Agricultural Marketing Service May 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), this document announces Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) intention to revise three previously approved collections by merging them into a single information collection. AMS recently merged its Livestock and Grain Market News Division with the Poultry Market News Division, creating the Livestock, Poultry and Grain Market News Division (LPGMN). Due to this organizational merger, AMS intends to combine the following collections, 0581-0033 ``Poultry Market News Reports'', 0581-0005 ``Grain Market News'', and 0581-0154 ``Livestock and Meat Market News.'' These collections will be combined into a single collection re-titled 0581-0033 ``Livestock, Poultry, Meat, and Grain Market News Reports.'' Finally, this document announces AMS intention to request approval for an extension to the re-titled collection 0581-0033 ``Livestock, Poultry, Meat, and Grain Market News Reports.'' LPGMN provides a timely exchange of accurate and unbiased information on current marketing conditions affecting trade in livestock, poultry, eggs, meats, grain, and wool.

This rule revises the reporting requirements prescribed under the Federal marketing order for oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, and tangelos grown in Florida (order). The Citrus Administrative Committee (Committee) is responsible for local administration of the order. This rule requires all fresh citrus handlers to provide the Committee with a list of all growers whose fruit they handled each season. This information will enable the Committee to more efficiently administer the order and better communicate fresh market issues to fresh market citrus growers.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will maintain user fees for cotton producers for 2013 crop cotton classification services at $2.20 per balethe same level as in 2012. Revenues resulting from this cotton classing fee and existing reserves are sufficient to cover the costs of providing classification services for the 2013 crop, including costs for administration and supervision.

This final rule amends the Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) regulations to change the labeling provisions for muscle cut covered commodities to provide consumers with more specific information and amends the definition for ``retailer'' to include any person subject to be licensed as a retailer under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA). The COOL regulations are issued pursuant to the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946. The Agency is issuing this rule to make changes to the labeling provisions for muscle cut covered commodities to provide consumers with more specific information and other modifications to enhance the overall operation of the program.

This proposed rule invites comments on an increase to the minimum grade requirements currently prescribed under the Florida avocado marketing order (order). The order regulates the handling of avocados grown in South Florida, and is administered locally by the Avocado Administrative Committee (Committee). This action would increase the current minimum grade requirement from a U.S. No. 2 to a U.S. Combination grade for avocados shipped to destinations outside the production area. Increasing the minimum grade requirement would align marketing order regulations with current industry practices to the benefit of growers, handlers, and consumers.

This proposed rule invites comments on amending the Blueberry Promotion, Research and Information Order (Order) to increase the assessment rate from $12 to $18 per ton (an increase of $0.003 per pound). The Order is administered by the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) with oversight by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Under the program, assessments are collected from domestic producers and importers and used for research and promotion projects designed to maintain and expand the market for highbush blueberries in the United States and abroad. Additional funds would allow the USHBC to expand its health research activities and promotional efforts. The USHBC uses its health information in its promotion messaging to help build demand for blueberries. Increasing demand would help move the growing supply of blueberries, which would benefit producers and consumers.

This rule changes the reporting and assessment requirements currently prescribed under the marketing order for Vidalia onions grown in Georgia (order). The order regulates the handling of Vidalia onions grown in Georgia and is administered locally by the Vidalia Onion Committee (Committee). This rule changes the date by which handlers are required to submit monthly shipping reports and their corresponding assessments to the Committee from the fifth day of the month to the tenth day of the month. In addition, this rule also changes the due date to the first business day after the tenth of the month should the tenth fall on a weekend or a holiday. These changes are expected to benefit handlers without negatively affecting program compliance.

This final rule amends the Lamb Promotion, Research, and Information Order (Order) to increase the assessment rate on all live ovine animals sold from $0.005 per pound to $0.007 per pound for producers, feeders, and seedstock producers, and from $0.30 per head of ovine animals purchased for slaughter to $0.42 per head for first handlers. The increase is provided for under the Order, which is authorized by the Commodity Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1996 (Act) (7 U.S.C. 7411-7425). The American Lamb Board (Board), which administers the Order, recommended this action to maintain and expand their promotional, research, advertising, and communications programs.

This proposed rule would increase the assessment rate established for the California Desert Grape Administrative Committee (Committee) for the 2013 and subsequent fiscal periods from $0.0150 to $0.0165 per 18-pound lug of grapes handled. The Committee locally administers the marketing order that regulates the handling of grapes grown in a designated area of southeastern California. Assessments upon grape handlers are used by the Committee to fund reasonable and necessary expenses of the program. The fiscal period begins January 1 and ends December 31. The assessment rate would remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended or terminated.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces the merger of Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) Fresh Products Division with the Processed Products Division: The newly combined program is named Specialty Crops Inspection Division. The purpose of this notice is to revise and rename two information collections, 0581-0125 Regulation Governing Inspection, Certification, Standards, and Audit Services for Fresh Fruits, Vegetables, and Other Products7 CFR part 51 and 0581-0234 Reporting Requirements under the Regulations Governing Inspections and Certification of Processed Fruits and Vegetables and Related Products 7 CFR part 52. This notice also combines, 0581-0125 Regulation Governing Inspection, Certification, Standards, and Audit Services for Fresh Fruits, Vegetables, and Other Products7 CFR part 51 and 0581- 0234 Reporting Requirements under the Regulations Governing Inspections and Certification of Processed Fruits and Vegetables and Related Products7 CFR part 52 providing approved information collections into one and request extension approval of the information collection retitled Regulations Governing Inspection and Certification of Fresh and Processed Fruits, Vegetables and Other Products 7 CFR part 51 and part 52 from the Office of Management and Budget. Specialty Crops Inspection Division provides nationwide inspection, certification and auditing services for fresh and processed fruits, vegetables, and other products on a ``user fee'' basis to facilitate trading of agricultural products on international, interstate and intrastate levels.

This proposed rule would address recommendations submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) following their November 2011 and May 2012 meetings. These recommendations pertain to the 2013 Sunset Review of substances on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List). Consistent with the recommendations from the NOSB, this proposed rule would continue the allowed uses of multiple synthetic and nonsynthetic substances and the prohibition of one nonsynthetic substance on the National List (along with any restrictive annotations). This proposed rule would also remove one synthetic substance from the National List.