National Organic Program: Notice of Draft Guidance for Calculating the Percentage of Organic Ingredients in Multi-Ingredient Products, 87902-87903 [2016-29173]
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87902
Notices
Federal Register
Vol. 81, No. 234
Tuesday, December 6, 2016
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–NOP–16–0085; NOP–16–06]
National Organic Program: Notice of
Draft Guidance for Calculating the
Percentage of Organic Ingredients in
Multi-Ingredient Products
Agricultural Marketing Service,
USDA.
ACTION: Notice of availability of draft
guidance with request for comments.
AGENCY:
The Agricultural Marketing
Service (AMS) is announcing the
availability of a draft guidance
document intended for use by
accredited certifying agents and
certified handling operations. The draft
guidance document is entitled as
follows: Calculating Percentage Organic
in Multi-Ingredient Products (NOP
5037). This draft guidance document is
intended to inform the public of AMS’
current thinking on this topic. AMS
invites organic producers, handlers,
certifying agents, material evaluation
programs, consumers and other
interested parties to submit comments.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on
or before February 6, 2017.
ADDRESSES: Submit written requests for
hard copies of this draft guidance to
Paul I. Lewis, Ph.D., Standards Division
Director, National Organic Program
(NOP), USDA–AMS–NOP, 1400
Independence Ave. SW., Room 2646—
So., Ag Stop 0268, Washington, DC
20250–0268. See the SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION section for electronic
access to the draft guidance document.
You may submit comments on this
draft guidance document by any of the
following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
• Mail: Paul I. Lewis, Ph.D.,
Standards Division Director, National
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:39 Dec 05, 2016
Jkt 241001
Organic Program, USDA–AMS–NOP,
1400 Independence Ave. SW., Room
2646—So., Ag Stop 0268, Washington,
DC 20250–0268.
Instructions: Written comments
responding to this request should be
identified with the document number
AMS–NOP–XX–XXXX; NOP–16–06.
You should clearly indicate your
position and the reasons supporting
your position. If you are suggesting
changes to the draft guidance document,
you should include recommended
language changes, as appropriate, along
with any relevant supporting
documentation. AMS is specifically
requesting that stakeholders comment
and quantify any impacts that the
guidance will have on certified
operations. AMS is also requesting
comments from accredited certifying
agents on the policy related to the
calculation of multi-ingredient
ingredients. How is the industry
currently calculating organic products
that use organic ingredients that contain
several ingredients? What are the sound
and sensible approaches currently being
used?
USDA intends to make available all
comments, including names and
addresses when provided, regardless of
submission procedure used, on
www.regulations.gov and at USDA,
AMS, NOP, Room 2646—South
building, 1400 Independence Ave. SW.,
Washington, DC, from 9 a.m. to noon
and from 1 to 4 p.m., Monday through
Friday (except official Federal holidays).
Persons wanting to visit the USDA
South building to view comments from
the public to this notice are requested to
make an appointment by calling (202)
720–3252.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul
I. Lewis, Ph.D., Standards Division
Director, National Organic Program
(NOP), USDA–AMS–NOP, 1400
Independence Ave. SW., Room 2646—
So., Ag Stop 0268, Washington, DC
20250–0268; Telephone: (202) 720–
3252; Fax: (202) 260–9151; Email:
NOP.Guidance@ams.usda.gov; or visit
the NOP Web site at:
www.ams.usda.gov/nop.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The draft guidance document
announced through this notice was
developed to respond to an April 2013
National Organic Standards Board
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
(NOSB) request that the National
Organic Program (NOP) correct and/or
clarify the requirements codified at 7
CFR 205.302(a), calculating the
percentage of organically produced
ingredients. Section 205.302(a)(1) states
the method of calculation as ‘‘[d]ividing
the total net weight (excluding water
and salt) of combined organic
ingredients at formulation by the total
weight (excluding water and salt) of the
finished product.’’ Current
interpretation of 205.302(a)(1) is to
‘‘[d]ivid[e] the total net weight
(excluding water and salt) of combined
organic ingredients at formulation by
the total weight (excluding water and
salt) of all ingredients.’’ [Emphasis
added.]
The NOSB recommendation asked the
NOP to: (1) Correct the regulatory
language at § 205.302(a) to clarify that
organic percentages should be
calculated by dividing the total net
weight (excluding water and salt) of
combined organic ingredients at
formulation by the total net weight
(excluding water and salt) of all
ingredients. The NOSB asked that the
NOP clarify that the percentage of
organic ingredients in a product should
be calculated based on the net weight of
‘‘all ingredients’’ in that product, and
not the net weight of the ‘‘finished
product’’ because most products lose
weight during processing; (2) Clarify
how to calculate the organic percentages
of a multi-ingredient product that
contains ingredients that are themselves
composed of more than one ingredient;
(3) Clarify when to exclude salt and
water from ingredients; (4) Provide
guidance on how to calculate raw
agricultural product and processed
single ingredient ingredients; and to (5)
Develop and publish example selfcalculating forms on items related to the
organic percentage of each ingredient
and the exclusion of salt and water. This
guidance addresses the NOSB
recommendation.
The draft guidance is available from
AMS on its Web site at https://
www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/
organic/draft-guidance. If finalized, any
final guidance would be available in
‘‘The Program Handbook: Guidance and
Instructions for Accredited Certifying
Agents (ACAs) and Certified
Operations’’. This Handbook provides
those who own, manage, or certify
organic operations with guidance and
E:\FR\FM\06DEN1.SGM
06DEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 234 / Tuesday, December 6, 2016 / Notices
instructions that can assist them in
complying with the USDA organic
regulations. The current edition of the
Program Handbook is available online at
https://www.ams.usda.gov/rulesregulations/organic/handbook.
II. Significance of Guidance
III. Electronic Access
Persons with access to Internet may
obtain the draft guidance at either AMS’
Web site at https://www.ams.usda.gov/
nop or https://www.regulations.gov.
Requests for hard copies of the draft
guidance documents can be obtained by
submitting a written request to the
person listed in the ADDRESSES section
of this Notice.
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 6501–6522.
Dated: November 30, 2016.
Elanor Starmer,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing
Service.
[FR Doc. 2016–29173 Filed 12–5–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–02–P
17:39 Dec 05, 2016
Office of the Secretary
Notice of Request for Extension of a
Currently Approved Information
Collection
Office of Homeland Security
and Emergency Coordination.
ACTION: Notice and request for
comments.
AGENCY:
This draft guidance document is being
issued in accordance with the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB)
Bulletin on Agency Good Guidance
Practices (GGPs) (January 25, 2007, 72
FR 3432–3440).
The purpose of GGPs is to ensure that
program guidance documents are
developed with adequate public
participation, are readily available to the
public, and are not applied as binding
requirements. The draft guidance, when
finalized, will represent AMS’ current
thinking on these topics. It does not
create or confer any rights for, or on, any
person and does not operate to bind
AMS or the public. Guidance
documents are intended to provide a
uniform method for operations to
comply that can reduce the burden of
developing their own methods and
simplify audits and inspections.
Alternative approaches that can
demonstrate compliance with the
Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA),
as amended (7 U.S.C. 6501–6522), and
its implementing regulations are also
acceptable. AMS strongly encourages
industry to discuss alternative
approaches with the NOP before
implementing them to avoid
unnecessary or wasteful expenditures of
resources and to ensure the proposed
alternative approach complies with the
Act and its implementing regulations.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Jkt 241001
In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice announces the Office of
Homeland Security and Emergency
Coordination’s (OHSEC) intention to
request an extension for and revision to
a currently approved information
collection for the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) Personal Identity
Verification (PIV) Request for
Credential, the USDA Homeland
Security Presidential Directive 12
(HSPD–12) program. HSPD–12
establishes a mandatory, Governmentwide standard for secure and reliable
forms of identification (credentials)
issued by the Federal Government to its
Federal employees, non-Federal
employees and contractors. The Office
of Management and Budget (OMB)
mandated that these credentials be
issued to all Federal Government
employees, contractors, and other
applicable individuals who require
long-term access to federally controlled
facilities and/or information systems.
The HSPD–12 compliant program is
jointly owned and administered by the
Office of the Chief Information Officer
(OCIO) and OHSEC.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be
received by December 15, 2016, to be
assured of consideration.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Richard Holman, Chief, Physical
Security Division, Office of Homeland
Security and Emergency Coordination,
USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue
SW., Room 1457, Washington DC 20250.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: USDA PIV Request for
Credential.
OMB Number: 0505–0022.
Expiration Date of Approval: February
28, 2017.
Type of Request: Extension and
revision of a currently approved
information collection.
Abstract: The HSPD–12 information
collection is required for establishing
the applicant’s identity for PIV
credential issuance. The information
requested must be provided by Federal
employees, contractors and other
applicable individuals when applying
for a USDA credential (identification
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
87903
card). This information collection is
necessary to comply with the
requirements outlined in Homeland
Security Presidential Directive (HSPD)
12, and Federal Information Processing
Standard (FIPS) 201–2. USDA must
implement an identity proofing,
registration, and issuance process
consistent with the requirements
outlined in FIPS 201–2. This
information collection form was
required as part of USDA’s identity
proofing and registration process. After
October 27, 2006, form AD–1197 has
been eliminated and the identity
process has been streamlined with the
addition of a web-based HSPD–12
system. As USDA continues the HSPD–
12 program, one estimate of burden has
been calculated and one process
description has been included.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting
burden for this collection of information
is estimated to average 1.5 hours. The
burden is estimated based on the three
prerequisites for PIV Credential
issuance as well as the receipt of the PIV
Credential itself.
Respondents: New long term
contractors, affiliates, and employees
must undergo the information collection
process. Existing contractors/
employees/affiliates must undergo the
process to receive a PIV Credential.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
Estimated Annual Number of
Respondents: 12,000.
Estimated Number of Responses per
Respondent: Each respondent should
complete one response.
Estimated Total One-Time Burden on
Respondents: 18,000 hours.
Comments are invited on: (1) Whether
the proposed collection of information
is necessary for the proper performance
of the functions of the agency, including
whether the information will have
practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the
agency’s estimate of the burden of the
proposed collection of information
including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; (3)
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and (4) ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information
on those who are to respond, including
the use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other
technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
Comments may be sent to Richard
Holman. All comments received will be
available for public inspection during
regular business hours at the same
address.
All responses to this notice will be
summarized and included in the request
E:\FR\FM\06DEN1.SGM
06DEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 234 (Tuesday, December 6, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 87902-87903]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-29173]
========================================================================
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. 81, No. 234 / Tuesday, December 6, 2016 /
Notices
[[Page 87902]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Doc. No. AMS-NOP-16-0085; NOP-16-06]
National Organic Program: Notice of Draft Guidance for
Calculating the Percentage of Organic Ingredients in Multi-Ingredient
Products
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of availability of draft guidance with request for
comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is announcing the
availability of a draft guidance document intended for use by
accredited certifying agents and certified handling operations. The
draft guidance document is entitled as follows: Calculating Percentage
Organic in Multi-Ingredient Products (NOP 5037). This draft guidance
document is intended to inform the public of AMS' current thinking on
this topic. AMS invites organic producers, handlers, certifying agents,
material evaluation programs, consumers and other interested parties to
submit comments.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before February 6, 2017.
ADDRESSES: Submit written requests for hard copies of this draft
guidance to Paul I. Lewis, Ph.D., Standards Division Director, National
Organic Program (NOP), USDA-AMS-NOP, 1400 Independence Ave. SW., Room
2646--So., Ag Stop 0268, Washington, DC 20250-0268. See the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for electronic access to the draft
guidance document.
You may submit comments on this draft guidance document by any of
the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
Mail: Paul I. Lewis, Ph.D., Standards Division Director,
National Organic Program, USDA-AMS-NOP, 1400 Independence Ave. SW.,
Room 2646--So., Ag Stop 0268, Washington, DC 20250-0268.
Instructions: Written comments responding to this request should be
identified with the document number AMS-NOP-XX-XXXX; NOP-16-06. You
should clearly indicate your position and the reasons supporting your
position. If you are suggesting changes to the draft guidance document,
you should include recommended language changes, as appropriate, along
with any relevant supporting documentation. AMS is specifically
requesting that stakeholders comment and quantify any impacts that the
guidance will have on certified operations. AMS is also requesting
comments from accredited certifying agents on the policy related to the
calculation of multi-ingredient ingredients. How is the industry
currently calculating organic products that use organic ingredients
that contain several ingredients? What are the sound and sensible
approaches currently being used?
USDA intends to make available all comments, including names and
addresses when provided, regardless of submission procedure used, on
www.regulations.gov and at USDA, AMS, NOP, Room 2646--South building,
1400 Independence Ave. SW., Washington, DC, from 9 a.m. to noon and
from 1 to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday (except official Federal
holidays). Persons wanting to visit the USDA South building to view
comments from the public to this notice are requested to make an
appointment by calling (202) 720-3252.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul I. Lewis, Ph.D., Standards
Division Director, National Organic Program (NOP), USDA-AMS-NOP, 1400
Independence Ave. SW., Room 2646--So., Ag Stop 0268, Washington, DC
20250-0268; Telephone: (202) 720-3252; Fax: (202) 260-9151; Email:
NOP.Guidance@ams.usda.gov; or visit the NOP Web site at:
www.ams.usda.gov/nop.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The draft guidance document announced through this notice was
developed to respond to an April 2013 National Organic Standards Board
(NOSB) request that the National Organic Program (NOP) correct and/or
clarify the requirements codified at 7 CFR 205.302(a), calculating the
percentage of organically produced ingredients. Section 205.302(a)(1)
states the method of calculation as ``[d]ividing the total net weight
(excluding water and salt) of combined organic ingredients at
formulation by the total weight (excluding water and salt) of the
finished product.'' Current interpretation of 205.302(a)(1) is to
``[d]ivid[e] the total net weight (excluding water and salt) of
combined organic ingredients at formulation by the total weight
(excluding water and salt) of all ingredients.'' [Emphasis added.]
The NOSB recommendation asked the NOP to: (1) Correct the
regulatory language at Sec. 205.302(a) to clarify that organic
percentages should be calculated by dividing the total net weight
(excluding water and salt) of combined organic ingredients at
formulation by the total net weight (excluding water and salt) of all
ingredients. The NOSB asked that the NOP clarify that the percentage of
organic ingredients in a product should be calculated based on the net
weight of ``all ingredients'' in that product, and not the net weight
of the ``finished product'' because most products lose weight during
processing; (2) Clarify how to calculate the organic percentages of a
multi-ingredient product that contains ingredients that are themselves
composed of more than one ingredient; (3) Clarify when to exclude salt
and water from ingredients; (4) Provide guidance on how to calculate
raw agricultural product and processed single ingredient ingredients;
and to (5) Develop and publish example self-calculating forms on items
related to the organic percentage of each ingredient and the exclusion
of salt and water. This guidance addresses the NOSB recommendation.
The draft guidance is available from AMS on its Web site at https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/organic/draft-guidance. If
finalized, any final guidance would be available in ``The Program
Handbook: Guidance and Instructions for Accredited Certifying Agents
(ACAs) and Certified Operations''. This Handbook provides those who
own, manage, or certify organic operations with guidance and
[[Page 87903]]
instructions that can assist them in complying with the USDA organic
regulations. The current edition of the Program Handbook is available
online at https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/organic/handbook.
II. Significance of Guidance
This draft guidance document is being issued in accordance with the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Bulletin on Agency Good Guidance
Practices (GGPs) (January 25, 2007, 72 FR 3432-3440).
The purpose of GGPs is to ensure that program guidance documents
are developed with adequate public participation, are readily available
to the public, and are not applied as binding requirements. The draft
guidance, when finalized, will represent AMS' current thinking on these
topics. It does not create or confer any rights for, or on, any person
and does not operate to bind AMS or the public. Guidance documents are
intended to provide a uniform method for operations to comply that can
reduce the burden of developing their own methods and simplify audits
and inspections. Alternative approaches that can demonstrate compliance
with the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA), as amended (7 U.S.C.
6501-6522), and its implementing regulations are also acceptable. AMS
strongly encourages industry to discuss alternative approaches with the
NOP before implementing them to avoid unnecessary or wasteful
expenditures of resources and to ensure the proposed alternative
approach complies with the Act and its implementing regulations.
III. Electronic Access
Persons with access to Internet may obtain the draft guidance at
either AMS' Web site at https://www.ams.usda.gov/nop or https://www.regulations.gov. Requests for hard copies of the draft guidance
documents can be obtained by submitting a written request to the person
listed in the ADDRESSES section of this Notice.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 6501-6522.
Dated: November 30, 2016.
Elanor Starmer,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-29173 Filed 12-5-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P
