82 FR 49311 - National Organic Program: Notice of Interim Instruction, Maintaining the Integrity of Organic Imports

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 205 (October 25, 2017)

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is announcing the availability of an interim instruction document intended for use by USDA-accredited organic certifying agents (certifiers). The interim instruction is entitled as follows: Maintaining the Integrity of Organic Imports (NOP 4013). This interim instruction explains the USDA organic regulations' current requirements for certifiers engaged in the oversight of organic products imported into the United States. It also recommends best practices that certifiers may use in order to comply with the existing regulations. AMS invites organic handlers, certifying agents, importers, consumers, and other interested parties to submit comments on the interim instruction. Specifically, comments should address the parts of the instruction that recommend best practices that certifiers may use to ensure compliance with the USDA organic regulations. This document is not intended to request comments on the existing USDA organic regulations found at 7 CFR part 205.

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 205 (Wednesday, October 25, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49311-49312]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-23093]


========================================================================
Notices
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
appearing in this section.

========================================================================


Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 205 / Wednesday, October 25, 2017 / 
Notices

[[Page 49311]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Doc. No. AMS-NOP-17-0043; NOP-17-07]


National Organic Program: Notice of Interim Instruction, 
Maintaining the Integrity of Organic Imports

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability of interim instruction with request for 
comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is announcing the 
availability of an interim instruction document intended for use by 
USDA-accredited organic certifying agents (certifiers). The interim 
instruction is entitled as follows: Maintaining the Integrity of 
Organic Imports (NOP 4013). This interim instruction explains the USDA 
organic regulations' current requirements for certifiers engaged in the 
oversight of organic products imported into the United States. It also 
recommends best practices that certifiers may use in order to comply 
with the existing regulations. AMS invites organic handlers, certifying 
agents, importers, consumers, and other interested parties to submit 
comments on the interim instruction. Specifically, comments should 
address the parts of the instruction that recommend best practices that 
certifiers may use to ensure compliance with the USDA organic 
regulations. This document is not intended to request comments on the 
existing USDA organic regulations found at 7 CFR part 205.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before December 26, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Submit written requests for hard copies of this interim 
instruction 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 interim instruction 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-17-0043; NOP-17-07. You 
should clearly indicate your position and the reasons supporting your 
position. If you are suggesting changes to the draft instruction 
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 instruction will have on certified operations.
    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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 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; Telephone: (202) 720-3252; Fax: (202) 260-9151; Email: 
[email protected]; or visit the NOP Web site at: 
www.ams.usda.gov/nop.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The interim instruction announced via this notice explains the 
current regulatory requirements for organic certification and 
documentation needed to import organic products into the United States, 
and certifiers' responsibilities in reviewing or issuing import related 
documents. The instruction also recommends best practices that 
certifiers may use in order to comply with existing regulatory 
requirements.
    The USDA AMS National Organic Program (NOP) facilitates 
international trade of organic products by authorizing certifiers 
around the world to certify farms and businesses to the USDA organic 
regulations and by establishing trade arrangements with foreign 
countries. Foreign operations are subject to the same requirements as 
domestic operations, and organic products verified to be in compliance 
with these regulations or arrangements can be imported for sale into 
the United States.
    The interim instruction is available from AMS on its Web site at 
http://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/organic. When finalized, the 
final instruction will be available in ``The Program Handbook: Guidance 
and Instructions for Accredited Certifying Agents (ACAs) and Certified 
Operations''. This Handbook provides those who own, manage, or certify 
organic operations with guidance and instructions that can assist them 
in complying with the USDA organic regulations. The current edition of 
the Program Handbook is available online at http://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/organic/handbook.

II. Significance of Guidance

    This interim instruction is being issued in accordance with the 
Office of Management and Budget Bulletin on Agency Good Guidance 
Practices (GGPs) (January 25, 2007, 72 FR 3432-3440).
    The purpose of GGPs is to ensure that program guidance documents 
are developed with adequate public participation, are readily available 
to the public, and are not applied as binding requirements. The interim 
instruction represents AMS' efforts to clarify and strengthen 
compliance with existing regulations on these topics. It does not 
create or confer any rights for, or on, any person and does not operate 
to create additional regulatory requirements that legally bind AMS or 
the public. Guidance documents are intended to provide a uniform method 
for achieving compliance with the USDA organic regulations, thereby 
reducing the

[[Page 49312]]

burden on certified organic operations to develop their own methods and 
simplifying audits and inspections. Alternative approaches that can 
demonstrate compliance with the Organic Foods Production Act, as 
amended (7 U.S.C. 6501-6522), and its implementing regulations are also 
acceptable.

III. Electronic Access

    Persons with access to Internet may obtain the interim instruction 
at either AMS' Web site at http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop or http://www.regulations.gov. Requests for hard copies of the interim 
instruction can be obtained by submitting a written request to the 
person listed in the ADDRESSES section of this Notice.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 6501-6522.

    Dated: October 19, 2017.
Bruce Summers,
Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-23093 Filed 10-24-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P