[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 245 (Friday, December 22, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 88563-88564]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-28143]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service

[Docket ID: NRCS-2023-0021]


Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Advisory Committee 
Meeting

AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Department of 
Agriculture (USDA).

ACTION: Notice of public and virtual meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will hold a 
public meeting of the Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production 
Advisory Committee (UAIPAC). UAIPAC will convene to discuss proposed 
recommendations for the Secretary of Agriculture on the development of 
policies and outreach relating to urban, indoor, and other emerging 
agriculture production practices. UAIPAC is authorized under the 
Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) and operates in 
compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended.

DATES: 
    Written Comments: Written comments will be accepted until 11:59 
p.m. EDT on Wednesday, February 14, 2023.
    Meeting: The UAIPAC meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 31, 
2024, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).

ADDRESSES: 
    Meeting Location: The meeting will be held virtually via Zoom 
webinar. Pre-registration is required to attend the UAIPAC meeting and 
access informaton will be provided to registered individuals via email. 
Registration details can be found at: https://www.usda.gov/partnerships/federal-advisory-committee-urban-ag.
    Written Comments: We invite you to send comments in response to 
this notice. Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID 
NRCS-2023-0021. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. All 
written comments received will be publicly available on 
www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brian Guse; Designated Federal 
Officer; telephone: (202) 205-9723; email: 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#bce9cededdd2fddbced5dfc9d0c8c9ced9fad9d8d9ceddd0fdd8cad5cfd3cec5ffd3d1d1d5c8c8d9d9fcc9cfd8dd92dbd3ca"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0c597e6e6d624d6b7e656f796078797e694a6968697e6d604d687a657f637e754f63616165787869694c797f686d226b637a">[email protected]</span></a>.
    Individuals who require alternative means for communication may 
contact the USDA TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and text 
telephone (TTY)) or dial 711 for Telecommunications Relay service (both 
voice and text telephone users can initiate this call from any 
telephone).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

UAIPAC Purpose

    The Federal Advisory Committee for Urban Agriculture and Innovative 
Production is one of several ways that USDA is extending support and 
building frameworks to support urban agriculture, including issues of 
equity and food and nutrition access. Section 222 of the Department of 
Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994, as amended by section 12302 of 
the 2018 Farm Bill (7 U.S.C. 6923; Pub. L. 115-334) directed the 
Secretary to establish an ``Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production 
Advisory Committee'' to advise the Secretary of Agriculture on any 
aspect of section 222, including the development of policies and 
outreach relating to urban, indoor, and other emerging agricultural 
production practices as well as identify any barriers to urban 
agriculture. UAIPAC will host public meetings to deliberate on 
recommendations for the Secretary of Agriculture. These recommendations 
provide advice to the Secretary on supporting urban agriculture and 
innovative production through USDA's programs and services.

Meeting Agenda

    The agenda items may include, but are not limited to, welcome and 
introductions; administrative matters; presentations from the UAIPAC or 
USDA staff; and deliberations for proposed recommendations and plans. 
The USDA UAIPAC website (https://www.usda.gov/partnerships/federal-advisory-committee-urban-ag) will be updated with the final agenda at 
least 24 hours prior to the meeting.

Written Comments

    Comments should address specific topics pertaining to urban 
agriculture and innovative production. Written comments will be 
accepted until 11:59 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, February 14, 2024. General 
questions and comments are also accepted at any time via email: 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b9eccbdbd8d7f8decbd0daccd5cdcccbdcffdcdddccbd8d5f8ddcfd0cad6cbc0fad6d4d4d0cdcddcdcf9cccaddd897ded6cf"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1742657576795670657e74627b636265725172737265767b5673617e6478656e54787a7a7e63637272576264737639707861">[email protected]</span></a>.

Meeting Materials

    All written comments received by Wednesday, February 14, 2024, will 
be compiled for UAIPAC review and will be included in the meeting 
minutes. Duplicate comments from multiple individuals will appear as 
one comment, with a notation that multiple copies of the comment were 
received.

[[Page 88564]]

Please visit https://www.usda.gov/partnerships/federal-advisory-committee-urban-ag to view the agenda and minutes from the meeting.

Meeting Accomodations

    If you require reasonable accommodation, please make requests in 
advance for sign language interpretation, assistive listening devices, 
or other reasonable accommodation, to the person listed under the FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section. Determinations for reasonable 
accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

USDA Non-Discrimination Policy

    In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, USDA, its 
Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or 
administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on 
race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including 
gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital 
status, family or parental status, income derived from a public 
assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for 
prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or 
funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and 
complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.
    Individuals who require alternative means of communication for 
program information (for example, braille, large print, audiotape, 
American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or 
the USDA TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and text telephone 
(TTY)) or dial 711 for Telecommunicaions Relay Service (both voice and 
text telephone users can initiate this call from any phone). 
Additionally, program information may be made available in languages 
other than English.
    Equal opportunity practices in accordance with USDA's policies will 
be followed in all appointments to the FACA Committee: UAIPAC. To 
ensure that the recommendations of UAIPAC have taken in account the 
needs of the diverse groups served by USDA, membership will include to 
the extent possible, individuals with demonstrated ability to represent 
minorities, women and person with disabilities. USDA is an equal 
opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
    To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA 
Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at https://www.usda.gov/oascr/how-to-file-a-program-discrimination-complaint and 
at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in 
the letter all the information requested in the form. To request a copy 
of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form 
or letter to USDA by: (1) mail to: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence 
Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) 
email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d59a949695a0a6b1b4fbb2baa3fb80869194"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e0afa1a3a095938481ce878f96ceb5b3a4a1">[email protected]</span></a> is an equal opportunity provider, employer, 
and lender.

    Dated: December 18, 2023.
Cikena Reid,
Committee Management Officer, USDA.
[FR Doc. 2023-28143 Filed 12-21-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-16-P


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