[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 118 (Thursday, June 18, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36829-36830]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-13165]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
U.S. Codex Office
Codex Alimentarius Commission: Meeting of the Codex Alimentarius
Commission
AGENCY: U.S. Codex Office, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The U.S Codex Office is sponsoring a public meeting on June
25, 2020. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information
and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States
(U.S.) positions for the 43rd Session of the of the Codex Alimentarius
Commission (CAC). The CAC will not be meeting physically during its
previously scheduled dates in July 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic,
and it is currently preparing for the possibility of convening for a
virtual Commission session. The U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius and
the Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs
recognize the importance of providing interested parties the
opportunity to obtain background information on the 43rd Session of the
CAC and to address items on the agenda.
DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for June 25, 2020, from 1:00-
4:00 p.m. EDT.
ADDRESSES: If you wish to participate in the public meeting for the
43rd Session of the CAC, the meeting will be conducted by conference
call only to be consistent with public health guidance related to
outbreaks of novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Documents related to the
43rd Session of the CAC will be accessible via the internet at the
following address: http://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/meetings/detail/en/?meeting=CAC&session=43.
Mary Frances Lowe, U.S. Delegate to the 43rd Session of the CAC,
invites U.S. interested parties to submit their comments electronically
to the following email address: uscodex@usda.gov.
Call-In-Number: If you wish to participate in the public meeting
for the 43rd Session of the CAC by conference call, please use the
call-in-number: 1-
[[Page 36830]]
888-844-9904 and participant code 5126092#.
Registration: Participants should register to participate in the
public meeting as described above by submitting their name and
organizational affiliation to uscodex@usda.gov.
For further information about the 43rd Session of the CAC or the
public meeting, please contact the U.S. Codex Office, 1400 Independence
Avenue SW, Room 4861, South Agriculture Building, Washington, DC 20250,
Telephone: (202) 205-7760, Fax: (202) 720-3157, Email:
uscodex@usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Codex Alimentarius 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; promotes coordination of all food standards work undertaken
by international governmental and nongovernmental organizations;
determines priorities, initiates, and guides the preparation of draft
standards; finalizes the standards elaborated and publishes them in a
Codex Alimentarius (food code) either as regional or worldwide
standards, wherever this is practicable; and amends published
standards, as appropriate, in the light of new developments.
Issues To Be Discussed at the Public Meeting
Currently, there is no agenda available for the 43rd Session of the
CAC. However, the Codex Secretariat has made available the following
documents to be considered, including:
Amendments to the Procedural Manual
Final Adoption of Codex Texts
Adoption of Codex Texts at Step 5
Revocation of Codex Texts
Proposals for New Work
Discontinuation of Work
Amendments to the Codex Standards and Related Texts
These documents are currently available at: http://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/meetings/detail/en/?meeting=CAC&session=43.
Each issue listed will be fully described in documents distributed,
or to be distributed, by the Codex Secretariat before the CAC session.
Members of the public may access or request copies of these documents
(see ADDRESSES).
Public Meeting
At the June 25, 2020, public meeting, draft U.S. positions on the
anticipated 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 43rd Session of the CAC (see ADDRESSES). Written comments should
state that they relate to activities of the 43rd Session of the CAC.
Additional Public Notification
Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy
development is important. Consequently, the U.S. Codex Office will
announce this Federal Register publication on-line through the USDA web
page located at: http://www.usda.gov/codex/, a link that also offers an
email subscription service providing access to information related to
Codex. Customers can add or delete their subscription themselves and
have the option to password protect their accounts.
USDA Non-Discrimination Statement
No agency, officer, or employee of the USDA shall, on the grounds
of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual
orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status,
income derived from a public assistance program, or political beliefs,
exclude from participation in, deny the benefits of, or subject to
discrimination any person in the United States under any program or
activity conducted by the USDA.
How To File a Complaint of Discrimination
To file a complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program
Discrimination Complaint Form, which may be accessed online at http://www.ocio.usda.gov/sites/default/files/docs/2012/Complain_combined_6_8_12.pdf, or write a letter signed by you or your
authorized representative. Send your completed complaint form or letter
to USDA by mail, fax, or email.
Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of
Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410.
Fax: (202) 690-7442, Email: program.intake@usda.gov.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for
communication (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact
USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).
Done at Washington, DC, on June 12, 2020.
Mary Lowe,
U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.
[FR Doc. 2020-13165 Filed 6-17-20; 8:45 am]
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