[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 15 (Monday, January 24, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 3651]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-1662]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. 00-002N]


Codex Alimentarius: 4th Session of the Codex Committee on Milk 
and Milk Products

AGENCY:  Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION:  Notice of public meeting, request for comments.

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SUMMARY:  The Agricultural Marketing Service and the Food Safety and 
Inspection Service (FSIS), U.S. Department of Agriculture; and the Food 
and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 
are sponsoring a public meeting on February 15, 2000, to provide 
information and receive public comments on agenda items that will be 
discussed at the 4th Session of the Codex Committee on Milk and Milk 
Products, which will be held in Wellington, New Zealand, on February 
28-March 3, 2000.

DATES:  The public meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 15, 2000, 
from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.

ADDRESSES:  The public meeting will be held in Room 0745, South 
Agriculture Building, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 14th Street and 
Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250. To receive copies of the 
documents referenced in the notice contact the FSIS Docket Clerk, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Room 
102, Cotton Annex, 300 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20250-3700. The 
documents will also be accessible via the World Wide Web at the 
following address: http://www.fao.org/waicent/faoinfo/economic/esn/codex/ccmmp4/MM00 01E.htm. When submitting comments, send an original 
and two copies to the FSIS Docket Clerk and reference the Docket # 00-
002N and the appropriate document number. All comments submitted will 
be available for public inspection in the Docket Clerk's Office between 
8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Patrick J. Clerkin, Associate U.S. 
Manager for Codex, FSIS, Room 4861, South Agriculture Building, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-3700, telephone (202) 
205-7760; Fax (202) 720-3157. Persons requiring a sign language 
interpreter or other special accommodations should notify Patrick J. 
Clerkin, telephone (202) 205-7760; Fax (202) 720-3157.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex) was established in 1962 
by two United Nations organizations, the Food and Agriculture 
Organization and the World Health Organization. Codex is the major 
international organization for encouraging fair international trade in 
food and protecting the health and economic interests of consumers. 
Through adoption of food standards, codes of practice and other 
guidelines developed by its committees, and by promoting their adoption 
and implementation by governments, Codex seeks to ensure that the 
world's food supply is sound, wholesome, free from adulteration, and 
correctly labeled.
    The Codex Committee on Milk and Milk Products was established to 
elaborate codes and standards for Milk and Milk Products. The 
Government of New Zealand hosts this committee and will chair the 
committee meeting.

Issues to be Discussed at the Public Meeting

    The following specific issues will be discussed during the public 
meeting:
    1. Matters referred by the Codex Alimentarius Commission and other 
Codex committees.
    2. Draft Standard for Unripened Cheeses including Fresh Cheese at 
Step 7.
    3. Review of the Proposed Draft and Draft Revised Standards: Cream; 
Fermented Milk Products; Dairy Spreads; Processed Cheese; Individual 
Cheeses; Whey Powders; and Edible Casein Products; at Step 4.
    4. Heat Treatment Definitions.
    5. Model Export Certificate for Milk Products.
    6. Review of Proposals for New Standards for ``Parmesan'' and 
``Cheese Speciality''.
    Each issue listed will be fully described in documents distributed, 
or to be distributed, by the New Zealand Secretariat to the Meeting. 
Members of the public may access or request copies of these documents 
(see ADDRESSES).

Additional Public Notification

    Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy 
development are important. Consequently, in an effort to better ensure 
that minorities, women, and persons with disabilities are aware of this 
public meeting, FSIS will announce it and provide copies of this 
Federal Register publication in the FSIS Constituent Update. FSIS 
provides a weekly FSIS Constituent Update, which is communicated via 
fax to over 300 organizations and individuals. In addition, the update 
is available on line through the FSIS web page located at http://www.fsis.usda.gov. The update is used to provide information regarding 
FSIS policies, procedures, regulations, Federal Register notices, FSIS 
public meetings, recalls, and any other types of information that could 
affect or would be of interest to our constituents/stakeholders. The 
constituent fax list consists of industry, trade, and farm groups, 
consumer interest groups, allied health professionals, scientific 
professionals, and other individuals that have requested to be 
included. Through these various channels, FSIS is able to provide 
information to a much broader, more diverse audience. For more 
information and to be added to the constituent fax list, fax your 
request to the Congressional and Public Affairs Office, at (202) 720-
5704.

    Done at Washington, DC on: January 19, 2000.
F. Edward Scarbrough,
U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.
[FR Doc. 00-1662 Filed 1-21-00; 8:45 am]
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