Notice2023-12313
Notice of Intent To Renew Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee (APAC) and the Related Agricultural Technical Advisory Committees (ATACs) for Trade and Continuation of Requests for Nominations for the Agricultural Trade Advisory Committees
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Published
June 8, 2023
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentForeign Agricultural Service
Abstract
Pursuant to section 135 of the Trade Act of 1974 and the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, notice is hereby given that the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary), in coordination with the United States Trade Representative (Trade Representative or USTR), intends to renew the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee (APAC) and the related Agricultural Technical Advisory Committees (ATACs) for Trade to provide detailed policy and technical advice, information, and recommendations regarding trade barriers, negotiation of trade agreements, and implementation of existing trade agreements affecting food and agricultural products, including the performance of other advisory functions relevant to U.S. agricultural trade policy matters. The establishment and renewal of such committees is in the public interest in connection with the duties of United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) imposed by the Trade Act of 1974, as amended. In addition, the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) continues to welcome nominations for persons to serve on APAC and ATACs.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 110 (Thursday, June 8, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 110 (Thursday, June 8, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37507-37509]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-12313]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Foreign Agricultural Service
Notice of Intent To Renew Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee
(APAC) and the Related Agricultural Technical Advisory Committees
(ATACs) for Trade and Continuation of Requests for Nominations for the
Agricultural Trade Advisory Committees
AGENCY: Foreign Agricultural Service, United States Department of
Agriculture.
ACTION: Notice of rechartering and continuation of requests for
nominations.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 135 of the Trade Act of 1974 and the
Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, notice is hereby given that
the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary), in coordination with the
United States Trade Representative (Trade Representative or USTR),
intends to renew the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee (APAC) and
the related Agricultural Technical Advisory Committees (ATACs) for
Trade to provide detailed policy and technical advice, information, and
recommendations regarding trade barriers, negotiation of trade
agreements, and implementation of existing trade agreements affecting
food and agricultural products, including the performance of other
advisory functions relevant to U.S. agricultural trade policy matters.
The establishment and renewal of such committees is in the public
interest in connection with the duties of United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA) imposed by the Trade Act of 1974, as amended. In
addition, the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) continues to welcome
nominations for persons to serve on APAC and ATACs.
DATES: We will accept nominations for membership on the APAC and six
ATACs throughout the four-year charter term of the committees (June
2023 through June 2027). New applicants are considered approximately
every 12-18 months.
ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of the nomination materials should be sent
to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#53120712102013262037327d343c25"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c9889d888aba89bcbaada8e7aea6bf">[email protected]</span></a>.
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All nomination materials may also be mailed in a single, complete
package to: Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture,
1400 Independence Ave. SW, Room 200A, Jamie L. Whitten Building,
Washington, DC 20250-1001, Attn: APAC/ATACs.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Darlene Maginnis, Group Federal
Officer, Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture
at 202-868-7059; or by email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#05445144467645707661642b626a73"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="7f3e2b3e3c0c3f0a0c1b1e51181009">[email protected]</span></a>. You can find additional
information about the APAC and ATACs on the Foreign Agricultural
Service website at <a href="http://www.fas.usda.gov/atacs">www.fas.usda.gov/atacs</a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Rechartering of Existing Committees: Pursuant to the Federal
Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. 10), FAS gives notice that the
Secretary and Trade Representative intends to renew the APAC and the
following six ATACs:
<bullet> Animals and Animal Products;
<bullet> Fruits and Vegetables;
<bullet> Grains, Feed, Oilseeds, and Planting Seeds;
<bullet> Processed Foods;
<bullet> Sweeteners and Sweetener Products; and,
<bullet> Tobacco, Cotton, Peanuts and Hemp (newly revised title).
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:
<bullet> The President's Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and
Negotiations;
<bullet> Five general policy advisory committees, including the
APAC; and,
<bullet> Several technical advisory committees, including the
ATACs.
Background
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.
As provided for in the law and their charters, the APAC has the
following responsibilities:
(A) The Committee will advise, consult with, and make
recommendations to the Secretary and Trade Representative concerning
the trade policy of the United States and the matters arising in the
administration of such policy; (B) The Committee will provide
information and advice regarding the following: negotiating objectives
and bargaining positions of the United States before the United States
enters into trade agreements, the operation of any trade agreement once
entered into, and matters arising in connection with the administration
of the trade policy of the United States; and (C) The Committee will
furnish such other advisory opinions and reports as the Secretary and
Trade Representative deem necessary; and the ATACs have similar
responsibilities:
General Committee Information
Each committee has a chairperson, who is elected from the
membership of that committee. Committees meet as needed, and all
committee meetings are typically held in Washington, DC, or by
telephone conference. Committee meetings may be closed if USTR
determines that a committee will be discussing issues that justify
closing a meeting or portions of a meeting, in accordance with 19
U.S.C. 2155(f).
Throughout the year, members are requested to review sensitive
trade policy information 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, USTR, and USDA.
Committee Membership Information
All committee members are appointed by and serve at the discretion
of the Secretary and Trade Representative. Committee appointments are
typically for a period of four years but may be renewed for an
additional term. Each committee member must be a U.S. citizen and must
represent a U.S. entity with an interest in agricultural trade and must
not be registered with the Department of Justice under the Foreign
Agents Registration Act. To attend most meetings, committee members
must have a current security clearance. New members will be guided in
how to apply for a security clearance and their appointment will be
contingent on successful completion of the investigation. Committee
members serve without compensation and are not reimbursed for their
travel expenses. No person may serve on more than one USDA advisory
committee at the same time unless a specific exception is granted by
the USDA Committee Management Officer. No entity may have more than one
representative on any single trade advisory committee.
Nominations and Appointments of Members
Eligibility: Nominations for APAC and ATAC membership are open to
individuals representing U.S. entities with an interest in agricultural
trade without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin,
age, mental or physical handicap, marital status, or sexual
orientation. Equal opportunity practices in accordance with U.S.
Government policies will be followed in all appointments to the
Committee. To ensure that the recommendations of the Committee take
into account the needs of the diverse groups served by USDA, membership
shall include to the extent possible, individuals with demonstrated
ability to represent minorities, women, and persons with disabilities.
Members should have expertise and knowledge of agricultural trade as it
relates to policy and commodity specific issues. Members will normally
come from an entity with an interest in agriculture, and will serve as
a Representative, presenting the views and interests of a particular
U.S. entity that has an interest in the subject matter of the
committee.
However, should a member be appointed primarily for his or her
expertise, and not as a representative of an interest group, he or she
shall be designated as a Special Government Employee (SGE). SGEs are
subject to specific provisions of the ethics laws, including disclosure
of financial interests, if they are appointed because of their personal
knowledge, background, or expertise. USDA will assist SGEs in
disclosing their financial interest and will provide ethics training on
an annual basis.
Appointments are made of individuals only and are not
transferrable. 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 with representation from producers,
farm and commodity organizations, processors, traders, and consumers.
Geographical diversity 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 USDA
AD-755 (Advisory Committee Membership Background Information, OMB
Number 0505-0001), available on the internet at: <a href="https://www.fas.usda.gov/trade-advisorycommittees-applying-membership">https://www.fas.usda.gov/trade-advisorycommittees-applying-membership</a>. A cover
letter should also be submitted indicating the specific committee for
which the individual is
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being nominated, why the nominee wants to be a committee member, and
his or her qualifications for membership, and how the submitter learned
about this call for nominations. The cover letter should also include
the statements required below related to Federally Registered Lobbyists
and Foreign Firms. If applicable, the application should include a
sponsor letter on the non-Federal governmental entity letterhead
containing a brief description of the manner in which international
trade affects the entity and why the applicant should be considered for
membership. Forms may also be requested by sending an email to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f7b6a3b6b484b782849396d9909881"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6f2e3b2e2c1c2f1a1c0b0e41080019">[email protected]</span></a>, or by phone at (202) 868-7059.
Federally Registered Lobbyists: All nominees must provide a
statement confirming their lobbyist status.
Pursuant to the Revised Guidance on the Appointment of Lobbyists to
Federal Advisory Committees, Boards and Commissions, published by the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on August 13, 2014, federally-
registered lobbyists are no longer prohibited from serving on the
advisory committees in a representative capacity. OMB's revised
guidance clarifies that the eligibility restriction does not apply to
advisory committee members who are specifically appointed to represent
the interests of a nongovernmental entity, a recognizable group of
persons or nongovernmental entities (an industry sector, labor unions,
environmental groups, etc.), or state or local governments. The
lobbyist prohibition continues to apply to persons serving on advisory
committees in their individual capacity (e.g., SGEs).
Foreign Firms: If the nominee is to represent an entity or
corporation with ten percent or greater non-U.S. ownership, the nominee
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 and 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.
Dated: June 5, 2023.
Cikena Reid,
USDA Committee Management Officer.
[FR Doc. 2023-12313 Filed 6-6-23; 11:15 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-10-P
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