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.

Notices Federal Register

53617 

Vol. 70, No. 174 

Friday, September 9, 2005 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

[Docket Number TM–05–10] 

National Organic Program (NOP) 

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, 

USDA. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of 

Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural 

Marketing Service (AMS) is publishing 

this notice to inform certified organic 

producers and handlers of AMS’ 

intention to release the names and 

addresses of certified operations to the 

general public. AMS has determined 

that the Organic Foods Production Act 

of 1990, as amended, 7 U.S.C. 6501 et 

seq. (OFPA), authorizes the release of 

the names and addresses of certified 

organic producers and handlers under 

the broad category of information 

characterized by the OFPA as 

‘‘certification documents.’’ Therefore, 

AMS intends to release the names and 

addresses of certified producers and 

handlers to the general public in 

response to requests for such 

information. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Keith Jones, Director, Program 

Development, National Organic 

Program, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., 

Room 4008–S, Ag Stop 0268, 

Washington, DC 20250–0268; 

Telephone: (202) 720–3252; Fax: (202) 

205–7808; e-mail: keith.jones@usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Statutory Authority 

This notice is issued under the 

authority of the OFPA of 1990, as 

amended, 7 U.S.C. 6501 et seq. 

II. Background 

Over the past few months, AMS has 

received a number of requests from 

private citizens and non-profit 

organizations for a list of names and 

addresses of production and handling 

operations certified in compliance with 

the NOP regulations. The OFPA requires 

public access to ‘‘certification 

documents’’ and laboratory analyses 

pertaining to certification (7 U.S.C. 

6506(a)(9)). The OFPA’s implementing 

regulations at 7 CFR 205.504(b)(5) 

requires the release of those documents 

cited in section 6506(a)(9) of the OFPA. 

AMS collects the names and 

addresses of certified organic producers 

and handlers through requirements 

outlined at 7 CFR 205.501(a)(15)(ii). 

This information is collected pursuant 

to information collection requirements 

overseen by the Office of Management 

and Budget (OMB) in accordance with 

the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 

44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. The collection 

number assigned to the NOP is OMB 

number 0581–0191. 

III. Action 

The OFPA authorizes the release of 

the names and addresses of certified 

organic producers and handlers under 

the broad category of information 

characterized by the OFPA as 

‘‘certification documents.’’ The OFPA (7 

U.S.C. 6506(a)(9)) requires public access 

to certification documents and 

laboratory analyses pertaining to 

certification. Names and addresses of 

certified organic producers and handlers 

are collected by AMS under the 

requirements of 7 CFR 

205.501(a)(15)(ii). These names and 

addresses are part of a larger 

information submission and can be 

reasonably viewed as ‘‘certification 

documents.’’ 

The release of the names and 

addresses of certified organic producers 

and handlers is compatible with the 

notions of transparency and public 

access embodied in the OFPA. Further, 

the names and addresses of certified 

organic producers and handlers 

intended to be released are identical to 

those already contained on the 

certificate of compliance required under 

7 CFR 205.404(b). Under 7 CFR 

205.404(b), an accredited certifying 

agent must issue a certificate of organic 

operations which specifies the: (1) 

Name and address of the certified 

operation; (2) Effective date of 

certification; (3) Categories of organic 

operation, including crops, wild crops, 

livestock, or processed products 

produced by the certified operation; and 

(4) Name, address, and telephone 

number of the certifying agent. These 

certificates enjoy wide public 

circulation throughout the supply chain 

due to their use as prima facie evidence 

of compliance with NOP regulations. 

Therefore, AMS intends to release the 

names and addresses of certified 

producers and handlers to the general 

public in response to requests for such 

information. 

Dated: September 2, 2005. 

Lloyd C. Day, 

Administrator, Agricultural Marketing 

Service. 

[FR Doc. 05–17859 Filed 9–8–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Food Safety and Inspection Service 

[Docket No. 05–028N] 

Public Meeting on the Food Safety 

Institute of the Americas 

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection 

Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Food Safety and 

Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing 

that it will hold a public meeting on 

September 29–30, 2005, in Miami, 

Florida, to review and discuss the 

progress made by the Food Safety 

Institute of the Americas (FSIA). The 

FSIA was created as an innovative 

approach for integrating scientific food 

safety education, information, 

communication, and outreach in the 

Americas. During the public meeting, 

the following issues relating to the FSIA 

will be discussed: (1) Presentation of 

assessment and analysis of educational 

and informational needs identified 

through a survey administered by 

FSIA’s partners, the University of 

Florida and Miami Dade College; (2) 

presentation of FSIA’s 3–5 year Strategic 

Plan; (3) establishing strategies and best 

practices for developing and delivering 

programs identified through the needs 

survey; and (4) planning next steps for 

the FSIA in fostering collaboration and 

partnership development of the 

proposed FSIA colleges. 

The public meeting will be an 

interactive session. Discussions will be