98-18540. Notice of Meeting of the National Organic Standards Board

[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 132 (Friday, July 10, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 37314]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-18540]


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Notices
                                                Federal Register
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or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 132 / Friday, July 10, 1998 / 
Notices

[[Page 37314]]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service
[TM-98-00-5]


Notice of 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 meeting of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB).

DATES: July 21, 1998, at 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.; July 22, 1998, from 
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; and July 23, 1998, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 
for the NOSB.

PLACE: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., 
Jefferson Auditorium (July 21, 1998) and Room 3501 South Building (July 
22-23, 1998), Washington, D.C. 20250. Phone: [phone].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith Jones, Program Manager, Room 
2510 South Building, U.S. Department of Agriculture, AMS, 
Transportation and Marketing, National Organic Program Staff, P.O. Box 
96456, Washington, D.C. 20090-6456. Phone [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 2119 (7 U.S.C. 6518) of the Organic 
Foods Production Act of 1990 (OFPA), as amended (7 U.S.C. Section 6501 
et seq.) requires the establishment of NOSB. The purpose of 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 OFPA. NOSB met for the first time in Washington, 
D.C., 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, 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 the recommendations and reviewed more than 170 substances for 
inclusion on the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances. 
The last meeting of NOSB was held in March 1998, in Ontario, 
California. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) published its proposed 
rule for NOP in the Federal Register (62 FR 65849) on December 16, 
1997. An extension of the comment period on the proposed rule was 
published in the Federal Register (63 FR 6498-6499) on February 9, 
1998. The comment period was extended until April 30, 1998.

PURPOSE AND AGENDA: The main purposes of this meeting are to review 
committee reports; continue dialog on unresolved issues from the March 
1998 meeting, including fees, peer review panels, treated seeds, and 
aquaculture; elect new officers; appoint committee chairpersons; and 
plan future activities of the Board.
    A final agenda for this meeting will be available on July 7, 1998. 
Persons requesting copies of the final agenda should contact Karen 
Thomas at the above address or phone [phone].

TYPE OF MEETING: All meetings will be open to the public. NOSB has 
scheduled time for public input on July 21, 1998, beginning at 1:30 
p.m. and continuing until 5:00 p.m. Individuals and organizations 
wishing to make an oral presentation at the meeting on any organic 
issue should forward the request to Ms. Thomas at the above address or 
by FAX to [phone] by July 15, 1998, in order to be scheduled. 
While persons wishing to make a presentation may sign up at the door, 
advance registration will ensure an opportunity to speak during the 
allotted time period and will help NOSB better manage the meeting and 
accomplish its agenda. Individuals or organizations will be given 
approximately 5 minutes to orally present their views. All persons 
making an oral presentation are requested also to provide their 
comments in writing, if possible. Written submissions may of course 
expand on or supplement the oral presentation with additional material. 
Attendees who do not wish to make an oral presentation are invited to 
submit written comments to NOSB at the meeting. All persons submitting 
written comments should provide 20 copies to NOSB.


    Dated: July 7, 1998.
Eileen S. Stommes,
Deputy Administrator, Transportation and Marketing.
[FR Doc. 98-18540 Filed 7-8-98; 11:55 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P