Notice of the Specialty Crop Committee's Stakeholder Listening Sessions, 44211 [E8-17391]

Download as PDF 44211 Notices Federal Register Vol. 73, No. 147 Wednesday, July 30, 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 Office of the Secretary Notice of the Specialty Crop Committee’s Stakeholder Listening Sessions Research, Education, and Economics, USDA. ACTION: Notice of stakeholder listening sessions. mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES AGENCY: SUMMARY: In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App 2, the United States Department of Agriculture announces three stakeholder listening sessions of the Specialty Crop Committee, under the auspices of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board. DATES: The Specialty Crop Committee will hold three stakeholder listening sessions August 20, 2008 from 1 p.m.– 4:30 p.m., August 21, 2008 from 9 a.m.– 1 p.m. and on September 4, 2008 from 9 a.m.–3 p.m. ADDRESSES: The stakeholder listening sessions of the Specialty Crop Committee will take place on August 20, 2008, at the Cotton Tree Inn, 2300 Market Street, Mt. Vernon, Washington 98273; August 21, 2008 at the Ellensburg Quality Inn, 1700 Canyon Road, Ellensburg, WA 98926; and September 4, 2008 at The Inn on the Lake, 770 South Main Street, Canandaigua, NY 14424. The public may file written comments before or up to two weeks after the listening session with the contact person identified in this notice at: The National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board Office, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 344–A, Jamie L. Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250– 2255. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Hunter, Executive Director, VerDate Aug<31>2005 23:06 Jul 29, 2008 Jkt 214001 National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board; telephone: (202) 720– 3684; fax: (202) 720–6199; or e-mail: khunter@csrees.usda.gov. The Specialty Crop Committee was established in accordance with the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 under Title III, Section 303 of Public Law 108–465. This Committee is a permanent committee of the National Agricultural Research Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board (the Board). The Committee’s charge is to study the scope and effectiveness of research, extension, and economics programs affecting the specialty crop industry. The congressional legislation defines ‘‘specialty crops’’ as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits and nursery crops (including floriculture). In order to carry out its responsibilities effectively, the Committee is holding these stakeholder listening sessions. The Committee seeks stakeholder input from industry and state representatives, national organizations and institutions, local producers, agricultural researchers and extension educators, and other groups interested in the issues with which the Specialty Crop Committee is charged. Comments on measures to improve the efficiency, productivity, profitability and economic stability of specialty crop producers; on regional or national data or information needed by the industry to evaluate its competitive position; and on measures designed to improve the competitiveness of research, extension and economics programs affecting the industry are particularly sought. The format will focus on several panel sessions, each relating to one or more specific issues delineated in the Committee’s charge. Each panel will be followed with questions or comments by Committee members and from the floor. Opportunities for brief presentations and general discussion from the public participants will be provided. Also, written comments by attendees and other interested stakeholders will be welcomed as additional public input before and up to two weeks following the listening sessions. All statements will become part of the official public record of the Board’s Specialty Crop Committee. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Done at Washington, DC, this 24th day of July, 2008. Gale A. Buchanan, Under Secretary, Research, Education, and Economics. [FR Doc. E8–17391 Filed 7–29–08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–03–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Agricultural Marketing Service [Doc. No. AMS–FV–08–0059; FV–08–380] Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) Inviting Applications for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program-Farm Bill (SCBGP–FB) Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice of withdrawal and republication of Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) Inviting Applications for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program-Farm Bill (SCBGP– FB). AGENCY: SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is withdrawing the July 9, 2008, Federal Register notice (73 FR 39278), which was published in error, announcing the availability of approximately $10 million in grant funds to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops. Today’s notice announces the availability of approximately $10 million in grant funds, less USDA administrative costs, to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops. The funds announced under this program (SCBGP–FB) are separate from the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) funds announced by AMS on March 5, 2008. SCBGP–FB funds are authorized by the recently enacted Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the Farm Bill). The application process to apply for the SCBGP–FB funds will parallel those currently found in 7 CFR Part 1290. Regulations to implement the amendments made in the 2008 Farm Bill will be published in the near future. State departments of agriculture are encouraged to develop their grant applications promptly. The 2008 Farm Bill makes the SCBGP–FB funds available only through the end of this fiscal year (September 30, 2008). This necessitates a short application period. State departments of agriculture interested in obtaining grant program E:\FR\FM\30JYN1.SGM 30JYN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 147 (Wednesday, July 30, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 44211]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-17391]


========================================================================
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. 73, No. 147 / Wednesday, July 30, 2008 / 
Notices

[[Page 44211]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Office of the Secretary


Notice of the Specialty Crop Committee's Stakeholder Listening 
Sessions

AGENCY: Research, Education, and Economics, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of stakeholder listening sessions.

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

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 
U.S.C. App 2, the United States Department of Agriculture announces 
three stakeholder listening sessions of the Specialty Crop Committee, 
under the auspices of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, 
Education, and Economics Advisory Board.

DATES: The Specialty Crop Committee will hold three stakeholder 
listening sessions August 20, 2008 from 1 p.m.-4:30 p.m., August 21, 
2008 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and on September 4, 2008 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The stakeholder listening sessions of the Specialty Crop 
Committee will take place on August 20, 2008, at the Cotton Tree Inn, 
2300 Market Street, Mt. Vernon, Washington 98273; August 21, 2008 at 
the Ellensburg Quality Inn, 1700 Canyon Road, Ellensburg, WA 98926; and 
September 4, 2008 at The Inn on the Lake, 770 South Main Street, 
Canandaigua, NY 14424.
    The public may file written comments before or up to two weeks 
after the listening session with the contact person identified in this 
notice at: The National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, 
and Economics Advisory Board Office, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
Room 344-A, Jamie L. Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20250-2255.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Hunter, Executive Director, 
National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics 
Advisory Board; telephone: (202) 720-3684; fax: (202) 720-6199; or e-
mail: khunter@csrees.usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Specialty Crop Committee was established 
in accordance with the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 
under Title III, Section 303 of Public Law 108-465. This Committee is a 
permanent committee of the National Agricultural Research Extension, 
Education, and Economics Advisory Board (the Board). The Committee's 
charge is to study the scope and effectiveness of research, extension, 
and economics programs affecting the specialty crop industry. The 
congressional legislation defines ``specialty crops'' as fruits, 
vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits and nursery crops (including 
floriculture). In order to carry out its responsibilities effectively, 
the Committee is holding these stakeholder listening sessions. The 
Committee seeks stakeholder input from industry and state 
representatives, national organizations and institutions, local 
producers, agricultural researchers and extension educators, and other 
groups interested in the issues with which the Specialty Crop Committee 
is charged. Comments on measures to improve the efficiency, 
productivity, profitability and economic stability of specialty crop 
producers; on regional or national data or information needed by the 
industry to evaluate its competitive position; and on measures designed 
to improve the competitiveness of research, extension and economics 
programs affecting the industry are particularly sought. The format 
will focus on several panel sessions, each relating to one or more 
specific issues delineated in the Committee's charge. Each panel will 
be followed with questions or comments by Committee members and from 
the floor. Opportunities for brief presentations and general discussion 
from the public participants will be provided. Also, written comments 
by attendees and other interested stakeholders will be welcomed as 
additional public input before and up to two weeks following the 
listening sessions. All statements will become part of the official 
public record of the Board's Specialty Crop Committee.

    Done at Washington, DC, this 24th day of July, 2008.
Gale A. Buchanan,
Under Secretary, Research, Education, and Economics.
 [FR Doc. E8-17391 Filed 7-29-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-03-P
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