Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service; Solicitation of Input From Stakeholders Regarding the Initiative for Future Agriculture and Food Systems; Public Meeting

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service;

Solicitation of Input From Stakeholders Regarding the Initiative for

Future Agriculture and Food Systems; Public Meeting

AGENCY: Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service,

USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act

of 1998, creates a new research, education, and extension program

called the Initiative for Future Agriculture and Food Systems (the

Initiative). By this notice, the Cooperative State Research, Education,

and Extension Service (CSREES), acting on behalf of the Secretary of

Agriculture, is soliciting public comment from persons who conduct or

use agricultural research, extension or education regarding the

priorities to be addressed by this new program as required by Section

401(f)(1)(D) of the Act. The Initiative is authorized with mandatory

funds at the level of $120 million per year from fiscal year 1999

through fiscal year

[[Page 34629]]

2003. This funding will support competitive research, education, and

extension grants as well as activities carried out under the

Alternative Agricultural Research and Commercialization Act of 1990.

The Secretary of Agriculture is soliciting public comment regarding

establishing priorities for the research, education, and extension

grant purposes of the Initiative. Statutory purposes of the grant

program are defined as ``critical emerging agricultural issues related

to:

(i) Future food production;

(ii) Environmental quality and natural resource management; or

(iii) Farm income'' which also address ``priority mission areas

related to:

(A) Agricultural genome;

(B) Food safety, food technology, and human nutrition;

(C) New and alternative uses and production of agricultural

commodities and products;

(D) Agricultural biotechnology;

(E) Natural resource management, including precision agriculture;

and

(F) Farm efficiency and profitability, including the viability and

competitiveness of small- and medium-sized dairy, livestock, crop, and

other commodity operations.''

The meeting is open to the public. Written comments and suggestions

on issues that may be considered in the meeting may be submitted to the

CSREES Docket Clerk at the address below.

DATES: The meeting will be held on Thursday, July 9, 1998, from 9:00

a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Jefferson Auditorium, United

States Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW,

Washington, DC 20250.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Persons wishing to orally present

comments at this meeting are requested to pre-register by contacting

Ms. Sarah Poythress at (202) 720-4423, by fax at (202) 720-8987 or by

e-mail to [email protected]. Participants may reserve a 5-minute

comment period when they register. More time may be available,

depending on the number of people wishing to make a presentation and

the time needed for questions, following the presentations.

Reservations will be confirmed on a first-come, first-served basis. All

other attendees may register at the meeting. Written comments may also

be submitted for the record at the meeting or mailed to Ms. Sarah

Poythress, USDA/CSREES, Room 305A, Jamie L. Whitten Federal Building,

1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-2201. Please provide

three copies of the comments. Written comments must be received by

Friday, July 24, 1998, to be considered. All comments and the official

transcript of the meeting, when it becomes available, will be available

for review for six months at the address listed above from 8:30 a.m. to

4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Participants who require a sign language interpreter or other

special accommodations should contact Ms. Poythress as directed above.

Done in Washington, DC, on this 23rd day of June, 1998.

Colien Hefferan,

Acting Administrator, Cooperative State Research, Education, and

Extension Service.

[FR Doc. 98-17109 Filed 6-24-98; 8:45 am]

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