DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Agricultural Marketing Service [TMDÄ93Ä00Ä2] Hearings for Organic Livestock and Livestock Products AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice of public hearings SUMMARY: In accordance with the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 AMS announces four public hearings on the production and processing of livestock and livestock products to be sold or labeled as organically produced under the Act. The hearings will provide an opportunity for public dialogue on issues relating to the organic production and processing of livestock and livestock products to be labeled as organic. DATES: January 27Ä28, 1994 February 10, 1994 February 24, 1994 March 22, 1994 ADDRESSES: The first hearings will be held in the Jefferson Auditorium of the South Building, USDA, located at 12th and Independence Avenues, SW, Washington, DC, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, January 27, and Friday, January 28, 1994. Subsequent hearings will be held at the following locations: February 10, 1994, Hyatt Regency O'Hare, 9300 West Bryn Mawr Avenue, Rosemont, Illinois 60018, 708Ä696Ä1234 February 24, 1994, Hampton Inn, 4685 Quebec Street, Denver, Colorado 80216, 303Ä388Ä8100 March 22, 1994, Holiday Inn, 5321 Date Avenue, Sacramento, California 95841, 916Ä338Ä5800 All subsequent hearings will be conducted during the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the respective locations. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Harold S. Ricker, Staff Director, National Organic Program, room 4006 South Building, USDA, AMS, Transportation and Marketing Division (TMD), P.O. Box 96456, Washington, DC, 20090Ä6456. Telephone (202) 720Ä2704. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of these hearings is to provide additional information to USDA as it develops regulations to guide the implementation of standards for the production and processing of livestock and livestock products that will be sold or labeled as organically produced under the Act. Background The Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 as amended (7 U.S.C. 6501Ä6522) requires the Secretary of Agriculture to develop regulations to guide the implementation of standards for the production and processing of livestock products to be sold or labeled as organically produced. The Secretary also is authorized to hold public hearings on developing additional livestock standards. The Secretary will now hold public hearings to assist in developing the regulations to guide the implementation of standards for livestock and livestock products. For livestock products to be considered for sale or labeling as organically produced, the animals from which they are derived must be produced according to organic production standards for livestock. Section 6510 provides additional guidance for handlers and processors. Under the Act, the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) has been established to advise the Secretary on any aspect of implementing the Act's program. The NOSB has been working to develop recommendations and has identified certain issues needing additional input for the development of recommendations for implementation of livestock standards within the Act's program. Some of the issues for which USDA seeks public comment are: 1. Section 6506 (b) of the Act (7 U.S.C. 6506(b)) indicates that an organic certification program established under this Act may provide for the certification of an entire farm or handling operation or specific fields of a farm or parts of a handling operation if, among other things, appropriate physical facilities, machinery, and management practices are established to prevent the possibility of a mixing of organic and nonorganic products or a penetration of prohibited chemicals or other substances on the certified area. Public comment is requested on how this should this be applied to organic livestock production, and the processing and handling of livestock products that are to be sold or labeled as organically produced under the Act. 2. Section 6509(d)(1) of the Act (7 U.S.C. 6509(d)(1)) requires that for a farm to be certified under the Act as an organic farm with respect to livestock production on the farm, producers on an organic farm shall not: (A) Use subtherapeutic doses of antibiotics; (B) Use synthetic internal parasiticides on a routine basis; or (C) Administer medication, other than vaccinations, in the absence of illness. The Act also says that the NOSB shall recommend to the Secretary standards in addition to those in paragraph (d)(1) for the care of livestock to ensure that such livestock is organically produced (7 U.S.C. 6509(d)(2)). USDA seeks public comment on what criteria need to be established to ensure that subtherapeutic doses of antibiotics and routine applications of synthetic internal parasiticides are not applied to livestock that are to be labeled as organically produced under the Act. Public comment is also sought on what constitutes routine use. 3. The Act addresses the acquisition of breeder stock in section 6509(b) (7 U.S.C. 6509(b)), but is silent on the purchase of slaughter stock which could be intended for sale as organic livestock meat products. How should the USDA address this issue? 4. Section 6509(c) (7 U.S.C. 6509(c)) indicates that the livestock organic feeding management system is to utilize certified organically grown feed. USDA seeks public comment on what reasonable exceptions for feed may be made under the Act and its provisions, including the provision that allows reasonable exemptions from the Act's requirements, except those in section 6511 (7 U.S.C. 6511) for Federal and State emergency pest or disease treatment programs that may effect livestock. 5. What management and audit trail records should necessarily be available to ensure that the integrity of the retail organic livestock product package is properly established at the farm and maintained through the slaughter/processing process? 6. Other issues relating to the implementation of the standards under the Act for the production and processing of organic livestock and livestock products that require specific attention during the development of the standards for the production and processing of livestock and livestock products that will be sold or labeled as organically produced under the Act. Purpose and Conduct of the Hearings USDA is requesting that representatives of the public offer comments and suggestions to guide the implementation of standards for the production and processing of organic livestock and livestock products. Interested individuals are encouraged to address areas of concern, including issues that may not be covered in the above background section. Persons who plan to offer oral testimony at any hearing should notify USDA of their preferred hearing date and the subject(s) to be addressed as soon as possible, but no later than seven (7) days preceding the specific hearing date to be scheduled. Oral testimony should not exceed five (5) minutes. Persons who are not able to notify USDA in advance of their intent to testify at a hearing may register at the hearing location and will be accommodated as time permits. The hearings will be conducted by an administrative law judge, and testimony will be taken by a stenographic reporter. An examiner panel consisting of one representative each from AMS, the Food Safety Inspection Service, the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, and the NOSB may be present to ask clarification questions of those providing testimony. Approximately ten (10) additional minutes may be allocated for clarification questions and responses, if needed. Persons providing evidence at the hearing should make the written testimony available at the hearing. Those persons who are unable to attend the hearing, and those persons who are unable to provide written testimony at the hearing, may submit testimony any time up to fifteen (15) days following the hearings. Notification and comments should be submitted to Dr. Harold S. Ricker, Staff Director, National Organic Program, room 4006 South Building, USDA, AMS, TMD, P.O. Box 96456, Washington, DC, 20090Ä6456. Telephone (202) 720Ä2704. Authority: 7 U.S.C. 6501Ä6522. Dated: December 27, 1993. Lon Hatamiya, Administrator. [FR Doc. 93Ä31911 Filed 12Ä29Ä93; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410Ä02ÄP Federal Grain Inspection Service Designation of the Kankakee (IL) Agency, and the States of California and Washington AGENCY: Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS), USDA. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: FGIS announces the designation of Kankakee Grain Inspection, Inc. (Kankakee), California Department of Food and Agriculture (California), and Washington Department of Agriculture (Washington) to provide official inspection services under the United States Grain Standards Act, as amended (Act). EFFECTIVE DATE: February 1, 1994. ADDRESSES: Neil E. Porter, Director, Compliance Division, FGIS, USDA, room 1647 South Building, P.O. Box 96454, Washington, DC 20090Ä6454. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Neil E. Porter, telephone 202Ä720Ä8262. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This action has been reviewed and determined not to be a rule or regulation as defined in Executive Order 12866 and Departmental Regulation 1512Ä1; therefore, the Executive Order and Departmental Regulation do not apply to this action. In the July 30, 1993, Federal Register (58 FR 40787), FGIS announced that the designations of Kankakee, California, and Washington end on January 31, 1994, and asked persons interested in providing official services within the specified geographic areas to submit an application for designation. Applications were due by September 1, 1993. Kankakee, California, and Washington, the only applicants, each applied for designation in the entire area currently assigned to them. FGIS requested comments on the applicants in the September 30, 1993, Federal Register (58 FR 51046). Comments were due by October 29, 1993. FGIS received no comments by the deadline. FGIS evaluated all available information regarding the designation criteria in section 7(f)(1)(A) of the Act; and according to section 7(f)(1)(B), determined that Kankakee, California, and Washington are able to provide official services in the geographic areas for which they applied. Effective February 1, 1994, and ending January 31, 1997, Kankakee, California, and Washington are designated to provide official inspection services in the geographic areas specified in the July 30, 1993, Federal Register. Interested persons may obtain official services by contacting Kankakee at 815Ä932Ä2851, California at 916Ä654Ä0743, and Washington at 206Ä753Ä5066. Authority: Pub. L. 94Ä582, 90 Stat. 2867, as amended (7 U.S.C. 71 et seq.) Dated: December 16, 1993. Neil E. Porter, Director, Compliance Division. [FR Doc. 93Ä31357 Filed 12Ä29Ä93; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410ÄENÄF