Department of Agriculture – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents
We are proposing to revise the definition of retail pet store and related regulations to bring more pet animals sold at retail under the protection of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). Specifically, we would narrow the definition of retail pet store so that it means a place of business or residence that each buyer physically enters in order to personally observe the animals available for sale prior to purchase and/or to take custody of the animals after purchase, and where only certain animals are sold or offered for sale, at retail, for use as pets. Retail pet stores are not required to be licensed and inspected under the AWA. We are also proposing to increase from three to four the number of breeding female dogs, cats, and/or small exotic or wild mammals that a person may maintain on his or her premises and be exempt from the licensing and inspection requirements if he or she sells only the offspring of those animals born and raised on his or her premises, for pets or exhibition. This exemption would apply regardless of whether those animals are sold at retail or wholesale. This proposed rule is necessary to ensure that animals sold at retail are monitored for their health and humane treatment and to concentrate our regulatory efforts on those facilities that present the greatest risk of noncompliance with the regulations.
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on proposed information collections. This is a new information collection in which Food and Nutrition Service seeks an updated description of Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) participants and programs, and a better understanding of why FDPIR participation has been declining. This study will provide national estimates of participating households as well as estimates for large subgroups, such as households with elderly participants. For a sample of Indian Tribal Organizations (ITOs) or State-administered FDPIR programs, participating households will be selected for data collection. Data collection will consist of case record reviews (abstracting standard eligibility information for all household members) and, for each selected household, interviews with the person who applied for FDPIR assistance (noted as the Head of Household on some forms) or his/her proxy. Site visits will be conducted to a subset of the ITOs or State-administered programs to obtain qualitative information on program operations and experiences of FDPIR participants and eligible nonparticipants. Site visit data collection will include interviews with Tribal leaders, FDPIR administrators and staff, and other service providers; visits to FDPIR enrollment sites, warehouses, and distribution sites; and discussion groups with FDPIR participants and eligible nonparticipants. Information obtained will provide updated information on FDPIR participants and program operations and will be used by FNS to inform decisions regarding program administration and to identify ways to make the program more beneficial to participants.
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on this proposed information collection. This is a new collection for the Food and Nutrition Service to describe the roles of community-based organizations (CBOs) in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and to assess if, and how, the use of CBOs to conduct SNAP applicant interviews has impacted SNAP program outcomes such as timeliness, payment error rates, access, and client satisfaction.
The National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council will meet on June 6 and 7, 2012. The meeting will be held in Washington, DC at the U.S. Forest Service Yates Building. The purpose of this meeting is to have the working committees discuss the 2013 grant categories; preparation for the 10 year action plan revisions; work plan action items; communications; and accomplishment/ recommendations report.
The Foreign Agricultural Service published a document in the Federal Register of April 23, 2012, concerning funds availability and inviting applications for the Market Access Program (MAP). The document contained incorrect dates.
The Foreign Agricultural Service published a document in the Federal Register of April 23, 2012, concerning funds availability and inviting applications for the Emerging Markets Program (EMP). The document contained incorrect dates.
The Foreign Agricultural Service published a document in the Federal Register of April 23, 2012, concerning funds availability and inviting applications for the Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops (TASC) program. The document contained incorrect dates.
The Foreign Agricultural Service published a document in the Federal Register of April 23, 2012, concerning funds availability and inviting applications for the Quality Samples Program (QSP). The document contained incorrect dates.
The Foreign Agricultural Service published a document in the Federal Register of April 23, 2012, concerning funds availability and inviting applications for the Foreign Market Development (Cooperator) Program. The document contained incorrect dates.
The Rural Housing Service (RHS), an Agency within Rural Development, announces that it is soliciting competitive applications under its Housing Preservation Grant (HPG) program. The HPG program is a grant program which provides qualified public agencies, private non- profit organizations, which may include, but not be limited to, faith- based and community organizations, and other eligible entities grant funds to assist very low- and low-income homeowners in repairing and rehabilitating their homes in rural areas. In addition, the HPG program assists rental property owners and cooperative housing complexes in repairing and rehabilitating their units if they agree to make such units available to low- and very low-income persons. This action is taken to comply with RHS regulations which require RHS to announce the opening and closing dates for receipt of preapplications for HPG funds from eligible applicants. The intended effect of this Notice is to provide eligible organizations notice of these dates.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing this document to propose to clarify its requirements for validation by an official establishment of its Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system, that is, validation of both the critical control points (CCPs) in the HACCP plan and any interventions or processes used to support decisions in the hazard analysis. Validation of a HACCP system involves two separate elements: The scientific or technical support for the judgments made in designing the HACCP system, and evidence derived from the execution of the HACCP plan to demonstrate that it is, in fact, achieving the critical operational parameters documented in the scientific or technical support. The Agency is also announcing the availability of, and requesting comments on, a revised draft guidance document prepared to assist establishments in appropriately validating their HACCP systems. The Agency received and analyzed comments on the initial draft of this guidance, which the Agency posted on its Web site in March 2010. FSIS is soliciting comments on this revised guidance and will hold a public meeting to discuss the revised guidance before it issues final guidance for HACCP systems validation.
This rule establishes the Processed Raspberry Promotion, Research, and Information Order (Order). The program will be implemented under the Commodity Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1996 (1996 Act). Under the Order, producers of raspberries for processing and importers of processed raspberries will pay an assessment of up to one cent per pound, with the initial assessment rate being one cent per pound, which shall be paid to the National Processed Raspberry Council (Council). Producers and importers of less than 20,000 pounds annually of raspberries for processing and processed raspberries, respectively, will be exempt from the assessment. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (Department) conducted a referendum between June 8 and June 24, 2011 to ascertain whether the persons to be covered by and assessed under the Order favored the implementation of the program. In the referendum, 88 percent of those who voted favored implementation of the Order. Producers and importers of 20,000 or more pounds of raspberries for processing or processed raspberries respectively, during the calendar year January 1 through December 31, 2010, were eligible to vote in the referendum. The program was proposed by the Washington Red Raspberry Commission (WRRC).
The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is providing notice of Fiscal Year 2012 awards for its Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) Grant Program. For Fiscal Year 2012, $15 million in grants will be awarded to the top scoring applications in rank order for the national competition announced in the Federal Register on February 24, 2011 (Vol. 76, No. 37). Therefore, applications for DLT grant funds will not be solicited in FY 2012. Many of the applications submitted under the aforementioned Notice, which have been evaluated and scored, represent exemplary projects in their use of telecommunications, computer networks, and related advanced technologies to encourage and improve telemedicine services and distance learning services in rural areas. Only a limited number of these projects, however, could be funded with appropriated FY 2011 funds. The $15 million appropriated in Fiscal Year 2012 will be awarded to fund the highest scoring of these remaining projects according to their ranking position in the 2011 competition. RUS will notify the public when it will be taking new applications
In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App., the United States Department of Agriculture announces the solicitation for nominations to fill 9 vacancies on the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board.
The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) announces its Revolving Fund Program (RFP) application window for Fiscal Year (FY) 2012. In addition to announcing the application window, RUS announces the available funding of $497,000 and maximum amounts for RFP competitive grants for the fiscal year. The RFP is authorized under section 306(a)(2)(B) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (Con Act), 7 U.S.C. 1926 (a)(2)(B). Under the RFP, qualified private, non-profit organizations receive RFP grant funds to establish a lending program for eligible entities. Eligible entities for the revolving loan fund will be the same entities eligible, under paragraph 1 or 2 of Section 306(a) of the Con Act, 7 U.S.C. 1926(1) or (2), to obtain a loan, loan guarantee, or grant from the RUS Water, Waste Disposal and Wastewater loan and grant programs.
The Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on a proposal to construct roads and harvest timber in the Saddle Lakes area of Revillagigedo Island, Ketchikan-Misty Fiords Ranger District, Tongass National Forest. The proposed action would harvest almost 33 million board feet (MMBF) of timber on about 2,613 acres and would construct up to 19 miles of road.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is implementing provisions of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 by amending the Federal meat and poultry products inspection regulations to require official establishments to promptly notify the appropriate District Office that an adulterated or misbranded meat or poultry product has entered commerce; require official establishments to prepare and maintain written procedures for the recall of all meat and poultry products produced and shipped by the establishment; and require official establishments to document each reassessment of the establishment's Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans.
In accordance with Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations (5 CFR 1320) that implement the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35), this notice announces the National Institute of Food and Agriculture's (NIFA) intention to request approval to extend the currently approved information collection for the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP). There are no planned revisions.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing proposed new procedures that it intends to implement when FSIS or other Federal or State agencies find raw ground beef presumptive positive for Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7. This methodology will enable FSIS to better determine whether the establishments that produced the source materials for contaminated product have produced other product that may not be microbiologically independent from the contaminated product. The Agency is also announcing its intention to now, as a matter of routine policy, request a recall if an establishment was the sole supplier of beef trim source materials for ground product that FSIS or other Federal or State agencies find positive for E. coli O157:H7, evidence suggests that contamination most likely occurred at the supplier establishment, and a portion of the product from the originating source lot was sent to other establishments. This notice also explains that FSIS intends to determine whether it can make better use of establishment results and also intends to conduct a study to help it identify the source of E. coli O157:H7 positive ground beef when the material from multiple suppliers was used to produce positive product. Finally, this notice announces the availability of compliance guidelines concerning establishment sampling and testing for shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) organisms or virulence markers and compliance guidelines for E. coli O157:H7 sampled and tested labeling claims.
The Forestry Research Advisory Council will meet in Washington, DC, on June 6-7, 2012. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss emerging issues in forestry research.
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35, as amended), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development administers rural utilities programs through the Rural Utilities Service (RUS). The USDA Rural Development invites comments on the following information collections for which the Agency intends to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is proposing to remove sodium benzoate, sodium propionate, and benzoic acid from the list of substances that the regulations prohibit for use in meat or poultry products. Under this proposal, new uses of these substances in meat or poultry products would continue to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for safety and by FSIS for suitability. FSIS would add approved uses of these substances to the list of approved substances contained in the Agency's directive system.
The Office of Procurement and Property Management (OPPM) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is establishing and implementing procedures for the transfer of excess computers or other technical equipment for the purposes of distribution to a city, town, or local government entity in a rural area.
The Evanston-Mountain View Ranger District of the Uinta- Wasatch-Cache National Forest proposes to treat approximately 4,300 acres of a variety of vegetation types within the 58,000-acre Smiths Fork project analysis area, located in Uinta County, Wyoming, and Summit County, Utah, approximately 25 miles southwest of Mountain View, Wyoming. Proposed treatment acivities include salvage clearcuts; sanitation salvage; and thin, pile, and burn. This proposal is being developed in direct response to the continuing mountain pine beetle epidemic in the area and its potential long-term impacts on the Smiths Fork area. The project is being undertaken under the auspices of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act (``HFRA'').
In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. 2, the United States Department of Agriculture announces a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture (AC21).
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development administers rural utilities programs through the Rural Utilities Service (RUS). The USDA Rural Development invites comments on the following information collections for which the Agency intends to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) announces the availability of $993,000 in grant funds to be competitively awarded for the Household Water Well System (HWWS) Grant Program for fiscal year 2012 (FY 2012). RUS will make grants to qualified private non-profit organizations to establish lending programs for homeowners to borrow up to $11,000 to construct or repair household water wells for an existing home. The HWWS Grant Program is authorized under 7 U.S.C. 1926e. Regulations are contained in 7 CFR 1776.
The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Utilities Service (RUS) announces its Community Connect Grant Program application window for Fiscal Year (FY) 2012. In addition, RUS announces the minimum and maximum amounts for Community Connect grants applicable for the fiscal year. The Community Connect Grant Program regulations can be found at 7 CFR 1739, subpart A.
The Department of Agriculture, Forest Service will prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a proposed amendment of the Land Management Plans for the Angeles, Cleveland, Los Padres, and San Bernardino National Forests (hereinafter referred to as Land Management Plans). This notice describes the specific portions of the current Land Management Plans to be amended, estimates dates for filing the supplemental environmental impact statement, information concerning public participation, and the names and contact information of the agency officials who can provide additional information. The Forest Service proposes to amend the Land Management Plans to change Land Use Zone allocations within select Inventoried Roadless Areas (IRAs) in the four southern California National Forests. The amendment also proposes to change the Land Management Plan monitoring protocols for the four forests. This joint planning process will maintain the consistent management direction and format across the four Forests. One Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared with a Record of Decision (ROD) for each Land Management Plan.
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on the proposed collection. This information collection is based on the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act and Section 5(h) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, which provide the Secretary of Agriculture with the authority to develop a Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) to address the needs of families temporarily in need of food assistance after a disaster. The information collection under this notice is required for the establishment and operation of a D-SNAP.
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on this existing information collection. This collection is a revision of a currently approved collection for reporting school programs data on a monthly basis for the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, and the Special Milk Program.
This interim rule amends National School Lunch Program regulations to conform to requirements contained in the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 regarding performance-based cash assistance for school food authorities certified compliant with meal pattern and nutrition standards. This rule requires State agencies to certify participating school food authorities (SFAs) that are in compliance with meal pattern and nutrition standard requirements as eligible to receive performance-based cash assistance for each reimbursable lunch served (an additional six cents per lunch available beginning October 1, 2012 and adjusted annually thereafter). This rule also requires State agencies to disburse performance-based cash assistance to certified SFAs, and withhold the performance-based cash assistance if the SFA is determined to be out of compliance with meal pattern or nutrition standards during a subsequent administrative review. The intended effect of this rule is to provide additional funding for SFAs to implement new meal pattern requirements, thus increasing the healthfulness of meals served to school children.
The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) has issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Environmental Assessment (EA) associated with a solar generation project. The EA was prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of NEPA (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508) and RUS's NEPA implementing regulations (7 CFR Part 1794, Environmental Policies and Procedures). The EA evaluates the environmental impacts associated with a potential loan or loan guarantee to Turning Point Solar LLC (Turning Point Solar) for the proposal. RUS is considering funding this proposal.
The USDA, Forest Service, Los Padres National Forest, gives notice of intent to conduct an analysis and prepare an EIS for reissuance of a 20-year special use permit for the Winchester Canyon Gun Club (WCGC). This notice announces the beginning of scoping, describes the proposed action and the decision to be made, and estimates the dates for filing the draft and final EIS. This notice also provides information concerning public participation and the names and addresses of Agency officials, who can provide information. The Agency issued an NOI in the Federal Register (Vol. 74, No. 230, Wednesday, December 2, 2009). However, issuance of the draft EIS has been delayed. Because of this delay, the Agency is reissuing the NOI to ensure timely scoping and a timely release of the documents.
This final rule establishes the process and procedures to certify a qualifying college or university as a Hispanic-Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities (HSACU) institution. NIFA will publish 7 CFR part 3434 in the Code of Federal Regulations to chronicle the eligibility criteria colleges and universities must satisfy in order to be certified as HSACU institutions by the Secretary of Agriculture. The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (FCEA) amended section 1404 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 to add a definition for a new group of cooperating educational institutions known as Hispanic-Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities. Section 1404 defines HSACUs as colleges and universities that qualify as Hispanic-serving Institutions (HSIs) and offer associate, bachelors, or other accredited degree programs in agriculture-related fields. HSACUs do not include 1862 land-grant institutions, as defined in the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998. A separate part, 7 CFR part 3437, will be published in the future to provide specific administrative provisions for the HSACU Endowment Program (e.g., applicability of regulations, purpose, definitions, eligibility, use of funds, administrative duties, and other sections, as appropriate).
The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is extending the comment period for the proposed rulemaking ``Modernization of Poultry Slaughter Inspection'' and responding to questions and addressing issues that have been raised concerning the proposed rule. The comment period was scheduled to close on April 26, 2012. During the comment period, a coalition of consumer advocacy organizations and two trade associations representing the poultry industry asked that FSIS clarify certain aspects of the proposed rule to help inform their comments. This document summarizes the issues raised by these groups and FSIS's response. FSIS is also soliciting additional comments on how it should implement the final rule resulting from the proposal and requesting available data on any worker safety issues associated with increased line speeds. FSIS received a request to hold a public technical meeting on the proposed rule. FSIS does not believe that such a meeting would be useful. The Agency will, however, assess public understanding of the proposed rule in connection with its review and evaluation of the comments submitted and will respond as appropriate.
In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) is proposing to add a new Forest Service system to its inventory of records systems. USDA invites public comment on this new records system.
Notice is hereby given that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is revising two Privacy Act (PA) systems of records and deleting two PA systems of records maintained by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), formerly the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES).
The Rural Business-Cooperative Service announces the availability of approximately $3 million in competitive grant funds for the FY 2012 SSDPG program. See the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012 (2012 Appropriations Act) (Pub. L. 112-55). We request proposals from applicants that will provide technical assistance to small, socially-disadvantaged agricultural producers in rural areas. Eligible applicants include Cooperatives, Groups of Cooperatives, and Cooperative Development Centers. The maximum award per grant is $175,000.
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the intention of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) to request revision and extension of a currently approved information collection, the Egg, Chicken, and Turkey Surveys. A revision to burden hours will be needed due to changes in the size of the target population, sampling design, and/or questionnaire length.
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Rural Business-Cooperative Service's intention to request an extension for a currently approved information collection in support of the program for the 1890 Land Grant Institutions Rural Entrepreneurial Outreach and Development Initiative Program.
The Regional Forester, Pacific Southwest Region, hereby delegates to the Forest Supervisor, Eldorado National Forest, authority to grant a Forest Road and Trail Act easement to El Dorado County for the Rubicon Trail.
