Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee

AGENCY:

Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION:

Notice of public meeting.

SUMMARY:

The purpose of this notice is to notify all interested parties that the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will hold a Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee (Committee) meeting that is open to the public. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) established the Committee to examine the full spectrum of issues faced by the fruit and vegetable industry and to provide suggestions and ideas to the Secretary of Agriculture on how USDA can tailor its programs to meet the fruit and vegetable industry's needs. This notice sets forth the schedule and location for the meeting.

DATES:

Tuesday, January 23, 2007, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Wednesday, January 24, 2007, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon.

ADDRESSES:

The Committee meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn Central, 1501 Rhode Island Avenue, NW., Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Andrew Hatch, Designated Federal Official, USDA, AMS, Fruit and Vegetable Programs. Telephone: (202) 690-0182. Facsimile: (202) 720-0016. E-mail: andrew.hatch@usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) (5 U.S.C. App. II), the Secretary of Agriculture established the Committee in August 2001 to examine the full spectrum of issues faced by the fruit and vegetable industry and to provide suggestions and ideas to the Secretary on how USDA can tailor its programs to meet the fruit and vegetable industry's needs. The Committee was re-chartered in July 2003 and again in June 2005 with new members appointed by USDA from industry nominations.

AMS Deputy Administrator for Fruit and Vegetable Programs, Robert C. Keeney, serves as the Committee's Executive Secretary. Representatives from USDA mission areas and other government agencies affecting the fruit and vegetable industry will be called upon to participate in the Committee's meetings as determined by the Committee Chairperson. AMS is giving notice of the Committee meeting to the public so that they may attend and present their recommendations. Reference the date and address section of this announcement for the time and place of the meeting.

Topics of discussion at the advisory committee meeting will include: Invasive pests and disease initiatives; an update on U.S. produce industry labor and immigration issues; Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) program budget and fees; and food safety initiatives.

Those parties that would like to speak at the meeting should register on or before January 15, 2007. To register as a speaker, please e-mail your name, affiliation, business address, e-mail address, and phone number to Mr. Andrew Hatch at: andrew.hatch@usda.gov or facsimile to (202) 720-0016. Speakers who have registered in advance will be given priority. Groups and individuals may submit comments for the Committee's consideration to the same e-mail address. The meeting will be recorded, and information about obtaining a transcript will be provided at the meeting.

The Secretary of Agriculture selected a diverse group of members representing a broad spectrum of persons interested in providing suggestions and ideas on how USDA can tailor its programs to meet the fruit and vegetable industry's needs. Equal opportunity practices were considered in all appointments to the Committee in accordance with USDA policies.

If you require special accommodations, such as a sign language interpreter, please use either contact name listed above.