2015-30450. Notice of the Specialty Crop Committee's Stakeholder Listening Session

AGENCY:

Research, Education, and Economics, USDA.

ACTION:

Notice of stakeholder listening session.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App 2, and the Specialty Crop Competitiveness Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-465), the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announces a stakeholder listening session of the Specialty Crop Committee, a subcommittee of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board.

DATES:

December 10, 2015 starting at 9:00 a.m. EST.

ADDRESSES:

Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market Expo and Michigan Greenhouse Growers EXPO, DeVos Place Conference Center, River Overlook Room A-B, DeVos Place Convention Center, 303 Monroe Ave. NW., Grand Rapids, Michigan, 49503.

The public may file written comments by December 21, 2015, to: The National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board Office, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 332-A, Jamie L. Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC, 20250-2255 or [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Michele Esch, Executive Director, National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board; telephone: [phone]; fax: [phone]; or email: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Specialty Crop Committee was established in accordance with the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 under Title III, Section 303 of Public Law 108-465. This Committee is a permanent subcommittee of the National Agricultural Research Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board (the Board). The Committee's charge is to study the scope and effectiveness of research, extension, and economics programs affecting the specialty crop industry. The congressional legislation defines “specialty crops” as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits and nursery crops (including floriculture).

In order to carry out its responsibilities effectively, the Committee is holding a stakeholder listening session. The listening session will elicit stakeholder input from industry and state representatives, national organizations and institutions, local producers, and other groups interested in the issues with which the Specialty Crop Committee is charged. This session will be an opportunity to share ideas on the specialty crop industry with members of USDA's Specialty Crop Committee, including: measures designed to improve the efficiency, productivity, and profitability of specialty crop production in the United States; measures designed to improve competitiveness through research, extension, and economics programs affecting the specialty crop industry; and programs that would: enhance quality and shelf-life, development of new crop protection tools, preventing foreign invasive pests and diseases, developing new and improved marketing tools, and enhancing food safety, improvement of mechanization of production practices, and enhancing irrigation techniques. Input received will help formulate recommendations from the Specialty Crop Committee to USDA.

Written comments by attendees and other interested stakeholders will be welcomed as additional public input by December 21, 2015. All verbal and written statements will become part of the official public record of the REE Advisory Board Office.

Done at Washington, DC, this 24th day of November 2015.

Catherine E. Woteki,

Under Secretary, Research, Education, and Economics, Chief Scientist, USDA.