Department of Agriculture 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We are amending the Karnal bunt regulations to make changes to the list of areas or fields regulated because of Karnal bunt, a fungal disease of wheat. We are adding the Buckeye/Pretoria area of Maricopa County, AZ, to the list of regulated areas. We are also removing Throckmorton and Young Counties, TX, portions of Riverside County, CA, and certain areas in La Paz, Maricopa, and Pinal Counties, AZ, from the list of regulated areas based on our determination that those fields or areas meet our criteria for release from regulation. These actions are necessary to prevent the spread of Karnal bunt to noninfected areas of the United States and to relieve restrictions on certain areas that are no longer necessary.

The Bridger-Teton Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Kemmerer, Wyoming. The committee is meeting as authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (Pub.L 110- 343) and in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The purpose is to approve processes for project applications.

This document withdraws a proposed rule published in the Federal Register on April 12, 2010, that proposed a new U.S. honey producer funded research and promotion program under the Commodity Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1996 (1996 Act). The proposed U.S. Honey Producer Research, Promotion and Consumer Information Order (Proposed Order) was submitted to the Department of Agriculture (Department) by the American Honey Producers Association (AHPA). The Department conducted an initial referendum from May 17, 2010, through June 4, 2010, to ascertain whether the persons to be covered by and assessed under the Proposed Order favored the Order prior to it going into effect. The Proposed Order failed by vote. Accordingly, based upon the referendum results, the proposed rule is being withdrawn.

The Ketchikan Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Ketchikan, Alaska, December 7, 2010. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss potential projects under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2008.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App 2, the United States Department of Agriculture announces the appointments made by the Secretary of Agriculture to 9 member positions of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board.

This proposed rule would amend the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List) to reflect recommendations submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) on May 22, 2008, November 19, 2008, and May 6, 2009. The recommendations addressed in this proposed rule pertain to establishing exemptions (uses) for four substances in organic crop production and organic processing, amending an annotation for one allowed substance, and removing an exemption for one allowed substance. Consistent with the recommendations from the NOSB, this proposed rule would add the following four substances, along with any restrictive annotations, to the National List: Microcrystalline cheesewax; acidified sodium chlorite; dried orange pulp; and Pacific kombu seaweed. This proposed rule would also amend the annotation for lecithinunbleached, and remove lecithinbleached, from the National List.

This proposed rule invites comments on the establishment of an industry-funded promotion, research, and information program for fresh cut Christmas trees. The proposed Christmas Tree Promotion, Research, and Information Order (Proposed Order), was submitted to the Department of Agriculture (Department) by the Christmas Tree Checkoff Task Force, an industry wide group of producers and importers that support this proposed program. Under the Proposed Order, producers and importers of fresh cut Christmas trees would pay an initial assessment of $0.15 per tree, which would be paid to the proposed Christmas Tree Promotion Board (Board). This Board would be responsible for administration and operation of the proposed Order. Producers and importers that domestically produce or import less than 500 Christmas trees annually would be exempt from the assessment. The proposed program is authorized under the Commodity Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1996 (1996 Act). A referendum will be conducted, among producers and importers, three years after the collection of assessments begin to determine if Christmas tree producers and importers favor the continuation of this program. This proposed rule also announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request approval of new Christmas tree information collection requirements by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for the operation of the Proposed Order.

The Agricultural Marketing Service published a document in the Federal Register of October 1, 2010, concerning a request for approval from the Office of Management and Budget for an extension of and revision to a currently approved information collection for the National Research, Promotion, and Consumer Information Programs. The document contained incorrect dates.

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 collection is a new collection for the purpose of conducting The Evaluation of the Impact of the Summer Electronic Benefits for Children Household-Based Demonstrations on Food Insecurity.

In accordance with the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 106-393), [as reauthonized as part of Public Law 110-343] and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Cherokee National Forest Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet as indicated below.

The Custer County Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Custer, South Dakota. The committee is meeting as authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (Pub. L. 110- 343) and in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The purpose of the meeting is review of project proposals to be implemented in 2011.

The USDA Forest Service is proposing to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) on a proposed action to improve forest health and fuel conditions within the approximate 55,430-acre Jackson project area. The project area is located approximately 60 miles to the east of Prineville, Oregon and is bounded by Forest System Roads 2630, 12, and 42 to the north, east and south respectively, and by the western watershed divide between Crazy Creek (east) and Porter, Looney, and Stupid Creeks (west). The project area encompasses National Forest system lands and private lands within these watersheds. An analysis has been initiated that takes a landscape approach to managing the vegetation to meet objectives for fuels and fire behavior and to create a more resilient forest while addressing and considering other resources. Methods that would be used to reduce tree density and hazardous fuels are: non-commercial and commercial thinning, and prescribed burning. The alternatives will include the proposed action, no action, and, if necessary, additional alternatives that respond to issues generated through the scoping process. The agency will give notice of the full environmental analysis and decision-making process so that interested and affected public may participate and contribute to the final decision.

Pursuant to the authorities in the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463) and under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 110-343) the Idaho Panhandle Resource Advisory Committee will meet Friday, November 12, 2010, at 9 a.m. in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho for a business meeting. The business meeting is open to the public.

This rule increases the assessment rate established for the Prune Marketing Committee (Committee) for the 2010-11 and subsequent crop years from $0.16 to $0.27 per ton of salable dried prunes handled. The Committee locally administers the marketing order that regulates the handling of dried prunes grown in California. Assessments upon dried prune handlers are used by the Committee to fund reasonable and necessary expenses of the program. The crop year begins August 1 and ends July 31. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is adopting, as a final rule, without change, an interim rule that removed the grower district boundaries contained in the administrative rules and regulations of the kiwifruit marketing order (order). The interim rule removed regulatory language referring to eight grower districts from the order's administrative rules and regulations to make them consistent with the recently amended order provisions, which now provide for three grower districts.

The Sequoia National Forest hereby gives notice that it is extending the public comment period for the Giant Sequoia National Monument Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Draft EIS) and Draft Management Plan, which was published in the Federal Register on August 6, 2010, (Volume 75, No. 151) originally for a 90-day comment period. Please see the Notice of Availability of the Draft EIS (75 FR 47592) for more detailed information related to the Giant Sequoia National Monument Draft EIS and Draft Management Plan. In response to requests for additional time, the Forest Service will extend the comment period from November 3, 2010, to December 3, 2010. Federal, State, tribal, and local governments and other interested parties are requested to comment on the Draft EIS. Comments will be accepted by e-mail to comments-pacificsouthwest-sequoia@fs.fed.us, or https://gsnm-consult.limehouse.com/portal/ or by mail to Anne Thomas, Giant Sequoia National Monument, Sequoia National Forest, 1839 South Newcomb Street, Porterville, CA 93257, or by facsimile to 559-781-4744.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35, as amended), the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) an agency delivering the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Utilities Programs invites comments on this information collection for which approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will be requested.

The Delta-Bienville Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Forest, Mississippi. The committee is meeting as authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (Pub. L. 110- 343) and in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The purpose is to hold the first meeting of the newly formed committee.

We are reopening the comment period for our proposed rule that would establish definitions for the terms ``common cultivar'' and ``common food crop.'' This action will allow interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments.

The USDA Forest Service published a Notice of Intent in the Federal Register of October 5, 2010, requesting comments concerning a Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Greens Creek Mine Tailings Expansion. The comment period is to be extended.

The Caribou-Targhee National Forest (Forest) published two notices of intent (May 2007 and May 2008) to prepare a supplemental environmental impact statement (EIS) to amend the 1997 Revised Forest Plan (1997 Plan) for the Targhee portion of the Forest (Targhee). The Forest has revised the proposed amendment and will prepare an EIS instead of a supplemental EIS to amend the 1997 Plan. The revised proposed amendment: (1) Provides direction to maintain the characteristics of old-growth forests where they exist and eliminate a ``quota'' for old-growth and late-seral forested vegetation by principal watershed or ecological subsection; (2) replaces requirements for maintaining ``biological potential'' with clear direction for snag retention to provide habitat for cavity-nesting birds; and (3) provides direction to maintain habitat in northern goshawk, boreal owl and great gray owl territories affected by vegetation projects. The Forest believes these new approaches to vegetation management would better provide wildlife habitat. The Forest seeks comments on the revised proposal in order to: (1) Clarify the issues, (2) decide how the proposed amendment may need to be modified, and (3) determine whether or not it is necessary to develop additional alternative(s) for analysis in the draft EIS.

This document contains a correction to the proposed rule titled ``Farm Loan Programs Loan Making Activities'' that was published September 23, 2010. The Farm Service Agency (FSA) is correcting the Paperwork Reduction Act information since the information collection statement for special direct loan servicing was inadvertently omitted from the proposed rule.