AMS No. 068-08

Joan Shaffer (202) 720-6179

joan.shaffer@usda.gov

Billy Cox (202) 720-8998

billy.cox@usda.gov

WASHINGTON, Apr. 3, 2008—The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) will meet May 20-22 at The Holiday Inn Inner Harbor Hotel, 301 W. Lombard Street, Baltimore, MD 21201. Sessions will run from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, May 20; 8 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 21; and 8 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Thursday, May 22, 2008. All sessions are open to the public.

NOSB committees will present recommendations to the full board for a vote concerning the use or prohibition of 32 petitioned substances and 13 sunsetting substances due to expire in November 2008 under review for the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances; revisions to the NOSB policy and procedures manual and the Guide for New NOSB Members; guidance for accredited certifying agents regarding annual commercial availability determinations for organic seed sourcing by farmers under § 205.204; and recommendations on standards for organic aquaculture, including the use of fish meal and oil as feed, open cage net pens and the management of aquatic plants. The NOSB will also receive an update from the National Organic Program (NOP) and will hear committee progress reports regarding work plans and discussion items.

Comments may be submitted in writing to Valerie Frances, Executive Director, NOSB, USDA-AMS-TMD-NOP, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Room 4008-S, Ag Stop 0268, Washington, DC 20250-0268, or via the internet at www.regulations.gov only. The comments should identify Docket Number AMS-TM-08-0021. The deadline for all comments, whether submitted by mail or the internet, is May 5, 2008. Comments will be available for viewing on the regulations.gov website.

Time for public input for Tuesday, May 20, is from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.; on Wednesday, May 21, from 3:45 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.; and Thursday, May 22, from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. There will be separate sign-up sheets for each segment.

Requests to make an oral presentation at the meeting may be sent by mail to Valerie Frances at the postal address above, by email to valerie.frances@usda.gov, by facsimile to (202) 205-7808, or by phone to (202) 720-3252, and must be received by close of business May 5. If time is available, attendees may sign up for additional public input at the meeting.

Details of the NOSB meeting will be published in the April 4, 2008, Federal Register. For more information, contact Valerie Frances, Executive Director, NOSB, NOP, (202) 720-3252, or visit the NOP home page at www.ams.usda.gov/nop.