Federal Register: May 9, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 90)
Notices
Page 23664-23665]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Foreign Agricultural Service
Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee for
Trade and the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committees for Trade;
Reestablishment and Nominations.
AGENCY: Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA.
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Secretary of Agriculture, after
consultation with the United States Trade Representative, has reestablished the
Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee for Trade (APAC) and the Agricultural
Technical Advisory Committees for Trade (ATACs). FAS also announces that
nominations are being sought for persons to serve on the APAC and the ATACs.
DATES: Written nominations must be received by the Foreign Agricultural
Service before or close of business June 8, 2001.
ADDRESSES: Send all nominating materials to Ms Sharon McClure, Foreign
Agricultural Service, USDA, Room 5065-S, STOP 1001, 1400 Independence Avenue,
SW., Washington, DC 20250-1001. The forms may also be submitted by fax to (202)
720-8097.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Comments regarding the reestablishment
of these committees should be addressed to Ms. Sharon McClure, Acting Executive
Secretary, Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW.,
Room 5065-S, Stop 1001, Washington, DC 20250-1001, or Ms. Denise Bell at the
same address. Persons interested in serving on the APAC or an ATAC, or in
nominating individuals to serve, should contact FAS by telephone
(202)-720-6829), fax (202-720-8097), by mail (Ms. Sharon McClure, Foreign
Agricultural Service, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 5065-S, Stop
1001, Washington, DC 20250-1001) or electronic mail (belld@fas.usda.gov)
and request Form AD-755 and Form SF-181. These forms are also available on the
Internet at the FAS homepage. For Form AD-755, go to http://www.fas.usda.gov/admin/ad755.pdf.
For Form SF-181, go to http://www.fas.usda.gov/admin/ad1086.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee for Trade
(APAC) and the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committees for Trade (ATACs) are
authorized by sections 135(c)(1) and (2) of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended
(Pub. L. No. 93-618, 19 U.S.C. 2155). The purpose of the committees is to
provide advice to the Secretary and the U.S. Trade Representative concerning
agricultural trade policy and are intended to ensure that representative
elements of the private sector have an opportunity to make known their views to
the U.S. Government.
Rechartering
Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C.
Appendix), the Foreign Agricultural Service gives notice that the Secretary of
Agriculture and the U.S. Trade Representative have reestablished the
Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee for Trade (APAC) and the Agricultural
Technical Advisory Committees for Trade (ATACs). In 1974, Congress established a
private sector advisory committee system to ensure that U.S. trade policy and
negotiation objectives adequately reflect U.S. commercial and economic
interests. The private sector advisory system now consists of almost 40
committees, arranged in three tiers:
General Committee Information
All APAC and ATAC committee members are appointed by the
Secretary of Agriculture and the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), and serve at
the directions of the Secretary and the USTR. To serve and attend committee
meetings, members must be U.S. citizens, and have successfully completed a
confidential security clearance. Committee members serve without compensation;
they are not reimbursed for their travel expense.
Committee meetings will be open to the public, unless the
U.S. Trade Representative determines that the committees will be discussing
issues the disclosure of which justify closing a meeting or portions of the
meeting, in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(c).
All committee appointments expire on May 1, 2003; by the
Secretary and USTR may renew an appointment for one or more additional terms.
Each committee has a chairperson, who is elected from the
membership of that committee. In addition to their individual responsibilities,
all communities are required to meet at the conclusion of negotiations for each
trade agreement, and to provide a report on each agreement to the President,
Congress, and to the U.S. Trade Representative.
[All meetings will be held in Washington, D.C.]
Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee for Trade (APAC)
The APAC has approximately 50 members, and is composed of a
broad spectrum of agricultural interests. It provides advice concerning:
Agricultural Technical Advisory Committees for
Trade (ATACs)
The ATACs provide advice and information regarding trade
issues which affect both domestic and foreign production in the commodities,
drawing upon the technical competence and experience of its members.
There are five ATACs, one for each of the following sectors:
Each ATAC has approximately 25
members, for a total of approximately 125 members.
Nominations and Selection of Members
Nominations are open to all individuals without regard to
race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, mental or physical handicap,
marital status or sexual orientation. To ensure that the recommendations of the
committees take into account the needs of the diverse groups served by the
Department, membership shall include, to the extent practicable, individuals
with demonstrated ability to represent minorities, women, and persons with
disabilities.
Members are selected primarily for their expertise and
knowledge of agriculture trade as it relates to policy and commodity specific
products. No person, company, producer, farm organization, trade association, or
other entity has a right to representation on a committee. All members serve at
the discretion of the Secretary of Agriculture and the U.S. Trade
Representative. In making selections, every effort will be made to maintain
balanced representation on the committees: representation from producers, farm
and commodity organizations, processors, traders, consumers, as well as
geographical balance.
Issued at Washington, D.C. this 1st day of May, 2001.
Dated: May 1, 2001.
Paul W. Fiddick,
Assistant Secretary for Administration.
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