Meeting of the National Organic Standards Board, 54343 [2020-17365]

Agencies

• Agricultural Marketing Service
• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 170 (Tuesday, September 1, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 54343]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-17365]


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Notices
                                                Federal Register
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 170 / Tuesday, September 1, 2020 / 
Notices

[[Page 54343]]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Document Number AMS-NOP-20-0041-NOP-20-04]


Meeting of the National Organic Standards Board

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, Agriculture (USDA).

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as 
amended, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), U.S. Department of 
Agriculture (USDA), is announcing a meeting of the National Organic 
Standards Board (NOSB). The NOSB assists the USDA in the development of 
standards for substances to be used in organic production and advises 
the Secretary of Agriculture on any other aspects of the implementation 
of the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA).

DATES: The NOSB will meet via webinars (virtually) on three days, 
October 28-October 30, 2020, from 12 p.m. to approximately 5:00 p.m. 
Eastern Time (ET) each day. The Board will hear oral public comments 
prior to the meeting via webinars on Tuesday, October 20, 2020, and 
Thursday, October 22, 2020, from 12 p.m. to approximately 5 p.m. ET. 
The NOSB will also host an expert panel on sanitizers via webinar in 
November; the date and time will be announced on the AMS website. The 
deadline to submit written comments and/or sign up for oral comment is 
11:59 p.m. ET, October 1, 2020.

ADDRESSES: All webinars for the public comment sessions, the meeting 
itself, and the subsequent expert panel can be accessed via the 
internet and/or phone. Access information will be available on the AMS 
website prior to each event. Detailed information can be found at 
https://www.ams.usda.gov/event/national-organic-standards-board-nosb-meeting-cedar-rapids-iowa.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Michelle Arsenault, Advisory 
Committee Specialist, National Organic Standards Board, USDA-AMS-NOP, 
1400 Independence Ave. SW, Room 2642-S, Mail Stop 0268, Washington, DC 
20250-0268; Phone: (202) 720-3252; Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NOSB makes recommendations to the USDA 
about whether substances should be allowed or prohibited in organic 
production and/or handling, assists in the development of standards for 
organic production, and advises the Secretary on other aspects of the 
implementation of the OFPA. The NOSB is holding a public meeting to 
discuss and vote on proposed recommendations to the USDA, to receive 
updates from the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) on issues 
pertaining to organic agriculture, and to receive comments from the 
organic community. The meeting is open to the public. All meeting 
documents and instructions for participating will be available on the 
AMS website at https://www.ams.usda.gov/event/national-organic-standards-board-nosb-meeting-cedar-rapids-iowa. Please check the 
website periodically for updates, including the date and time for the 
expert panel on sanitizers. Meeting topics will encompass a wide range 
of issues, including substances petitioned for addition to or removal 
from the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National 
List), substances on the National List that are under sunset review, 
and guidance on organic policies.
    Public Comments: Comments should address specific topics noted on 
the meeting agenda.
    Written Comments: Written public comments will be accepted on or 
before 11:59 p.m. ET on October 1, 2020, via https://www.regulations.gov: Docket #AMS-NOP-20-0041.Comments submitted after 
this date will be provided to the NOSB, but Board members may not have 
adequate time to consider those comments prior to making 
recommendations. The NOP strongly prefers comments be submitted 
electronically. However, written comments may also be submitted (i.e. 
postmarked) via mail to the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT by or before the deadline.
    Oral Comments: The NOSB will hear oral comments on Tuesday, October 
20, 2020, and Thursday, October 22, 2020, from 12:00 p.m. to 
approximately 5 p.m. Eastern Time (ET). Each commenter wishing to 
address the Board must pre-register by 11:59 p.m. ET on October 1, 
2020, and can register for only one speaking slot. Instructions for 
registering and participating in the webinars can be found at 
www.ams.usda.gov/NOSBMeetings.
    Meeting Accommodations: If you are a person requiring reasonable 
accommodation, please make requests in advance for sign language 
interpretation, assistive listening devices, or other reasonable 
accommodation to the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT. Determinations for reasonable accommodation will be made on a 
case-by-case basis.

Bruce Summers,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-17365 Filed 8-31-20; 8:45 am]
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