98-31185. Notice of a Teleconference Meeting of the National Organic Standards Board

[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 224 (Friday, November 20, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 64451]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-31185]


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Notices
                                                Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 224 / Friday, November 20, 1998 / 
Notices

[[Page 64451]]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service
[TM-98-00-8]


Notice of a Teleconference Meeting of the National Organic 
Standards Board

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as 
amended, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announces a 
forthcoming Teleconference meeting of the National Organic Standards 
Board (NOSB).

DATES: December 7, 1998, at 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard 
Time (EST). You must register in advance if you want to be present on 
the teleconference call, no later than 12:00 p.m. EST November 30, 
1998. Comments to be considered by the NOSB prior to the 
teleconference, should be received by November 30, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith Jones, Program Manager, Room 
2945 South Building, U.S. Department of Agriculture, AMS, 
Transportation and Marketing, National Organic Program, P.O. Box 96456, 
Washington, DC 20090-6456; telephone [phone]; Fax (202) 205-
7808; or by e-mail: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 2119 (7 U.S.C. 6518) of the Organic 
Foods Production Act of 1990 (OFPA), as amended (7 U.S.C. 6501 et 
seq.), requires the establishment of the NOSB. The purpose of the NOSB 
is to assist in the development of standards for substances to be used 
in organic production and to advise the Secretary on any other aspects 
of the implementation of the OFPA. The NOSB met for the first time in 
Washington, DC, in March 1992 and currently has six committees working 
on various aspects of the program. The committees are: Crops Standards; 
Processing, Labeling and Packaging; Livestock Standards; Accreditation; 
Materials; and International Issues. In August 1994, the NOSB provided 
its initial recommendations for the National Organic Program (NOP) to 
the Secretary of Agriculture and since that time has submitted 30 
addenda to its recommendations, and reviewed more than 170 substances 
for inclusion on the National List of Allowed and Prohibited 
Substances. The last meeting of the NOSB was held in July 1998, in 
Washington, DC. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) published its 
proposed rule in the Federal Register on December 16, 1997 (62 FR 
65849). An extension of the comment period on the proposed rule was 
published in the Federal Register on February 9, 1998 (63 FR 6498). The 
comment period was extended until April 30, 1998. The USDA published 
for public comment three issue papers in the Federal Register (63 FR 
57624) on October 28, 1998. The papers addressed certain issues raised 
during the National Organic Program's proposed rule comment period. The 
issue papers are: Issue paper 1. Livestock Confinement in Organic 
Production Systems; Issue Paper 2. The Use of Antibiotics and 
Parasiticides in Organic Livestock Production; and Paper 3. Termination 
of Certification by Private Certifiers. Comments received on these 
papers will be considered during the development of a revised National 
Organic Program proposed rule.

Purpose and Agenda

    The NOSB will conduct a public meeting by teleconference on Friday, 
December 7, 1998, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. EST inclusive. After the 
teleconference, the NOSB will make its final recommendations to the 
Secretary of Agriculture on the above described issue papers.

Type of Meeting

    The teleconference meeting will be open to the public. If you wish 
to be present on the teleconference call you must register in advance 
to receive the dial-in number (teleconference lines are limited and are 
available on a first come, first served basis). Please contact Karen 
Thomas at: [phone] or fax: [phone] with your name, 
company name, and telephone number, no later than 12:00 p.m. EST 
November 30, 1998, if you want to be present on the teleconference 
call. Opportunities for oral comment will be given at the beginning of 
the call and will be limited to no more than two minutes per speaker 
and no more than 20 minutes total for the public comment period. Public 
statements presented at the teleconference meeting should not repeat 
prior oral or written statements made to USDA by a commenter on the 
Issue Papers.
    In its October 28, 1998 Federal Register Notice, USDA established 
December 14, 1998 as the last date for submission of comments on the 
Issue Papers. Persons, however, who want the NOSB to consider their 
comments prior to the teleconference, should submit them to USDA by 
November 30, 1998 (address above) and indicate that they are being 
submitted for the December 7, 1998 NOSB teleconference. All comments on 
the issue papers received by USDA by December 14, 1998, will be 
considered by it.
    Copies of the meeting agenda can be obtained from Karen Y. Thomas 
at [phone] or at the above fax number and copies of the issue 
papers that will be discussed can be obtained from Keith Jones using 
the contact information listed at the beginning of this notice. Minutes 
of the meeting will be available through Keith Jones. All of this 
information is also available through the NOP web page at: 
www.ams.usda.gov/nop.

    Dated: November 16, 1998.
Eileen S. Stommes,
Deputy Administrator, Transportation and Marketing.
[FR Doc. 98-31185 Filed 11-19-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P