DEPARTMENTAL REGULATION |
Number: 1043-50 |
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SUBJECT: Charter
of the Consultative Group to Eliminate Child Labor and Forced Labor in
Imported Agricultural Products
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DATE: March 25, 2010 |
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1. PURPOSE
a. The Consultative Group to Eliminate the Use Of Child Labor and
Forced Labor in Imported Agricultural Products (hereinafter the “Consultative
Group”) is established by the Secretary of Agriculture in cooperation with the
Department of Labor pursuant to Section 3205 of the Food, Conservation, and
Energy Act of 2008.
b. The
normal requirements of an advisory committee under the Federal Advisory
Committee Act (FACA) are not applicable to the Consultative Group, as stated in
Section 3205(g) of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008.
2. SPECIAL
INSTRUCTIONS/CANCELLATIONS
The Consultative Group will terminate
on December 31, 2012.
3. MEMBERSHIP
AND OFFICERS
a. The
composition of the Consultative Group will include representatives of:
(1) Department of
Agriculture (2 representatives)
(2) Department of
Labor, Bureau of International Labor Affairs, Deputy Under Secretary for
International Affairs
(1
representative)
(3) Department of
State (1 representative)
(4) Private
agriculture-related enterprises, which may include retailers, food processors,
importers, and producers, of whom at least 1 member shall be an importer, food
processor, or retailer who utilizes independent, third-party supply chain
monitoring for forced labor or child labor (3 representatives)
(5) Higher
education/research institutions (2 representatives)
(6) Organizations
that provide independent, third-party certification services for labor
standards for producers or importers of agricultural commodities and products
(1
representative)
(7) Organizations
described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 that have
expertise on the issues of international child labor and do not possess a
conflict of interest associated with establishment of the guidelines described
in section 3 below, as determined by the Bureau of International Labor Affairs
of the Department of Labor, including representatives of consumer organizations
and trade unions if appropriate (3 representatives)
b.
The Secretary of Agriculture, or his designee, shall appoint the members of the
Consultative Group except that the Secretary of State, or her designee, shall
appoint the representative of the U.S. Department of State and the Deputy Under
Secretary of Labor for International Affairs shall be the representative of the
U.S. Department of Labor. The members of
the Consultative Group shall serve at the pleasure of and for the terms
specified by the Secretary of Agriculture, except that the representative of
the Department of State shall serve as specified by the Secretary of
State. The Deputy Under Secretary of
Labor for International Affairs is specifically named by the 2008 Farm Bill as
a member of the Consultative Group.
4. DUTIES
a. The
Consultative Group will develop and make recommendations to the Secretary of
Agriculture relating to
guidelines to reduce the likelihood that agricultural products or commodities
imported into the
b. On
the basis of these recommendations, the Secretary shall release guidelines for
a voluntary initiative to enable entities to address child labor and forced
labor issues raised by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22
U.S.C. 7101 et seq.). These guidelines
will be published in the Federal Register and be available for public comment
for a period of 90 days.
5. ESTIMATED
ANNUAL OPERATING EXPENSES
a. Annual operating costs are estimated to be $18,000,
which includes 0.14 staff years of support time.
b. Members shall serve without reimbursement for
travel or travel-related expenses, except that members may be provided meals or
refreshments at the meetings in accordance with the invitational travel statute
(5 U.S.C. 5703) and the Federal Travel Regulation (41 C.F.R. chapters 301-304).
6. NUMBER
AND FREQUENCY OF MEETINGS
a.
The
Consultative Group will be chaired by a representative of the Department of
Agriculture.
b.
The
Consultative Group shall meet no fewer than four times per year.
7. REPORT/SUPPORT
a. The Chairperson will prepare annual
reports that describe the activities and recommendations of the Consultative
Group, for submission by the Secretary to the Committees on Agriculture and
Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate. The first annual report will be submitted no
later than June 18, 2009.
b. The Foreign Agricultural Service will
provide administrative and other necessary support for the Consultative Group.
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