2023-28143. Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Advisory Committee Meeting

AGENCY:

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Department of Agriculture (USDA).

ACTION:

Notice of public and virtual meeting.

SUMMARY:

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will hold a public meeting of the Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Advisory Committee (UAIPAC). UAIPAC will convene to discuss proposed recommendations for the Secretary of Agriculture on the development of policies and outreach relating to urban, indoor, and other emerging agriculture production practices. UAIPAC is authorized under the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) and operates in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended.

DATES:

Written Comments: Written comments will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, February 14, 2023.

Meeting: The UAIPAC meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 31, 2024, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).

ADDRESSES:

Meeting Location: The meeting will be held virtually via Zoom webinar. Pre-registration is required to attend the UAIPAC meeting and access informaton will be provided to registered individuals via email. Registration details can be found at: https://www.usda.gov/​partnerships/​federal-advisory-committee-urban-ag.

Written Comments: We invite you to send comments in response to this notice. Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRCS–2023–0021. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. All written comments received will be publicly available on www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Brian Guse; Designated Federal Officer; telephone: [phone]; email: [e-mail].

Individuals who require alternative means for communication may contact the USDA TARGET Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice and text telephone (TTY)) or dial 711 for Telecommunications Relay service (both voice and text telephone users can initiate this call from any telephone).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

UAIPAC Purpose

The Federal Advisory Committee for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production is one of several ways that USDA is extending support and building frameworks to support urban agriculture, including issues of equity and food and nutrition access. Section 222 of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994, as amended by section 12302 of the 2018 Farm Bill (7 U.S.C. 6923; Pub. L. 115–334) directed the Secretary to establish an “Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Advisory Committee” to advise the Secretary of Agriculture on any aspect of section 222, including the development of policies and outreach relating to urban, indoor, and other emerging agricultural production practices as well as identify any barriers to urban agriculture. UAIPAC will host public meetings to deliberate on recommendations for the Secretary of Agriculture. These recommendations provide advice to the Secretary on supporting urban agriculture and innovative production through USDA's programs and services.

Meeting Agenda

The agenda items may include, but are not limited to, welcome and introductions; administrative matters; presentations from the UAIPAC or USDA staff; and deliberations for proposed recommendations and plans. The USDA UAIPAC website ( https://www.usda.gov/​partnerships/​federal-advisory-committee-urban-ag) will be updated with the final agenda at least 24 hours prior to the meeting.

Written Comments

Comments should address specific topics pertaining to urban agriculture and innovative production. Written comments will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, February 14, 2024. General questions and comments are also accepted at any time via email: [e-mail].

Meeting Materials

All written comments received by Wednesday, February 14, 2024, will be compiled for UAIPAC review and will be included in the meeting minutes. Duplicate comments from multiple individuals will appear as one comment, with a notation that multiple copies of the comment were received. Please visit https://www.usda.gov/​partnerships/​federal-advisory-committee-urban-ag to view the agenda and minutes from the meeting.

Meeting Accomodations

If you require reasonable accommodation, please make requests in advance for sign language interpretation, assistive listening devices, or other reasonable accommodation, to the person listed under the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section. Determinations for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

USDA Non-Discrimination Policy

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family or parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

Individuals who require alternative means of communication for program information (for example, braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or the USDA TARGET Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice and text telephone (TTY)) or dial 711 for Telecommunicaions Relay Service (both voice and text telephone users can initiate this call from any phone). Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

Equal opportunity practices in accordance with USDA's policies will be followed in all appointments to the FACA Committee: UAIPAC. To ensure that the recommendations of UAIPAC have taken in account the needs of the diverse groups served by USDA, membership will include to the extent possible, individuals with demonstrated ability to represent minorities, women and person with disabilities. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD–3027, found online at https://www.usda.gov/​oascr/​how-to-file-a-program-discrimination-complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632–9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail to: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250–9410; (2) fax: [phone]; or (3) email: [e-mail] is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Dated: December 18, 2023.

Cikena Reid,

Committee Management Officer, USDA.