Department of Agriculture – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act requirements, the Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC) is requesting comments from all interested individuals and organizations on a new information collection request for the FPAC Federal Award Performance Monitoring and Reporting Form in support of the implementation of Performance Measurement.

This rulemaking finalizes long-term school nutrition requirements based on the goals of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025, robust stakeholder input, and lessons learned from prior rulemakings. Notably, this rulemaking gradually phases in added sugars limits for the school lunch and breakfast programs and in the Child and Adult Care Food Program, updates total sugars limits for breakfast cereals and yogurt to added sugars limits. As a reflection of feedback from stakeholders, this final rule implements a single sodium reduction in the school lunch and breakfast programs and commits to studying the potential associations between sodium reduction and student participation in the school lunch and breakfast programs. This rulemaking addresses a variety of other school meal requirements, including establishing long-term milk and whole grain requirements. Finally, this rule includes provisions that strengthen Buy American requirements. While this rulemaking takes effect school year 2024-2025, the Department is gradually phasing in required changes over time. Program operators are not required to make any changes to their menus as a result of this rulemaking until school year 2025-2026 at the earliest.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) New York State Office announces its intent to prepare an environmental impact statement for the GreenThumb Gardens Water Supply Project watershed plan, under the jurisdiction of New York City (NYC) Parks and Recreation Department GreenThumb Network, located within the Five Borough Watershed in New York City, New York. The proposed watershed plan will examine alternative solutions to address insufficient agricultural water supply to support the food production needs of the identified community gardens. The GreenThumb Community Gardens includes 254 food producing community gardens within the jurisdiction of the NYC Parks and Recreation Department. NRCS is requesting comments to identify significant issues, potential alternatives, information, and analyses relevant to the proposed action from all interested individuals, Federal and State agencies, and Tribes.

The Helena-Lewis and Clark Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will hold a public meeting according to the details shown below. The committee is authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (the Act) and operates in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The purpose of the committee is to improve collaborative relationships and to provide advice and recommendations to the Forest Service concerning projects and funding consistent with Title II of the Act, as well as make recommendations on recreation fee proposals for sites on the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest within Broadwater, Teton, Lewis and Clark, Fergus, Judith Basin, Pondera, Meagher, and Wheatland counties, consistent with the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act.

This proposed rule would implement a recommendation from the Cherry Industry Administrative Board (Board) to establish free and restricted percentages for the 2023-24 crop year under the Federal marketing order for tart cherries grown in the states of Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin. This action would establish the proportion of tart cherries from the 2023-24 crop which may be handled in commercial outlets. This action should stabilize marketing conditions by adjusting supply to meet market demand and help improve grower returns.

The Forest Service (Forest Service or Agency), United States Department of Agriculture, is issuing a final permanent order prohibiting prairie dog hunting in part of the Conata Basin area of the Wall Ranger District in the Buffalo Gap National Grassland covering approximately 80,694 acres in Jackson and Pennington Counties, South Dakota.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), is announcing a meeting of the Grain Inspection Advisory Committee (Committee). The Committee meets no less than once annually to advise the Secretary on the programs and services delivered by the AMS under the U.S. Grain Standards Act. Recommendations by the Committee help AMS meet the needs of its customers, who operate in a dynamic and changing marketplace.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act requirement, the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and the Farm Service Agency (FSA) are requesting comments from all interested individuals and organizations on an extension with revision of a currently approved information collection that supports CCC and FSA loan programs. The information collection is necessary to gather data regarding the applicant which is required on a financing statement, and to obtain the applicant's permission to file a financing statement prior to the execution of a security agreement.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, FSIS is announcing its intention to renew an approved information collection regarding requirements for animal disposition reporting in the Public Health Information System. There are no changes to the existing information collection. The approval for this information collection will expire on September 30, 2024.

The United States Department of Agriculture (Department) is seeking nominations for the Southern Region Recreation Resource Advisory Committee (Southern Region Recreation RAC) pursuant to the authority of the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), as amended. The Southern Region Recreation RAC will provide recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture on recreation fees on lands and waters managed by the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management in the regions covered by each committee. The Southern Region Recreation RAC will be governed by the provisions of FACA. Duration of the Southern Region Recreation RAC is for two years unless renewed by the Secretary.

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), the National Forest Management Act of 1976 (NFMA), and the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended (MLA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Price Field Office, and U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service (USDA Forest Service) Manti-La Sal National Forest, as co-lead agencies, intend to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in response to a Lease by Application (LBA) for the Little Eccles Federal Coal Lease Tract (UTU- 92226) of 120 acres and a Lease Modification Application (LMA) to add 640 acres to the Flat Canyon Lease Tract (UTU-77114). This notice is announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and identify issues. The EIS will evaluate potential impacts of leasing and underground mining of Federal coal reserves contained in both lease tracts.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Rural Housing Service (RHS) announces its' intention to request a revision of a currently approved information collection and invites comments on this information collection.

The United States Department of Agriculture (Department) is seeking nominations for the Eastern Region Recreation Resource Advisory Committee (Eastern Region Recreation RAC) pursuant to the authority of the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), as amended. The Eastern Region Recreation RAC will provide recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture on recreation fees on lands and waters managed by the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management in the regions covered by each committee. The Eastern Region Recreation RAC will be governed by the provisions of FACA. Duration of the Eastern Region Recreation RAC is for two years unless renewed by the Secretary.

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 Mink Survey. A revision to burden hours will be needed due to changes in the size of the target population, sampling design, and/or questionnaire length.

The Agricultural Marketing Service of the USDA is soliciting information about potential amendments to the electronic or digital link disclosure option as it pertains to the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard (Standard).

In a final rule published in the Federal Register on September 14, 2023, and effective on October 16, 2023, we amended the regulations governing the importation of equines to better align our regulations with international standards, as well as to clarify existing policy or intent, and correct inconsistencies or outdated information. However, in amending the regulations for horses that are refused entry, we neglected to account for rare and specific situations in which an imported horse's death during travel can be determined to be unrelated to foreign animal disease risk. Additionally, in aiming to improve the readability of the regulations governing equines imported from Canada, we inadvertently changed the regulations to incorrectly read that certificates for horses from Canada must be issued and endorsed, rather than issued or endorsed, by a salaried veterinarian of the Canadian Government. This document corrects those errors.

This proposed rule invites comments on implementing a recommendation from the South Texas Onion Committee (Committee) to reestablish the districts in the production area and reapportion representation on the Committee. This rulemaking would reduce the number of districts from two to one and reapportion membership to reflect changes in the industry, provide equitable representation on the Committee, and create the opportunity for more producers and handlers to serve on the Committee.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Iowa State Office announces its intent to prepare a watershed plan for the Clarke County Water Supply project, which is located approximately 27.2 miles upstream of the confluence with the South River in the proximity of Osceola, Iowa. The proposed watershed plan will examine alternative solutions to the limited availability of a reliable water supply. The Clarke County Water Supply project includes the cities of Osceola, Murray, and Woodburn, Iowa, and the Clarke County rural service area. NRCS is requesting comments to identify significant issues, potential alternatives, information, and analyses relevant to the proposed action from all interested individuals, Federal and State agencies, and Tribes.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, FSIS is announcing its intention to renew an approved information collection regarding voluntary recalls from commerce of meat, poultry, and egg products. There are no changes to the existing information collection. The approval for this information collection will expire on September 30, 2024.

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 information collection for the contract of the study titled "Evaluating the Interview Requirement for SNAP Certification." The purpose of this collection is to help FNS describe the effects of waiving the interview requirement, including SNAP agency processes and staff experiences with implementing the no-interview demonstration, analyzing the differences in outcomes for SNAP applicants and recipients, and identifying key lessons to inform future policy or implementation.