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[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 66 (Thursday, April 5, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 20610]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-8126]

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Notices
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
appearing in this section.

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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 66 / Thursday, April 5, 2012 / 
Notices

[[Page 20610]]

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Document No. AMS-ST-12-0007]

Plant Variety Protection Board; Open Meeting

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice is intended to notify the public of their 
opportunity to attend an open meeting of the Plant Variety Protection 
Board.

DATES: April 25 and 26, 2012, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., open to the public.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in the United States Department of 
Agriculture George Washington Carver Center, 5601 Sunnyside Avenue, 
Room 4-2223, Beltsville, MD 20705.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Banks, Plant Variety 
Protection Office, Science and Technology Programs, Agricultural 
Marketing Service, United States Department of Agriculture, 10301 
Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD 20705. Telephone number (301) 504-
5518, fax (301) 504-5291, or email: jennifer.banks@ams.usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the provisions of section 10(a) 
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C., Appendix 2), this 
notice is given regarding an upcoming Plant Variety Protection (PVP) 
Board meeting. The Plant Variety Protection Act (PVPA) (7 U.S.C. 2321 
et seq.) provides legal protection in the form of intellectual property 
rights to developers of new varieties of plants, which are reproduced 
sexually by seed or are tuber-propagated. A Certificate of Plant 
Variety Protection is awarded to an owner of a crop variety after an 
examination shows that it is new, distinct from other varieties, 
genetically uniform and stable through successive generations. The term 
of protection is 20 years for most crops and 25 years for trees, 
shrubs, and vines. The PVPA also provides for a statutory Board (7 
U.S.C. 2327). The duties of the Board are to: (1) Advise the Secretary 
concerning the adoption of rules and regulations to facilitate the 
proper administration of the Act; (2) provide advisory counsel to the 
Secretary on appeals concerning decisions on applications by the PVP 
Office and on requests for emergency public-interest compulsory 
licenses; and (3) advise the Secretary on any other matters under the 
Regulations and Rules of Practice and on all questions under Section 44 
of the Act, ``Public Interest in Wide Usage'' (7 U.S.C. 2404).
    The proposed agenda for the PVP Board meeting will include a 
welcome by Department officials followed by a discussion focusing on 
program activities that encourage the development of new plant 
varieties. The agenda will also include presentations on the financial 
status of the PVP Office, changes to the office workflow as a result of 
the recently completed business process reengineering study, E-business 
update, international outreach activities and other related topics.
    The meeting will be open to the public. Those wishing to attend the 
meeting are encouraged to pre-register by April 23, 2012 with the 
person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Visitors entering 
the George Washington Carver Center should inform security personnel 
that they are attending the PVP Board meeting. Identification will be 
required to be admitted to the building. Security personnel will direct 
visitors to Room 4-2223. If you require accommodations, such as sign 
language interpreter, please contact the person listed under FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Minutes of the meeting will be available 
for public review 30 days following the meeting at the address listed 
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. The minutes will also be posted 
on the Internet web site http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/pvpo.

    Dated: March 30, 2012.
Ruihong Guo,
Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-8126 Filed 4-4-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P
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