Codex Alimentarius Commission: Meeting of the Codex Committee on Food Labelling, 65312-65313 [2024-17772]

Download as PDF 65312 Notices Federal Register Vol. 89, No. 154 Friday, August 9, 2024 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 Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service [Docket No. APHIS–2021–0049] Notice of Availability of Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for Release of Lophodiplosis indentata for Biological Control of Melaleuca quinquenervia (Myrtaceae) in the Contiguous United States Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice of availability. AGENCY: We are advising the public that we have prepared a final environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact relative to permitting the release of the insect Lophodiplosis indentata for the biological control of Melaleuca quinquenervia (Myrtaceae) in the contiguous United States. Based on our finding of no significant impact, we have determined that an environmental impact statement need not be prepared. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Robert S. Pfannenstiel, Ph.D., Senior Entomologist, Biological Control, Pests, Pathogens and Biocontrol Permitting, Plant Health Programs, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737–1231; (301) 851–2198; email: bob.pfannenstiel@usda.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is issuing permits for the release of the insect, a fly, Lophodiplosis indentata in the contiguous United States for the biological control of Melaleuca quinquenervia (Myrtaceae), hereinafter referred to as melaleuca. Melaleuca, a large tree native to Australia, New Caledonia, and Papua New Guinea, was imported into Florida in the late 19th century. It was planted ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1 SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:21 Aug 08, 2024 Jkt 262001 extensively in Palm Beach, Broward, Collier, and Miami-Dade Counties. Unsuccessful treatment campaigns during the 1970s and 1980s culminated in Federal and State listing of melaleuca as a noxious weed. By the 1990s, melaleuca covered more than 200,000 hectares of wetlands in south Florida. It dramatically disrupted normal water cycles, fire cycles, disturbance recovery cycles, nutrient cycling, light availability, and tree canopy. Permitting the release of the fly, Lophodiplosis indentata, a gall-forming melaleuca specialist that lays eggs on new foliage of the tree, will add to the impact of three previously released biological control agents in reducing severity of melaleuca infestations. When the eggs of L. indentata hatch, the emerging larva bore into leaf tissue, instigating the gall (an abnormal growth) to form around them. These galls distort young foliage and result in reduced sapling height. On December 16, 2021, we published in the Federal Register (86 FR 71417, Docket No. APHIS–2021–0049) a notice 1 in which we announced the availability, for public review and comment, of an environmental assessment (EA) that examined the potential environmental impacts associated with the release of L. indentata in the contiguous United States for the biological control of melaleuca. Comments on the notice were required to be received on or before January 18, 2022. We received five comments on the EA by that date, as noted on page 6 of the final EA. Four comments were in favor of the environmental release of L. indentata, and one comment was neither for nor against it and raised no concerns. In this document, we are advising the public of our finding of no significant impact (FONSI) regarding the field release of the fly, L. indentata, for biological control of melaleuca in the contiguous United States. Our finding, which is based on the EA, reflects our determination that release of L. indentata for the biological control of melaleuca in the contiguous United States will not have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment. Based on this finding, we 1 To view the notice, supporting documents, and the comments we received, go to https:// www.regulations.gov and enter APHIS–2021–0049 in the Search field. PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 have issued a permit for the release of L. indentata for the biological control of melaleuca in the contiguous United States. The final EA and FONSI may be viewed on the Regulations.gov website (see footnote 1). Copies of the final EA and FONSI are also available for public inspection in room 1620 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. Persons wishing to inspect copies are requested to call ahead on (202) 799–7039 to facilitate entry into the reading room. In addition, copies may be obtained by calling or writing to the individual listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. The final EA and FONSI have been prepared in accordance with: (1) The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); (2) regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality for implementing the procedural provisions of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500–1508); (3) USDA regulations implementing NEPA (7 CFR part 1b); and (4) APHIS’ NEPA Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part 372). Done in Washington, DC, this 29th day of July 2024. Michael Watson, Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. [FR Doc. 2024–17674 Filed 8–8–24; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–34–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE U.S. Codex Office Codex Alimentarius Commission: Meeting of the Codex Committee on Food Labelling U.S. Codex Office, USDA. Notice of public meeting and request for comments. AGENCY: ACTION: The U.S. Codex Office is sponsoring a public meeting on October 9, 2024. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft U.S. positions to be discussed at the 48th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Labelling (CCFL48) of the Codex Alimentarius SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\09AUN1.SGM 09AUN1 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 154 / Friday, August 9, 2024 / Notices Commission (CAC). CCFL48 will be held in Quebec City, Canada, from October 27–November 1, 2024. The U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius and the Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 48th Session of the CCFL and to address items on the agenda. DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for October 9, 2024, from 1–4 p.m. ET. ADDRESSES: The public meeting will take place via Video Teleconference only. Documents related to the 48th Session of the CCFL will be accessible via the internet at the following address: https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codex alimentarius/meetings/detail/en/ ?meeting=CCFL&session=48. Dr. Douglas Balentine, U.S. Delegate to the 48th Session of the CCFL, invites interested U.S. parties to submit their comments electronically to the following email address: douglas.balentine@fda.hhs.gov. Registration: Attendees may register to attend the public meeting here: https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/ register/vJItdeGspz4sGTffT2fy17VYU0 VHQWyD2eg. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. For further information about the 48th Session of the CCFL, contact U.S. Delegate, Dr. Douglas Balentine, Senior Science Advisor, International Nutrition Policy, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 5001 Campus Drive (HFS–830), College Park, MD 20740; phone: +1 (240) 672–7292; email: douglas.balentine@fda.hhs.gov. For further information about the public meeting, contact the U.S. Codex Office by email at: uscodex@usda.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1 Background The Codex Alimentarius Commission was established in 1963 by two United Nations organizations, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Through adoption of food standards, codes of practice, and other guidelines developed by its committees, and by promoting their adoption and implementation by governments, Codex seeks to protect the health of consumers and ensure fair practices in the food trade. The Terms of Reference of the Codex Committee on Food Labelling (CCFL) are: (a) to draft provisions on labeling applicable to all foods; VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:21 Aug 08, 2024 Jkt 262001 (b) to consider, amend if necessary, and endorse draft specific provisions on labeling prepared by the Codex Committees drafting standards, codes of practice and guidelines; (c) to study specific labeling problems assigned to it by the Commission; and (d) to study problems associated with the advertisement of food with particular reference to claims and misleading descriptions. The CCFL is hosted by Canada. The United States attends the CCFL as a member country of Codex. Issues To Be Discussed at the Public Meeting The following items from the agenda for the 48th Session of the CCFL will be discussed during the public meeting: • Matters referred to the Committee by the Codex Alimentarius Commission and/or its subsidiary bodies • Matters of interest from FAO and WHO • Consideration of labeling provisions in draft Codex Standards (endorsement) • Food allergen labeling • Revision to the General Standard for the Labelling of Pre-packaged Foods (CXS 1–1985): Provisions relevant to allergen labeling • Guidelines on the use of precautionary allergen labeling • Guidelines on the provision of food information for pre-packaged foods to be offered via e-commerce • Guidelines on the use of technology to provide food information in food labeling • Amendments to the General Standard for the Labelling of Pre-packaged Foods (CXS 1–1985): Provisions relevant to joint presentation and multipack formats • Discussion Papers on the following: Æ Labeling of alcoholic beverages Æ Application of food labeling provisions in emergencies Æ Trans fatty acids (TFAs) Æ Sustainability labeling claims Æ Sugar Labeling—definition for ‘‘added sugars’’ • Future work and emerging issues • Approach and criteria for evaluation and prioritization of the work of CCFL • Other business Public Meeting At the October 9, 2024, public meeting, draft U.S. positions on the agenda items will be described and discussed, and attendees will have the opportunity to pose questions and offer comments. Written comments may be offered at the meeting or sent to Dr. PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 9990 65313 Douglas Balentine, U.S. Delegate to the 48th Session of the CCFL, at douglas.balentine@fda.hhs.gov. Written comments should state that they relate to activities of the 48th Session of the CCFL. Additional Public Notification Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy development is important. Consequently, the U.S. Codex Office will announce this Federal Register publication on-line through the USDA Codex web page located at: https://www.usda.gov/codex, a link that also offers an email subscription service providing access to information related to Codex. Customers can add or delete their subscriptions themselves and have the option to password protect their accounts. USDA Non-Discrimination Statement No agency, officer, or employee of the USDA shall, on the grounds of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/ parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, or political beliefs, exclude from participation in, deny the benefits of, or subject to discrimination any person in the United States under any program or activity conducted by the USDA. How To File a Complaint of Discrimination To file a complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, which may be accessed online at https:// www.usda.gov/oascr/filing-programdiscrimination-complaint-usdacustomer, or write a letter signed by you or your authorized representative. Send your completed complaint form or letter to USDA by mail, fax, or email. Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250–9410; Fax: (202) 690–7442; Email: program.intake@usda.gov. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice and TDD). Done at Washington, DC, on August 6, 2024. Julie A. Chao, Deputy U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius. [FR Doc. 2024–17772 Filed 8–8–24; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3420–3F–P E:\FR\FM\09AUN1.SGM 09AUN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 154 (Friday, August 9, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65312-65313]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-17772]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

U.S. Codex Office


Codex Alimentarius Commission: Meeting of the Codex Committee on 
Food Labelling

AGENCY: U.S. Codex Office, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting and request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: The U.S. Codex Office is sponsoring a public meeting on 
October 9, 2024. The objective of the public meeting is to provide 
information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft U.S. 
positions to be discussed at the 48th Session of the Codex Committee on 
Food Labelling (CCFL48) of the Codex Alimentarius

[[Page 65313]]

Commission (CAC). CCFL48 will be held in Quebec City, Canada, from 
October 27-November 1, 2024. The U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius 
and the Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs 
recognize the importance of providing interested parties the 
opportunity to obtain background information on the 48th Session of the 
CCFL and to address items on the agenda.

DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for October 9, 2024, from 1-4 
p.m. ET.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will take place via Video Teleconference 
only. Documents related to the 48th Session of the CCFL will be 
accessible via the internet at the following address: https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/meetings/detail/en/?meeting=CCFL&session=48.
    Dr. Douglas Balentine, U.S. Delegate to the 48th Session of the 
CCFL, invites interested U.S. parties to submit their comments 
electronically to the following email address: 
[email protected].
    Registration: Attendees may register to attend the public meeting 
here: https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJItdeGspz4sGTffT2fy17VYU0VHQWyD2eg. After registering, you will 
receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the 
meeting.
    For further information about the 48th Session of the CCFL, contact 
U.S. Delegate, Dr. Douglas Balentine, Senior Science Advisor, 
International Nutrition Policy, Center for Food Safety and Applied 
Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 5001 Campus Drive (HFS-
830), College Park, MD 20740; phone: +1 (240) 672-7292; email: 
[email protected]. For further information about the public 
meeting, contact the U.S. Codex Office by email at: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Codex Alimentarius Commission was established in 1963 by two 
United Nations organizations, the Food and Agriculture Organization 
(FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Through adoption of food 
standards, codes of practice, and other guidelines developed by its 
committees, and by promoting their adoption and implementation by 
governments, Codex seeks to protect the health of consumers and ensure 
fair practices in the food trade.
    The Terms of Reference of the Codex Committee on Food Labelling 
(CCFL) are:
    (a) to draft provisions on labeling applicable to all foods;
    (b) to consider, amend if necessary, and endorse draft specific 
provisions on labeling prepared by the Codex Committees drafting 
standards, codes of practice and guidelines;
    (c) to study specific labeling problems assigned to it by the 
Commission; and
    (d) to study problems associated with the advertisement of food 
with particular reference to claims and misleading descriptions.
    The CCFL is hosted by Canada. The United States attends the CCFL as 
a member country of Codex.

Issues To Be Discussed at the Public Meeting

    The following items from the agenda for the 48th Session of the 
CCFL will be discussed during the public meeting:

 Matters referred to the Committee by the Codex Alimentarius 
Commission and/or its subsidiary bodies
 Matters of interest from FAO and WHO
 Consideration of labeling provisions in draft Codex Standards 
(endorsement)
 Food allergen labeling
 Revision to the General Standard for the Labelling of Pre-
packaged Foods (CXS 1-1985): Provisions relevant to allergen labeling
 Guidelines on the use of precautionary allergen labeling
 Guidelines on the provision of food information for pre-
packaged foods to be offered via e-commerce
 Guidelines on the use of technology to provide food 
information in food labeling
 Amendments to the General Standard for the Labelling of Pre-
packaged Foods (CXS 1-1985): Provisions relevant to joint presentation 
and multipack formats
 Discussion Papers on the following:
    [cir] Labeling of alcoholic beverages
    [cir] Application of food labeling provisions in emergencies
    [cir] Trans fatty acids (TFAs)
    [cir] Sustainability labeling claims
    [cir] Sugar Labeling--definition for ``added sugars''
 Future work and emerging issues
 Approach and criteria for evaluation and prioritization of the 
work of CCFL
 Other business

Public Meeting

    At the October 9, 2024, public meeting, draft U.S. positions on the 
agenda items will be described and discussed, and attendees will have 
the opportunity to pose questions and offer comments. Written comments 
may be offered at the meeting or sent to Dr. Douglas Balentine, U.S. 
Delegate to the 48th Session of the CCFL, at 
[email protected]. Written comments should state that they 
relate to activities of the 48th Session of the CCFL.

Additional Public Notification

    Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy 
development is important. Consequently, the U.S. Codex Office will 
announce this Federal Register publication on-line through the USDA 
Codex web page located at: https://www.usda.gov/codex, a link that also 
offers an email subscription service providing access to information 
related to Codex. Customers can add or delete their subscriptions 
themselves and have the option to password protect their accounts.

USDA Non-Discrimination Statement

    No agency, officer, or employee of the USDA shall, on the grounds 
of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual 
orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, 
income derived from a public assistance program, or political beliefs, 
exclude from participation in, deny the benefits of, or subject to 
discrimination any person in the United States under any program or 
activity conducted by the USDA.

How To File a Complaint of Discrimination

    To file a complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program 
Discrimination Complaint Form, which may be accessed online at https://www.usda.gov/oascr/filing-program-discrimination-complaint-usda-customer, or write a letter signed by you or your authorized 
representative. Send your completed complaint form or letter to USDA by 
mail, fax, or email. Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, 
Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 
20250-9410; Fax: (202) 690-7442; Email: [email protected]. 
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for 
communication (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact 
USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

    Done at Washington, DC, on August 6, 2024.
Julie A. Chao,
Deputy U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.
[FR Doc. 2024-17772 Filed 8-8-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3420-3F-P
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