SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Codex was established in 1963 by two United Nations organizations, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Through adoption of food standards, codes of practice, and other guidelines developed by its committees, and by promoting their adoption and implementation by governments, Codex seeks to protect the health of consumers and ensure fair practices in the food trade.

The Terms of Reference of the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues (CCPR) are:

(a) To establish maximum limits for pesticide residues in specific food items or in groups of food;

(b) to establish maximum limits for pesticide residues in certain animal feeding stuffs moving in international trade where this is justified for reasons of protection of human health;

(c) to prepare priority lists of pesticides for evaluation by the Joint FAO/WHO Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR);

(d) to consider methods of sampling and analysis for the determination of pesticide residues in food and feed;

(e) to consider other matters in relation to the safety of food and feed containing pesticide residues; and,

(f) to establish maximum limits for environmental and industrial contaminants showing chemical or other similarity to pesticides, in specific food items or groups of food.

The CCPR is hosted by China. The United States attends CCPR as a member country of Codex.

Issues To Be Discussed at the Public Meeting

The following items on the Agenda for the 52nd Session of the CCPR will be discussed during the public meeting:

• Adoption of the Agenda
• Appointment of Rapporteurs
• Matters referred to CCPR by CAC and/or other subsidiary bodies
• Matters of interest arising from FAO and WHO
• Matters of interest arising from other international organizations
• Report on items of general consideration by the 2019 JMPR extraordinary and regular meetings—Section 2 of the 2019 JMPR Reports
• Report on responses to specific concerns raised by CCPR arising from the 2019 JMPR extraordinary and regular meetings—Section 3 of the 2019 JMPR Reports
• Proposed MRLs for pesticides in food and feed

Revision of theClassification of Food and Feed (CXM 4/1989) for selected commodity groups:

(i) Class C— Primary feed commodities (Type 11: Primary Feed commodities of plant origin, taking into account silage, fodder, and a separate group for grasses) and the fodder discussion paper.

(ii) Class D— Processed Food commodities of plant origin (all Types in Class D).

(iii) Tables on examples of representative commodities for commodity groups in different types under Class C and Class D, for inclusion in the Principles and Guidance for the Selection of Representative Commodities for the Extrapolation of MRLs for Pesticides to Commodity Group (CXG 84-2012).

(iv) Impact of the revised types in Class C and D on CXLs.

(v) Class B—Primary food commodities of animal origin—Harmonization of meat mammalian maximum residue limits between CCPR and the Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods (CCRVDF).

Impact of revised types in Class A (in theClassification of Food and Feed (CXM 4/1989)) on CXLs

• Proposed draft Guidelines for compounds of low public health concern that could be exempted from the establishment of Codex Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs or also referred to as CXLs)

Discussion paper on the opportunity to revise theGuidelines on the use of mass spectrometry for the identification, confirmation and quantitative determination of residues (CXG 56-2005)

• Discussion paper on the monitoring of purity and stability of certified reference material (CRM) of multi-class pesticides during prolonged storage
• Discussion paper on the review of the International Estimated Short-term Intake (IESTI) equations
• Discussion paper on opportunities and challenges for the JMPR participation in an international parallel review of a new compound
• Discussion paper on the management of unsupported compounds (without public health concerns) scheduled for periodic review

Information on national registrations databases of pesticides ( printed page 5931)

• Establishment of Codex Schedules and Priority Lists of Pesticides for evaluation by the 2020 JMPR
• Other Business and Future Work

Public Meeting

At the February 27, 2020, public meeting, draft U.S. positions on the agenda items will be described and discussed, and attendees will have the opportunity to pose questions and offer comments. Written comments may be offered at the meeting or sent to CAPT David Miller, U.S. Delegate for the 52nd Session of the CCPR (see ADDRESSES ). Written comments should state that they relate to activities of the 52nd Session of the CCPR.

Additional Public Notification

Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy development is important. Consequently, the U.S. Codex Office will announce this Federal Register publication on-line through the USDA web page located at: www.usda.gov/​codex/​, a link that also offers an email subscription service providing access to information related to Codex. Customers can add or delete their subscription themselves and have the option to password protect their accounts.

USDA Non-Discrimination Statement

No agency, officer, or employee of the USDA shall, on the grounds of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, or political beliefs, exclude from participation in, deny the benefits of, or subject to discrimination any person in the United States under any program or activity conducted by the USDA.

How To File a Complaint of Discrimination

To file a complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, which may be accessed online at www.ocio.usda.gov/​sites/​default/​files/​docs/​2012/​Complain_​combined_​6_​8_​12.pdf, or write a letter signed by you or your authorized representative. Send your completed complaint form or letter to USDA by mail, fax, or email.

Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410.

Fax: (202) 690-7442, Email: program.intake@usda.gov.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

85 FR 5929