§ 37.1 - Definitions.

Words used in this part in the singular form shall be deemed to impart the plural, and vice versa, as the case may demand. For the purposes of such regulations, unless the context otherwise requires, the following terms shall be construed, respectively, to mean:

Assessment services. The services provided by the Meat Grading and Certification Branch in accordance with the regulations that may result in assessment of an organic certification program that certifies agricultural commodities to established specifications or standards.

Act. The Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (Title II of the act of Congress approved August 14, 1946, 60 Stat. 1087, as amended by Pub. L. 272, 84th Cong., 69 Stat. 553, 7 U.S.C. 1621-1627).

Agricultural commodity. Any agricultural commodity or product, raw or processed, that is used for human or animal consumption or use.

Agricultural Marketing Service. The Agricultural Marketing Service of the Department.

Applicant. Any person who applies for service under the regulations.

Audit. A systematic review of the adequacy of program or system documentation, or the review of the completeness of implementation of a documented program or system.

Auditor. Person authorized by the Branch to conduct official assessments of agricultural commodity product certification programs.

Branch. The Meat Grading and Certification Branch.

Branch Chief. The Chief of the Branch, or any officer or employee of the Meat Grading and Certification Branch, Livestock and Seed Program, Agricultural Marketing Service, to whom authority has heretofore been delegated, or to whom authority may hereafter be delegated, to act in his or her stead.

Department. The United States Department of Agriculture.

Deputy Administrator. The Deputy Administrator of the Livestock and Seed Program of the Agricultural Marketing Service or any officer or employee of the Livestock and Seed Program to whom authority has heretofore been delegated, or to whom authority may hereafter be delegated to act in his or her stead.

Legal holiday. Those days designated as legal public holidays in Title 5, United States Code, Section 6103(a).

Livestock and Seed Program. The Livestock and Seed Program of the Agricultural Marketing Service.

Part. The program to assess organic certifying agencies in the regulations.

Person. Any individual, partnership, corporation, or other legal entity, or Government agency.

Quality Manual. A manual documenting an organic certifying agency's quality system and associated quality certification procedures used to certify organic producers and handlers of organically produced agricultural commodities in accordance with established specifications or standards.

Regulations. The regulations in this part.