as oleic acid, to remain at a maximum of 1.4 percent, as in the current U.S. grade standards for ‘‘U.S. Grade A.’’ According to the commenter, virgin olive oils produced from old cultivars are naturally high in oleic acid content. The commenter was concerned that changing the value would force growers to uproot older trees and have to replace their old traditional presses. Olive oils extracted from older trees and by traditional stone presses have higher oleic acid content than those extracted using high speed, stainless steel mills. The commenter also stated that growers would be forced to increase pesticide usage because the lower free acidity would require a zero tolerance for pest damage. Under AMS’ proposed U.S. grade standards, a free fatty acid value (expressed as oleic acid) of 1.4 percent maximum would be graded as ‘‘U.S. Virgin Olive Oil’’, one grade lower than ‘‘U.S. Extra Virgin Olive Oil’’, which E:\FR\FM\02JNN1.SGM 02JNN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 106 (Monday, June 2, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31425-31426]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-12228]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Docket No. FV-08-378]


Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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

SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to notify all interested parties 
that the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will hold a Fruit and 
Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee (Committee) meeting that is open 
to the public. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) established 
the Committee to examine the full spectrum of issues faced by the fruit 
and vegetable industry and to provide suggestions and ideas to the 
Secretary of Agriculture on how USDA can tailor its programs to meet 
the fruit and vegetable industry's needs. This notice sets forth the 
schedule and location for the meeting.

DATES: Monday, September 8, 2008, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The Committee meeting will be held at the Crowne Plaza 
Hotel, 1480 Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA 22202.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew Hatch, Designated Federal 
Official, USDA, AMS, Fruit and Vegetable Programs. Telephone: (202) 
690-0182. Facsimile: (202) 720-0016. E-mail:  andrew.hatch@usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee 
Act (FACA) (5 U.S.C. App. II), the Secretary of Agriculture established 
the Committee in August 2001 to examine the full spectrum of issues 
faced by the fruit and vegetable industry and to provide suggestions 
and ideas to the Secretary on how USDA can tailor its programs to meet 
the fruit and vegetable industry's needs. The Committee was re-
chartered in July 2003, June 2005 and again in May 2007 with new 
members appointed by USDA from industry nominations.
    AMS Deputy Administrator for Fruit and Vegetable Programs, Robert 
C. Keeney, serves as the Committee's Executive Secretary. 
Representatives from USDA mission areas and other government agencies 
affecting the fruit and vegetable industry will be called upon to 
participate in the Committee's meetings as determined by the Committee 
Chairperson. AMS is giving notice of the Committee meeting to the 
public so that they may attend and present their recommendations. 
Reference the DATES and ADDRESSES section of this announcement for the 
time and place of the meeting.
    Topics of discussion at the Committee meeting will include: The 
Market News reporting of fruits and vegetables, Perishable Agricultural 
Commodities Act license fees, the restructuring of fresh fruit and 
vegetable grading services at terminal markets, USDA crop insurance 
programs, and Maximum Residue Levels for pesticides in food. Additional 
agenda items can be expected.
    Those parties that would like to speak at the meeting should 
register on or before August 29, 2008. To register as a speaker, please 
e-mail your name, affiliation, business address, e-mail address, and 
phone number to Mr. Andrew Hatch at: andrew.hatch@usda.gov. or 
facsimile to (202) 720-0016. Speakers who have registered in advance 
receive priority. Groups and individuals may submit comments for the 
Committee's consideration to the same e-mail address. The meeting will 
be recorded, and information about obtaining a transcript will be 
provided at the meeting.
    The Secretary of Agriculture selected a diverse group of members 
representing a broad spectrum of persons interested in providing 
suggestions and ideas on how USDA can tailor its programs to

[[Page 31426]]

meet the fruit and vegetable industry's needs. Equal opportunity 
practices were considered in all appointments to the Committee in 
accordance with USDA policies.
    If you require special accommodations, such as a sign language 
interpreter, please use the contact name listed above.

    Dated: May 27, 2008.
Lloyd Day,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
 [FR Doc. E8-12228 Filed 5-30-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P

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