Docket Number: AMS-NOP-16-0085
Comments received by: April 7, 2017
Summary
The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is extending the comment period for the notice of availability of draft guidance that appeared in the Federal Register on December 6, 2016 (81 FR 87902). The draft guidance document is entitled: Calculating the Percentage of Organic Ingredients in Multi-Ingredient Products (NOP 5037). This notice extends the comment period for 60 days from February 6, 2017 to April 7, 2017. The Agency is taking this action in response to a request for an extension to allow interested persons additional time to submit comments.
Submit Comments
Submit written requests for hard copies of this draft guidance to Paul I. Lewis, Ph.D., Standards Division Director, National Organic Program (NOP), USDA-AMS-NOP, 1400 Independence Ave. SW., Room 2646—So., Ag Stop 0268, Washington, DC 20250-0268. See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for electronic access to the draft guidance document.
You may submit comments on this draft guidance document by any of the following methods:
- Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
- Mail: Paul I. Lewis, Ph.D., Standards Division Director, National Organic Program, USDA-AMS-NOP, 1400 Independence Ave. SW., Room 2646—So., Ag Stop 0268, Washington, DC 20250-0268.
Instructions: Written comments responding to this request should be identified with the document number AMS-NOP-16-0085; NOP-16-06. You should clearly indicate your position and the reasons supporting your position. If you are suggesting changes to the draft guidance document, you should include recommended language changes, as appropriate, along with any relevant supporting documentation. AMS is specifically requesting that stakeholders comment and quantify any impacts that the guidance will have on certified operations. AMS is also requesting comments from accredited certifying agents on the policy related to the calculation of multi-ingredient ingredients. How is the industry currently calculating organic products that use organic ingredients that contain several ingredients? What are the sound and sensible approaches currently being used?
USDA intends to make available all comments, including names and addresses when provided, regardless of submission procedure used, on www.regulations.gov and at USDA, AMS, NOP, Room 2646—South building, 1400 Independence Ave. SW., Washington, DC, from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday (except official Federal holidays). Persons wanting to visit the USDA South building to view comments from the public to this notice are requested to make an appointment by calling (202) 720-3252.
Contact
Paul Lewis, Ph.D., Director
Standards Division, National Organic Program
USDA-AMS-NOP
1400 Independence Ave., SW.
Room 2 2646-So., Ag Stop 0268
Washington, D.C. 20250
Telephone: (202) 720-3252
Fax: (202) 205- 7808
Supporting Documents