Agricultural Marketing Service 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This proposed rule would implement a recommendation from the South Texas Onion Committee (Committee) to decrease the assessment rate established for the 2019-20 and subsequent fiscal periods. The proposed assessment rate would remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is requesting comments from all interested individuals and organizations on a renewal of a currently approved information collection request. This information collection is necessary to support the procurement of agricultural commodities for domestic and export food donation programs. AMS issues invitations to purchase or sell and transport commodities, as well as sample, inspect. and survey, agricultural commodities at both domestic and foreign locations for use in international food donation programs on a monthly, multiple monthly, quarterly, and yearly basis. The AMS Commodity Procurement Program contracts for marine cargo discharge survey services conducted at the foreign destinations to ascertain count and condition of the commodities delivered.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this document announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request an extension to currently approved forms used by importers of commodities that are exempt from section 8e import regulations.

This final rule changes the reporting requirements for certain Irish potatoes, tomatoes, and onions regulated under section 608e of the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, as amended (section 8e). With this change, importers of those regulated commodities that have been certified by a designated governmental inspection service other than the Federal or Federal-State Inspection Service as meeting section 8e requirements will be required to provide the inspection certificate number and a copy of the certificate to the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) (currently, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is the only entity so designated). In addition, this rule changes the pistachio import regulations to provide for the electronic filing of aflatoxin test results and to eliminate a requirement to report the disposition of reworked or failed lots of pistachios. This rule also changes several of the section 8e regulations by removing or replacing outdated information.

This proposed rule would implement a recommendation from the California Olive Committee (Committee) to decrease the assessment rate established for the 2020 fiscal year and subsequent fiscal years. The proposed assessment rate would remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

This rule implements a recommendation from the Cherry Industry Administrative Board (Board) to decrease the assessment rate established for the 2019-20 and subsequent fiscal years. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

This rulemaking proposes amendments to Marketing Order No. 932, which regulates the handling of olives grown in California. The proposed amendments would change the California Olive Committee's (Committee) quorum requirements. In addition, USDA is proposing a clarifying change stating that alternate members acting as members to form a quorum would also be eligible to cast votes.

This rulemaking proposes amendments to Marketing Order No. 966, which regulates the handling of tomatoes grown in Florida. The proposed amendments would change the Florida Tomato Committee's (Committee) size, length of the terms of office, and quorum requirements.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) proposes to amend regulations on Quality Systems Verification Programs (QSVP) to clarify that all voluntary, user-fee services under this part are applicable to all commodities covered by the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (Act), as amended. Further, AMS proposes to broaden the scope of services to include all current and future AMS voluntary, user-fee audit verification and accreditation programs and services. AMS will also harmonize administrative procedures governing these services and make conforming changes as necessary in other parts of our regulations.

Notice is hereby given of a public hearing to receive evidence on proposed amendments to Federal Marketing Order No. 984 (Order) regulating the handling of walnuts grown in California. The California Walnut Board (Board), which locally administers the Order, recommended proposed amendments that would add authority for the Board to provide credit for certain market promotion expenses paid by handlers against their annual assessments due under the Order and establish requirements to effectuate the new authority. In addition, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) proposes to make changes to the Order as may be necessary to conform to any amendment that may result from the hearing.

Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is announcing a meeting of the Plant Variety Protection Board (Board). The meeting is being held to discuss a variety of topics including, but not limited to, regulation updates, subcommittee activities, and program activities. The meeting is open to the public. This notice sets forth the schedule and location for the meeting.

This document directs that a referendum be conducted among eligible growers and processors of tart cherries grown in the States of Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin to determine whether they favor continuance of the marketing order regulating the handling of tart cherries produced in the production area.

This final rule revises the regulations governing the sampling, inspection, weighing, and certification of rice performed under authority of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (AMA), as amended, by decreasing fees by 20 percent for fiscal year (FY) 2020 and by another 20 percent for FY 2021. These revisions are necessary to lower the balance in the program's operating reserve to a level adequate to cover three to six months' expenses. AMS is implementing the standardized AMS user-fee calculations used in other AMS programs for rice inspection services beginning in FY 2022.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) invites comments on proposed revisions to regulations that implement the Federal Seed Act (FSA). The proposals include revisions to seed labeling, testing, and certification requirements. The proposed revisions would add certain seed species to the lists of covered kinds of seed and update the lists to reflect current scientific nomenclature; update regulations related to seed quality, germination and purity standards, and acceptable seed testing methods; and update seed certification and recertification requirements, including new eligibility standards and the recognition of current breeding techniques. AMS intends to align FSA regulations with current industry practices, harmonize FSA testing methods with industry standards, and clarify confusing or contradictory language in the existing regulations. AMS expects the proposed revisions to reduce trade burden associated with interstate seed commerce and encourage compliance with State and Federal laws.

Notice is hereby given that the comment period for a proposed rule published in the Federal Register on December 17, 2019, is reopened. The document invited comments on draft instructions for validation of refining processes as it pertains to the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard (Standard).

In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) proposes to add a system of records to its inventory of records systems. The system of records will cover information collected under the U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program in AMS. This notice is necessary to meet the Privacy Act requirement that a Federal Register notice describing the existence and character of record systems to be maintained by the agency be published.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is amending the Beef Promotion and Research Order (Order) by updating the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) codes for imported cattle, beef, veal, and beef product to conform with recent updates by the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) and used by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection to assist in the collection of beef checkoff assessments.

This final rule revises the regulations, fees for services, and procedures established under the Plant Variety Protection Act. The revisions are necessary to conform with recent amendments to the Plant Variety Protection Act, which added authority for the Plant Variety Protection Office to issue certificates of protection for varieties of plants that are reproduced asexually. This rule adds references to the term ``asexual reproduction'' to the regulations established under the Plant Variety Protection Act and establishes procedures for obtaining variety protection for asexually reproduced plant varieties. This rule also modernizes the regulations by simplifying the fee schedule for PVPO services and updating the regulations relating to administrative procedures to reflect current business practices.