[Federal Register: March 2, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 40)]
[Notices]
[Page 10072-10073]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr02mr05-19]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Foreign Agriculture Service
Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee for Trade and the
Agricultural Technical Advisory Committees for Trade; Reestablishment
and Nominations
AGENCY: Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, notice is
hereby given that the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary), in
coordination with the United States Trade Representative (USTR),
intends to reestablish the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee
(APAC) for Trade and the six existing Agricultural Technical Advisory
Committees (ATAC) for Trade. The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) is
requesting nominations for persons to serve on these seven committees.
DATES: Written nominations must be received by FAS before the close of
business on March 31, 2005.
ADDRESSES: Nominations must be hand-delivered (including FedEx, DHL,
UPS, etc.) to the Legislative Affairs Office, Foreign Agricultural
Service, USDA, Room 5929-S, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Mail Stop
1001, Washington, DC 20250-1001.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Inquiries or comments regarding the
reestablishment of these committee also may be sent by electronic mail
to LegAffairs@fas.usda.gov, or by fax to (202) 720-5936. The
Legislative Affairs Office may be reached by telephone at (202) 720-
7645, with inquiries directed to Joan Hurst.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
The APAC and the ATACs are authorized by sections 135(c)(1) and (2)
of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (Pub. L. 93-618, 19 U.S.C. 2155).
The purpose of these committees is to advise the Secretary and the USTR
concerning agricultural trade policy. The committees are intended to
ensure that representative elements of the private sector have an
opportunity to express their views to the U.S. government.
Rechartering of Existing Committees
Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act 5 U.S.C. App. II),
FAS gives notice that the Secretary and the USTR intend to reestablish
the APAC and the following six ATACs:
Animals and Animal Products;
Fruits and Vegetables;
Grains, Feed, and Oilseeds;
Processed Foods;
Sweeteners and Sweetener Products;
Tobacco, Cotton, Peanuts, and Planting Seeds.
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 committee system currently consists of three tiers:
The President's Advisory Committee on Trade and Policy
Negotiations;
Five general policy advisory committees, including the
APAC; and,
Twenty-eight technical advisory committees, including the
ATACs.
The establishment and renewal of such committees is in the public
interest in connection with the duties of the USDA imposed by the Trade
Act of 1974, as amended.
Committee Membership Information
All committee members are appointed by the Secretary and
the USTR, and serve at the discretion of the Secretary and the USTR.
Committee size will be limited up to approximately 35
members each.
All committee appointments will expire in two years, but
the Secretary and the USTR may renew an appointment for one or more
additional terms.
All committee members must be U.S. citizens.
To attend certain meetings, committee members must have a
current security clearance or have submitted an application for a
security clearance.
Committee members serve without compensation; they are not
reimbursed for their travel expenses.
No person may serve on more than one USDA advisory
committee at the same time.
General Committee Information
Each committee has a chairperson, who is elected from the
membership of that committee.
Committees meet approximately four times per year, and all
committee meetings are held in Washington, DC.
Committee meetings will be open to the public, unless the
USTR determines that a committee will be discussing issues that justify
closing a meeting or portions of a meeting, in accordance with 5 U.S.C.
552(c).
Throughout the year, members are requested to review
sensitive trade policy information via a secure Web site, and provide
comments regarding trade negotiations.
In addition to their other advisory responsibilities, at
the conclusion of negotiations of any trade agreement, all committees
are required to provide a report on each agreement to the President,
Congress, and the USTR.
Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee for Trade
The APAC is composed of a broad spectrum of agricultural interests.
The APAC provides advice concerning the following:
Negotiating objectives and bargaining positions before the
United States enters into a trade agreement;
The operation of various U.S. trade agreements; and
Other matters arising from the administration of U.S.
trade policy.
Agricultural Technical Advisory Committees for Trade
The ATACs provide advice and information regarding trade issues
that affect both domestic and foreign
[[Page 10073]]
production in the commodities of the respective sector, drawing upon
the technical competence and experience of the members. There will be
six ATACs, one for each of the following sectors:
Animals and Animal Products;
Fruits and Vegetables;
Grains, Feed, and Oilseeds;
Processed Foods;
Sweeteners and Sweetener Products; and
Tobacco, Cotton, Peanuts, and Planting Seeds.
Nominations and Appointment of Members
Nominations for APAC and ATAC membership 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 USDA,
membership shall include, to the extent practicable, individuals with
demonstrated ability to represent minorities, women, and persons with
disabilities.
Members must have expertise and knowledge of agricultural 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 membership on a committee. In making
appointments, every effort will be made to maintain balanced
representation on the committees: representation from producers, farm
and commodity organizations, processors, traders, and consumers.
Geographical balance on each committee will also be sought.
Nominations: Nominating a person to serve on any of the committees
requires submission of a current resume for the nominee and the
following form:
AD-755 (Advisory Committee Membership Background
Information), available on the Internet at http://www.fas.usda.gov/admin/ad755.pdf
.
In addition, FAS encourages the submission of the optional form AD-
1086 (Applicant for Advisory Committees Supplemental Sheet), available
on the Internet at http://www.fas.usda.gov/admin/ad1086.pdf. Forms may also be requested by sending an e-mail to LegAffairs@fas.usda.gov., or
by phone at (202) 720-7645.
Foreign Firms: Persons who are employed by firms that are 50
percent plus one share foreign-owned must state the extent to which the
organization or interest to be represented by the nominee is owned by
non-U.S. citizens, organizations, or interests. If the nominee is to
represent an entity or corporation with 10 percent or greater non-U.S.
ownership, the nominee must demonstrate at the time of nomination that
this ownership interest does not constitute control and will not
adversely affect his or her ability to serve as an advisor on the U.S.
agriculture advisory committee for trade.
Issued at Washington, DC, this 11th day of February, 2005.
A. Ellen Terpstra,
Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service.
[FR Doc. 05-4051 Filed 3-1-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-10-M