[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 165 (Friday, August 24, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51511-51512]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office
[FR Doc No: 2012-20814]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. FSIS-2012-0034]
Codex Alimentarius Commission: Meeting of the Codex Committee on
Processed Fruits and Vegetables
AGENCY: Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, United
States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Agricultural Marketing
Service (AMS), are sponsoring a public meeting on September 17, 2012.
The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and
receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States (U.S.)
positions that will be discussed at the 26th session of the Codex
Committee on Processed Fruits and Vegetables (CCPFV) of the Codex
Alimentarius Commission (Codex), which will be held in Montego Bay,
Jamaica from October 15-19, 2012. The Under Secretary for Food Safety
and AMS recognize the importance of providing interested parties the
opportunity to obtain background information on the 26th Session of the
CCPFV and to address items on the agenda.
DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for September 17, 2012, from
1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at USDA, Jamie L. Whitten
Building, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 107-A, Washington, DC
20250.
Documents related to the 26th session of the CCPFV will be
accessible via the World Wide Web at the following address: http://www.codexalimentarius.org/.
Dorian LaFond, U.S. Delegate to the 26th session of the CCPFV,
invites U.S. interested parties to submit their comments electronically
to the
[[Page 51512]]
following email address: dorian.lafond@usda.gov.
Call-In Number:
If you wish to participate in the public meeting for the 26th
session of the CCPFV by conference call, please use the call-in number
and participant code listed below:
Call-in Number: 1-888-858-2144
Participant code: 6208658
For Further Information About the 26th Session of the CCPFV
Contact: Dorian LaFond, AMS, Fruits and Vegetables Division, Stop 0235,
Room 2086, South Agriculture Building, 1400 Independence Avenue SW.,
Washington, DC 20250-0235, Phone: (202) 690-4944, Fax: (202) 720-0016,
Email: dorian.lafond@usda.gov.
For Further Information About the Public Meeting Contact: Jasmine
Curtis, U.S. Codex Office, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 4865,
Washington, DC 20250. Phone: (202) 690-1124, Fax: (202) 720-3157,
Email: Jasmine.Curtis@fsis.usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Codex was established in 1963 by two United Nations organizations,
the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health
Organization. Through adoption of food standards, codes of practice,
and other guidelines developed by its committees, and by promoting
their adoption and implementation by governments, Codex seeks to
protect the health of consumers and ensure fair practices in the food
trade.
The CCPFV is responsible for: Elaborating worldwide standards and
related texts for all types of processed fruits and vegetables
including but not limited to canned, dried and frozen products as well
as fruit and vegetable juices and nectars.
The Committee is hosted by the United States.
Issues To Be Discussed at the Public Meeting
The following items on the agenda for the 26th session of the CCPFV
will be discussed during the public meeting:
Matters Referred to the CCPFV by Codex and Other Codex
Committees
Proposed Draft Codex Standard for Table Olives (Revision
of Codex Standard 66-1981) (Step 4)
Proposed Draft Codex Standard for Certain Canned Fruits
(Revision of Remaining Individual Standards for Canned Fruits) (Step 4)
Proposed Draft Codex Standard for Certain Quick Frozen
Vegetables (Revision of Individual Standards for Quick Frozen
Vegetables) (Step 4)
Proposed Draft Sampling Plans Including Metrological
Provisions for Controlling Minimum Drained Weight of Canned Fruits and
Vegetables in Packing Media (Step 4)
Food Additive Provisions for Processed Fruits and
Vegetables: Additional Provisions for Inclusion in Selected Adopted and
Under Development Standards
Matters Related to Selected Codex Standards for Processed
Fruits and Vegetables
Discussion Paper on the Possible Extension of the
Territorial Application of the Codex Regional Standard for Ginseng
Products
Discussion Paper on the Development of a Codex Standard
for Chemically Flavored Water-Based Drinks
Status of Work on the Revision of Codex Standards for
Processed Fruits and Vegetables
Each issue listed will be fully described in documents distributed,
or to be distributed, by the Secretariat prior to the meeting. Members
of the public may access copies of these documents (see ADDRESSES).
Public Meeting
At the September 17, 2012, public meeting, draft U.S. positions on
the agenda items will be described and discussed, and attendees will
have the opportunity to pose questions and offer comments. Written
comments may be offered at the meeting or sent to the U.S. Delegate for
the 26th session of the CCPFV, Dorian LaFond (see ADDRESSES). Written
comments should state that they relate to activities of the 26th
session of the CCPFV.
Additional Public Notification
FSIS will announce this notice online through the FSIS Web page
located at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations_&_policies/Federal_Register_Notices/index.asp.
FSIS will also make copies of this Federal Register publication
available through the FSIS Constituent Update, which is used to provide
information regarding FSIS policies, procedures, regulations, Federal
Register notices, FSIS public meetings, and other types of information
that could affect or would be of interest to constituents and
stakeholders. The Update is communicated via Listserv, a free
electronic mail subscription service for industry, trade groups,
consumer interest groups, health professionals, and other individuals
who have asked to be included. The Update is also available on the FSIS
Web page. In addition, FSIS offers an electronic mail subscription
service which provides automatic and customized access to selected food
safety news and information. This service is available at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Email_Subscription/.
Options range from recalls to export information to regulations,
directives, and notices. Customers can add or delete subscriptions
themselves, and have the option to password protect their accounts.
USDA Nondiscrimination Statement
USDA prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on
the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age,
disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or
family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.)
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for
communication of program information (Braille, large print, or
audiotape) should contact USDA's Target Center at 202-720-2600 (voice
and TTY).
To file a written complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Office
of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue
SW., Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964 (voice and TTY).
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Done at Washington, DC on August 2, 2012.
Karen Stuck,
U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.
[FR Doc. 2012-20814 Filed 8-23-12; 8:45 am]
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