57918 Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 190 / Monday, October 2, 2006 / Notices 

the procedural rights of a Federal 

employee who has been accused of 

discrimination 

Additional Information 

For further information regarding the 

No FEAR Act regulations, refer to 5 CFR 

part 724, as well as the appropriate 

offices within your agency (e.g., EEO 

office, human resources office or legal 

office). Additional information 

regarding Federal antidiscrimination, 

whistleblower protection and retaliation 

laws can be found at the EEOC Web 

site—http://www.eeoc.gov and the OSC 

Web site—http://www.osc.gov. 

Existing Rights Unchanged 

Pursuant to section 205 of the No 

FEAR Act, neither the Act nor this 

notice creates, expands or reduces any 

rights otherwise available to any 

employee, former employee or applicant 

under the laws of the United States, 

including the provisions of law 

specified in 5 U.S.C. 2302(d). 

Dated: September 27, 2006. 

Carolyn Hum, 

Administrative Officer. 

[FR Doc. E6–16186 Filed 9–29–06; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8040–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Submission for OMB Review; 

Comment Request 

September 26, 2006. 

The Department of Agriculture has 

submitted the following information 

collection requirement(s) to OMB for 

review and clearance under the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 

Public Law 104–13. Comments 

regarding (a) whether the collection of 

information is necessary for the proper 

performance of the functions of the 

agency, including whether the 

information will have practical utility; 

(b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate 

of burden including the validity of the 

methodology and assumptions used; (c) 

ways to enhance the quality, utility and 

clarity of the information to be 

collected; (d) ways to minimize the 

burden of the collection of information 

on those who are to respond, including 

through the use of appropriate 

automated, electronic, mechanical, or 

other technological collection 

techniques or other forms of information 

technology should be addressed to: Desk 

Officer for Agriculture, Office of 

Information and Regulatory Affairs, 

Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB), 

OIRA_Submission@OMB.EOP.GOV or 

fax (202) 395–5806 and to Departmental 

Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail 

Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250–

7602. Comments regarding these 

information collections are best assured 

of having their full effect if received 

within 30 days of this notification. 

Copies of the submission(s) may be 

obtained by calling (202) 720–8958. 

An agency may not conduct or 

sponsor a collection of information 

unless the collection of information 

displays a currently valid OMB control 

number and the agency informs 

potential persons who are to respond to 

the collection of information that such 

persons are not required to respond to 

the collection of information unless it 

displays a currently valid OMB control 

number. 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service 

Title: Swine 2006 Large and Small 

Enterprises. 

OMB Control Number: 0579–NEW. 

Summary of Collection: 7 U.S.C. 391, 

the Animal Industry Act of 1884, which 

established the precursor of the Animal 

and Plant Health Inspection Service 

(APHIS), Veterinary Services, the 

Bureau of Animal Industry, mandates 

collection and dissemination of animal 

health data and information. APHIS 

operates the National Animal Health 

Monitoring System (NAHMS), which 

collects, on a national basis, statistically 

valid and scientifically sound data on 

the prevalence and economic 

importance of livestock and poultry 

diseases and associated risk factors. 

NAHMS will initiate the fourth national 

data collection of swine through the 

Swine 2006 Study. The Swine 2006 

Study is a part of an ongoing series of 

NAHMS studies on the U.S. Swine 

population. The swine study will 

consist of two components: A largeenterprise survey and a small-enterprise 

survey. 

Need and Use of the Information: 

APHIS will use the information 

collected from both surveys to prepare 

descriptive reports and information 

sheets that will be disseminated to 

animal health officials, swine 

producers, stakeholders, and academia. 

Without this type of national data, the 

U.S. ability to detect trends in 

management, production, and health 

status that increases/decreases farm 

economy either directly or indirectly 

would be reduced to nonexistent. 

Description of Respondents: Farms. 

Number of Respondents: 6,503. 

Frequency of Responses: Reporting: 

Other (once pre questionnaire). 

Total Burden Hours: 11,769. 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service 

Title: Animal Welfare Act, Part 3. 

OMB Control Number: 0579–0093. 

Summary of Collection: The 

Laboratory Animal Welfare Act (AWA) 

(Pub. L. 89–544) enacted August 24, 

1966, and amended December 24, 1970 

(Pub. L. 91–579); April 22, 1976 (Pub. L. 

94–279); and December 23, 1985 (Pub. 

L. 99–198) required the U.S. Department 

of Agriculture (USDA) to regulate the 

humane care and handling of most 

warm-blooded animals, including 

marine mammals, used for research or 

exhibition purposes, sold as pets, or 

transported in commerce. The 

legislation and its amendments were the 

result of extensive demand by organized 

animal welfare groups and private 

citizens requesting a Federal law to 

protect such animals. The Animal and 

Plant Health Inspection Service 

(APHIS), Animal Care (AC) has the 

responsibility to enforce the AWA and 

the provisions of 9 CFR, Chapter 1, 

Subchapter A, which implements the 

AWA. 

Need and Use of the Information: 

APHIS will collect information to insure 

that animals used in research facilities 

or for exhibition purposes are provided 

humane care and treatment. The 

information is used to ensure those 

dealers, exhibitors, research facilities, 

carriers, etc., are in compliance with the 

Animal Welfare Act and regulations and 

standards promulgated under this 

authority of the Act. 

Description of Respondents: Business 

or other for-profit; Not for-profit 

institutions; State, Local or Tribal 

Government. 

Number of Respondents: 10,217. 

Frequency of Responses: 

Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion. 

Total Burden Hours: 47,591. 

Ruth Brown, 

Departmental Information Collection 

Clearance Officer. 

[FR Doc. E6–16192 Filed 9–29–06; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

[Doc. No. TM–06–11] 

Notice of Meeting of the National 

Organic Standards Board 

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, 

USDA. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act, as 


rmajette on PROD1PC67 with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 190 / Monday, October 2, 2006 / Notices 57919 

amended, the Agricultural Marketing 

Service (AMS) is announcing a 

forthcoming meeting of the National 

Organic Standards Board (NOSB). 

DATES: The meeting dates are Tuesday, 

October 17, 2006, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; 

Wednesday, October 18, 2006, 8 a.m. to 

5 pm; and Thursday, October 19, 2006, 

8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Requests from 

individuals and organizations wishing 

to make an oral presentation at the 

meeting or to submit written comments 

to be posted on the website prior to the 

NOSB meeting, are due by the close of 

business on October 6, 2006. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will take place 

at The Radisson Hotel—Reagan National 

Airport, 2020 Jefferson Davis Highway, 

Arlington, VA 22202. Requests for 

copies of the NOSB meeting agenda, to 

make an oral presentation at the 

meeting, or to submit written comments 

may be sent to Ms. Valerie Frances, 

Executive Director, NOSB, USDA–

AMS–TMD–NOP, 1400 Independence 

Avenue, SW., Room 4008–So., Ag Stop 

0268, Washington, DC 20250–0268. 

These requests or comments may also be 

sent via facsimile to Ms. Valerie Frances 

at (202) 205–7808 or by electronic mail 

to Valerie.Frances@usda.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Valerie Frances, Executive Director, 

NOSB, National Organic Program, (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. 6501 et seq.) 

requires the establishment of the NOSB. 

The purpose of the NOSB is to make 

recommendations about whether a 

substance should be allowed or 

prohibited in organic production or 

handling, to assist in the development 

of standards for substances to be used in 

organic production, and to advise the 

Secretary on other aspects of the 

implementation of the OFPA. The 

NOSB met for the first time in 

Washington, DC, in March 1992, and 

currently has six committees working 

on various aspects of the organic 

program. The committees are: 

Compliance, Accreditation, and 

Certification; Crops; Livestock; 

Materials; Handling; and Policy 

Development. 

In August of 1994, the NOSB 

provided its initial recommendations for 

the National Organic Program (NOP) to 

the Secretary of Agriculture. Since that 

time, the NOSB has submitted 101 

addenda to its recommendations and 

reviewed more than 269 substances for 

inclusion on the National List of 

Allowed and Prohibited Substances. 

The last meeting of the NOSB was held 

on April 19–20, 2006, in State College, 

PA. 

The Department of Agriculture 

(USDA) published its final National 

Organic Program regulation in the 

Federal Register on December 21, 2000, 

(65 FR 80548). The rule became 

effective April 21, 2001. 

The principal purposes of the meeting 

are to provide an opportunity for the 

NOSB to receive an update from the 

USDA/NOP and hear progress reports 

from NOSB committees regarding work 

plan items and proposed action items. 

The Policy Development Committee 

will present recommendations regarding 

revisions to the NOSB Policy and 

Procedures Manual and discuss the 

development of a guide for new NOSB 

members. The Policy Development and 

Crops Committees will provide an 

update and will discuss issues regarding 

the development of a recommendation 

on temporary variances allowed for 

certified organic research facilities for 

products not to be marketed as organic. 

The Crops Committee will present 

recommendations regarding guidance 

for the use of compost tea, vermiculture 

and dehydrated manure, and on 

petitioned materials: lime mud, sodium 

lauryl sulfate, sulfuric acid (to stabilize 

dehydrated manures), and calcium 

chloride. The Crops Committee will 

discuss issues related to public 

comments received concerning 

commercial availability requirements 

for the use of certified organic seed on 

certified organic farms. In addition, the 

Committee will provide an update to 

their work on developing guidance for 

the certification of hydroponic crops. 

The Materials and Handling 

Committees will present a joint 

recommendation on determining when 

a product is agricultural versus 

nonagricultural. These same committees 

will also discuss their work to clarify 

the definitions of materials on the 

National List. 

The Handling Committee will present 

a recommendation that will specify 

criteria necessary to facilitate 

determinations related to the 

commercial availability of organic 

agricultural ingredients. The Committee 

will also present, in closure of its review 

of the first sunset of substances under 

the requirements of the OFPA, a 

recommendation to remove colors from 

the National List and a recommendation 

to affirm their removal of bleached 

lecithin from the National List. The 

Committee will receive the report of the 

Pet Food Task Force regarding their 

efforts to draft standards for organic pet 

food. In addition, the Committee will 

discuss the status of materials 

petitioned for use in handling . 

The Livestock Committee will invite 

public input on issues regarding the 

development of organic aquaculture 

(finfish) standards. 

The Compliance, Accreditation, and 

Certification Committee (CACC) will 

present recommendations to address 

questions and answers regarding the 

labeling of certified organic products of 

retailers and private labelers. The CACC 

will present recommendations that 

address the standardization of 

information required on organic 

certificates, the addition of an 

expiration date, and procedures for 

managing expiration dates on 

certificates. Finally, the CACC will 

discuss future Peer Review Procedures. 

Copies of the NOSB meeting agenda 

and additional information can be 

requested from Ms. Valerie Frances by 

telephone at (202) 720–3252; or by 

accessing the NOP Web site at http:// 

www.ams.usda.gov/nop. 

The Meeting is Open to the Public. 

The NOSB has scheduled time for 

public input for Tuesday, October 17, 

2006, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 

1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and Wednesday, 

October 18, 2006, from 1:45 p.m. to 5 

p.m. Individuals and organizations 

wishing to make an oral presentation at 

the meeting may forward their request 

by mail, facsimile, or e-mail to Valerie 

Frances at addresses listed in 

ADDRESSES above. Individuals or 

organizations will be given 

approximately 5 minutes to present 

their views. All persons making an oral 

presentation are requested to provide 

their comments in writing. Written 

submissions may contain information 

other than that presented at the oral 

presentation. Written comments may 

also be submitted at the meeting. 

Persons submitting written comments at 

the meeting are asked to provide 30 

copies. 

Interested persons may visit the 

NOSB portion of the NOP Web site 

http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop to view 

available documents prior to the 

meeting. Approximately 6 weeks 

following the meeting interested 

persons will be able to visit the NOSB 

portion of the NOP Web site to view 

documents from the meeting. 

Dated: September 25, 2006. 

Kenneth C. Clayton, 

Associate Administrator, Agricultural 

Marketing Service. 

[FR Doc. 06–8419 Filed 9–29–06; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P 


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