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[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 68 (Monday, April 9, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 21067]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-8394]

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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. 68 / Monday, April 9, 2012 / 
Notices

[[Page 21067]]

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Document Number AMS-NOP-12-0017; NOP-12-06]

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) is announcing a 
forthcoming meeting of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). 
Written public comments are invited in advance of the meeting, and the 
meeting will include scheduled time for oral comments from the public.

DATES: The meeting will be held May 22-25, 2012, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. 
each day except Friday, May 25, 2012, when the meeting will close at 12 
p.m. (Noon). The deadline for public comments in advance of the meeting 
is Thursday, May 3, 2012.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will take place at the Hotel Albuquerque at Old 
Town, 800 Rio Grande Boulevard, Albuquerque, NM 87104. Information and 
instructions pertaining to the meeting are posted at the following Web 
site address: http://www.ams.usda.gov/NOSBMeetings. For printed 
materials, write to Ms. Michelle Arsenault, Special Assistant, National 
Organic Standards Board, USDA-AMS-NOP, 1400 Independence Ave. SW., Room 
2648-So., Mail Stop 0268, Washington, DC 20250-0268; Phone: (202) 720-
3252; Email: nosb@ams.usda.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Ms. Michelle Arsenault, Special 
Assistant, National Organic Standards Board, USDA-AMS-NOP, 1400 
Independence Ave. SW., Room 2648-So., Mail Stop 0268, Washington, DC 
20250-0268; Phone: (202) 720-3252; Email: nosb@ams.usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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 organic production, and to advise the 
Secretary on other aspects of the implementation of the Organic Foods 
Production Act. The NOSB currently has seven subcommittees working on 
various aspects of the organic program. The committees are: Compliance, 
Accreditation, and Certification; Crops; Handling; Livestock; 
Materials; Policy Development; and Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) 
Issues.
    The primary purpose of NOSB meetings is to provide an opportunity 
for the organic community to weigh in on proposed NOSB recommendations 
and discussion items. These meetings also allow the NOSB to receive 
updates from the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) on issues 
pertaining to organic agriculture.
    The meeting will be open to the public. The meeting agenda, NOSB 
proposals, instructions for submitting and viewing public comments, and 
instructions for requesting a time slot for oral comments are available 
on the NOP Web site at http://www.ams.usda.gov/NOSBMeetings. Topics 
covered at this meeting will include proposals that address petitions 
pertaining to the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances 
(National List), proposals that address substances on the National List 
that are due to sunset in 2013, proposals that address issues on 
materials and excluded methods, and proposals to amend the NOSB 
Policies and Procedures Manual.
    Written public comments will be accepted through May 3, 2012. 
Comments received after that date may not be reviewed by the NOSB 
before the meeting. The NOP strongly prefers comments to be submitted 
electronically, however, written comments may also be submitted before 
April 30, 2012 via mail to Ms. Ann Michelle Arsenault, Special 
Assistant, National Organic Standards Board, USDA-AMS-NOP, 1400 
Independence Ave. SW., Room 2648-S, Mail Stop 0268, Washington, DC 
20250-0268. It is our intention to have instructions for viewing all 
comments at http://www.ams.usda.gov/NOSBMeetings.
    The NOSB has scheduled meeting time for oral comments from the 
public, and will accommodate as many individuals and organizations as 
possible during these sessions. Individuals and organizations wishing 
to make oral presentations at the meeting must pre-register to request 
one time slot by visiting http://www.ams.usda.gov/NOSBMeetings or by 
calling (202) 720-3252. All persons making oral presentations are 
requested to also provide their comments in writing at the meeting. 
Written submissions may contain supplemental information other than 
that presented in the oral presentation. Persons submitting written 
comments at the meeting are asked to provide sixteen copies.

    Dated: April 3, 2012.
Robert C. Keeney,
Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-8394 Filed 4-6-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P
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