Notice of Meeting of the National Organic Standards Board

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[TM-98-00-6]

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: October 27, 1998, at 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.; October 28, 1998,

from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; and October 29, 1998, from 9:00 a.m. to

5:00 p.m.

PLACE: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.,

Room 3501 South Building, Washington, D.C. 20250. Phone: (202) 690-

3655.

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, D.C. 20090-6456. Phone (202)720-3252.

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 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 OFPA. The 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, 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 the 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-

6499). The comment period was extended until April 30, 1998.

Purpose and Agenda

The principal purpose of this meeting is to provide an opportunity

for the NOSB and the Agency to discuss issues raised during the comment

period on the proposed rule, as well options under consideration

concerning those issues. The Board will also receive committee reports

from its standing and ad hoc committees. A detailed agenda for this

meeting will be available on October 19, 1998. Copies of the final

agenda can be requested from Ms. Karen Thomas, Room 2510, South

Building, U.S. Department of Agriculture, AMS, Transportation and

Marketing, National Organic Program, P.O. Box 96456, Washington, D.C.

20090-6456, by phone at (202) 690-3655 or by accessing the NOP website

at http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop.

Type of Meeting

All meetings will be open to the public. The NOSB has scheduled

time for public input on October 27, 1998, from 8:00 a.m. until 10:00

a.m. and on October 29, 1998 from 1:30 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. Individuals

and organizations wishing to make an oral presentation at the meeting

should forward the request to Ms. Thomas at the above address or by FAX

to (202) 205-7808 by October 16, 1998. 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

the NOSB to 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 to provide their comments in writing, if possible. Written

submissions may supplement the oral presentation with additional

material. Attendees who do not wish to make an oral presentation are

invited to submit written comments to the NOSB at the meeting. All

persons submitting written comments should provide 20 copies.

Dated: October 8, 1998.

Eileen S. Stommes,

Deputy Administrator, Transportation and Marketing.

[FR Doc. 98-27580 Filed 10-8-98; 4:40 pm]

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