This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains notices to the public of the proposed

issuance of rules and regulations. The

purpose of these notices is to give interested

persons an opportunity to participate in the

rule making prior to the adoption of the final

rules.

Proposed Rules Federal Register

39376 

Vol. 83, No. 154 

Thursday, August 9, 2018 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

7 CFR Part 205 

[Document Number AMS–NOP–18–0029; 

NOP–18–01] 

Meeting of the National Organic 

Standards Board 

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, 

USDA. 

ACTION: Public meeting. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act, as 

amended, the Agricultural Marketing 

Service (AMS), U.S. Department of 

Agriculture (USDA), is announcing a 

meeting of the National Organic 

Standards Board (NOSB) to assist the 

USDA in the development of standards 

for substances to be used in organic 

production and to advise the Secretary 

of Agriculture on any other aspects of 

the implementation of the Organic 

Foods Production Act (OFPA). 

DATES: The Board will receive public 

comments via webinars on October 16 

and 18, 2018, from 1:00 p.m. to 

approximately 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. 

An in-person meeting will be held 

October 24–26, 2018, from 8:30 a.m. to 

approximately 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time. 

In-person oral comments will be heard 

on Wednesday, October 24, and 

possibly Thursday, October 25, 2018. 

The deadline to submit written 

comments and/or sign up for oral 

comment at either the webinar or faceto-face meeting is 11:59 p.m. ET, 

October 4, 2018. 

ADDRESSES: The webinars are virtual 

and will be accessed via the internet 

and/or phone. Access information will 

be available on the AMS website prior 

to the webinars. The in-person meeting 

will take place at the Intercontinental 

Saint Paul Riverfront Hotel, 11 Kellogg 

Boulevard East, Saint Paul, Minnesota 

55101, United States. Detailed 

information pertaining to the webinars 

and in-person meeting can be found at 

https://www.ams.usda.gov/event/ 

national-organic-standards-board-nosbmeeting-st-paul-mn. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Michelle Arsenault, Advisory 

Committee Specialist, National Organic 

Standards Board, USDA–AMS–NOP, 

1400 Independence Ave. SW, Room 

2642–S, Mail Stop 0268, Washington, 

DC 20250–0268; Phone: (202) 720–3252; 

Email: nosb@ams.usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NOSB 

makes recommendations to the USDA 

about whether substances should be 

allowed or prohibited in organic 

production and/or handling, assists in 

the development of standards for 

organic production, and advises the 

Secretary on other aspects of the 

implementation of the OFPA. The 

NOSB is holding a public meeting to 

discuss and vote on proposed 

recommendations to the USDA, to 

receive updates from the USDA 

National Organic Program (NOP) on 

issues pertaining to organic agriculture, 

and to receive comments from the 

organic community. The meeting and 

webinars are open to the public. No 

registration is required except to sign up 

for oral comments. All meeting 

documents, including the meeting 

agenda, NOSB proposals and discussion 

documents, instructions for submitting 

and viewing public comments, and 

instructions for requesting time for oral 

comments, will be available on the AMS 

website at https://www.ams.usda.gov/ 

event/national-organic-standardsboard-nosb-meeting-st-paul-mn. Please 

check the website periodically for 

updates. Meeting topics will encompass 

a wide range of issues, including 

substances petitioned for addition to or 

deletion from the National List of 

Allowed and Prohibited Substances 

(National List), substances on the 

National List that are under sunset 

review, and guidance on organic 

policies. Participants and attendees may 

take photos and video at the meeting, 

but not in a manner that disturbs the 

proceedings. 

Public Comments: Comments should 

address specific topics noted on the 

meeting agenda. 

Written comments: Written public 

comments will be accepted on or before 

11:59 p.m. ET on October 4, 2018, via 

http://www.regulations.gov: Document 

#AMS–NOP–18–0029. Comments 

submitted after this date will be 

provided to the NOSB, but Board 

members may not have adequate time to 

consider those comments prior to 

making recommendations. The NOP 

strongly prefers comments to be 

submitted electronically. However, 

written comments may also be 

submitted (i.e., postmarked) via mail to 

the person listed under FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT by or before the 

deadline. 

Oral Comments: The NOSB is 

providing the public multiple dates and 

opportunities to provide oral comments 

and will accommodate as many 

individuals and organizations as time 

permits. Persons or organizations 

wishing to make oral comments must 

pre-register by 11:59 p.m. ET, October 4, 

2018, and can register for only one 

speaking slot: Either during the 

webinars scheduled for October 16 and 

18, or at the in-person meeting, 

scheduled for October 24–26, 2018. Due 

to the limited time allotted for in-person 

public comments during the in-person 

meeting, commenters are strongly 

encouraged to comment during the 

webinar(s). Instructions for registering 

and participating in the webinar can be 

found at www.ams.usda.gov/ 

NOSBMeetings. 

Meeting Accommodations: The 

meeting hotel is ADA Compliant, and 

the USDA provides reasonable 

accommodation to individuals with 

disabilities where appropriate. If you 

need a reasonable accommodation to 

participate in this public meeting, 

please notify the person listed under 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. 

Determinations for reasonable 

accommodation will be made on a caseby-case basis. 

Dated: July 26, 2018. 

Bruce Summers, 

Administrator, Agricultural Marketing 

Service. 

[FR Doc. 2018–16386 Filed 8–8–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P 


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