AMS No. 199-07

Joan Shaffer (202) 720-6179

joan.shaffer@usda.gov

Billy Cox (202) 720-8998

billy.cox@usda.gov

NATIONAL ORGANIC STANDARDS BOARD TO MEET NOV. 28-30

WASHINGTON, Oct. 17, 2007—The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) will meet Nov. 28-30 at the Holiday Inn National Airport Hotel, 2650 Jefferson Davis Hwy, Arlington, VA 22202. Sessions will run from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 28; 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 29; and 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 30, 2007. 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 five petitioned substances and 11 sunsetting substances due to expire in Nov. 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; proposed organic standards for pet food; guidance on the certification of operations involved in crops research and guidance on temporary research variances; the standardization of certificates; guidance for accredited certifying agents regarding annual commercial availability determinations for ingredients listed on § 205.606 and organic seed sourcing by farmers under § 205.204; and on the certification of multi-site operations, including community grower groups. 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. Preceding the NOSB Business Meeting on Nov. 27 from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., there will be expert presentations on the issues of fish feed and open cage net pens in organic aquaculture; these are also open to the public.

Comments may be submitted in writing to Ms. 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-07-0118. All comments, whether submitted by mail or the internet, will be available for viewing on the regulations.gov website.

Time for public input for Wednesday, Nov. 28, is from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and from 1:15 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.; on Thursday, Nov. 29, from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.; and Friday, Nov. 30, from 8:00 a.m. to 10:45 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 Ms. 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 Nov. 9. If time is available, attendees may sign up for additional public input at the meeting.

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.