Agricultural Marketing Service – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request approval, from the Office of Management and Budget, for an extension of and revision to the currently approved information collection for report forms under the Federal milk marketing order program.

The Agricultural Marketing Service is making correcting amendments pertaining to a final rule that appeared in the Federal Register on August 30, 2019. The final rule transferred certain regulations under the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) to the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) to reflect changes in the organizational structure and delegated authorities within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The final rule also made corresponding revisions to the regulations to reflect the organizational changes.

This notice announces the following: The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) intent to renew the Charter of the Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee (FVIAC); the solicitation of nominations for membership to fill three known vacancies on the FVIAC for appointment in 2020; and the solicitation of nominations for a pool of candidates to fill future unexpected vacancies in any of the position categories should that occur. FVIAC is seeking members who represent the fruit and vegetable industry including growers, shippers, wholesalers/distributors, brokers, retailers/restaurant representatives, state agencies, state departments of agriculture, foodservice suppliers, and fresh-cut and other fruit and vegetable processors. It should also include representatives of farmers markets and food hubs, organic and non- organic fruit and vegetable representatives, farmer organizations, and produce trade associations. Please note that federally registered lobbyists cannot be considered for USDA advisory committee membership. Members can only serve on one USDA advisory committee at a time. All nominees will undergo a USDA background check. The following must be submitted to nominate yourself or someone else to the FVIAC: A resume (required), a USDA Advisory Committee Membership Background Information Form AD-755available online at https://www.ocio.usda.gov/document/ad-755 (required), a cover letter (required), and a list of endorsements or letters of recommendation (optional). The resume or curriculum vitae must be limited to five one- sided pages and should include a summary of the following information: Current and past organization affiliations; areas of expertise; education; career positions held; and any other notable positions held. For submissions received that are more than five one-sided pages in length, only the first five pages will be reviewed.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget, for an extension of the currently approved information collection National Organic Program (NOP) Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request an extension and revision to the approved forms and generic information collection for marketing orders covering fruit crops.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intent to request an extension for and revision to a currently approved information collection for Tart Cherries Grown in Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin, pursuant to Marketing Order No. 930.

This proposed rule would implement a recommendation from the Washington Apricot Marketing Committee (Committee) to increase the assessment rate established for the 2019-2020 and subsequent fiscal periods. The assessment rate would remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is reopening the comment period on our April 28, 2015, proposed rule to amend the origin of livestock requirements for dairy animals under the USDA organic regulations. We are reopening the proposed rule's comment period for 60 days to give all interested parties an additional opportunity to comment on the proposed rule. Comments previously submitted need not be resubmitted, as they are already incorporated into the public record and will be fully considered in any future final rule.

The results of the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) Request for Referendum indicate that too few soybean producers wanted a referendum on the Soybean Promotion and Research Order (Order) for one to be conducted. The Request for Referendum was conducted from May 6, 2019, through May 31, 2019, at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Farm Service Agency county offices. To trigger a referendum, 51,501 soybean producers, 10 percent of the total nationwide soybean producers, needed to complete a valid Request for Referendum. The total number of soybean producers participating in the referendum was 794. The number of valid petitions received was 708.

This rulemaking action amends Marketing Order No. 981, which regulates the handling of almonds grown in California. The three amendments, which were proposed by the Almond Board of California (Board), were approved by producers in a referendum. The amendments will change the dates associated with the Board's nomination process, modify the term of office start date for Board members, and add authority for future revisions to these provisions through the development of regulations using informal rulemaking.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is temporarily extending the South Carolina Department of Agriculture's (SCDA) designation as provider of Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) official services for the State of South Carolina, until December 31, 2019. AMS administers FGIS programs.

The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will not pursue changes to the United States (U.S.) Standards for Corn and Soybeans under the United States Grain Standards Act (USGSA).

This proposed rule would implement a recommendation from the Prune Marketing Committee (Committee) to decrease the assessment rate established for the 2019-20 and subsequent crop years from $0.28 to $0.25 per ton of salable dried prunes. The assessment rate would remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

This proposed rule would implement a recommendation from the Washington Cherry Marketing Committee (Committee) to decrease the assessment rate established for the 2019-2020 and subsequent fiscal periods. The assessment rate would remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

This final rule informs the public that the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is amending its regulations to update a number of outdated administrative and organizational references, clarify agency action as it relates to the withdrawal or denial of service, update the official shields and grademarks associated with the grading service, and make reference to the use of instrument grading equipment as a means of determining official grades on beef and lamb carcasses.

This rule transfers certain regulations under the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) to the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) to reflect changes in the organizational structure and delegated authorities within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This rule also makes corresponding revisions to the regulations to reflect the organizational changes. This action is necessary to enable the AMS Administrator to issue, maintain, and revise as necessary regulations related to programs under the AMS Administrator's delegated authority.

This rule implements a recommendation from the Far West Spearmint Oil Administrative Committee (Committee) to increase the assessment rate established for the 2019-2020 and subsequent marketing years. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is announcing the fees it will charge warehouse operators for voluntary services associated with the administration of the United States Warehouse Act. This action establishes the license action fees, service license fees, inspection fees, and annual user fees for warehouse services for fiscal year 2020, which begins October 1, 2019. AMS is increasing all these fees by approximately 10 percent to ensure fee levels are sufficient to cover the full cost of program administration.

Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, this constitutes notice of the upcoming meeting of the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Grain Inspection Advisory Committee (Advisory Committee). The Advisory Committee meets no less than once annually to advise the AMS on the programs and services delivered under the U.S. Grain Standards Act. Recommendations by the Advisory Committee help AMS better meet the needs of its customers who operate in a dynamic and changing marketplace. The realignment of offices within the U.S. Department of Agriculture authorized by the Secretary's Memorandum dated November 14, 2017, eliminates the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) as a standalone agency. The grain inspection activities formerly part of GIPSA are now organized under AMS.

This rule implements a recommendation from the California Olive Committee (Committee) to increase the assessment rate for California olives handled under Marketing Order No. 932. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

This document directs that a referendum be conducted among eligible almond growers to determine whether they favor continuance of the marketing order regulating the handling of almonds grown in California.

This proposed rule would implement a recommendation from the Almond Board of California (Board) to revise the almond accepted user program requirements currently prescribed under the Marketing Order for Almonds Grown in California (Order). In addition, this action would prohibit the transfer of inedible material between accepted users. This proposal also announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) of a new information collection and to make a conforming change to an existing form.

This amendment implements corrections to typographical and miscellaneous errors in Marketing Order 989, as amended, regulating the handling of raisins produced from grapes grown in California. These changes include removing one duplicate use of the word ``Committee'' and standardizing several occurrences of non-hyphenated words to their hyphenated form. This document is necessary to inform the public of these non-substantive amendments to the marketing order.

The interim designation of the South Carolina Department of Agriculture will end on September 30, 2019. We are asking persons or governmental agencies interested in providing official services in the areas presently served by this agency to submit an application for designation. The realignment of offices within the U.S. Department of Agriculture authorized by the Secretary's Memorandum dated November 14, 2017, eliminates the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) as a standalone agency. The grain inspection activities formerly part of GIPSA are now organized under the Agricultural Marketing Service.

This proposed rule would implement a recommendation from the Far West Spearmint Oil Administrative Committee (Committee) to increase the assessment rate established for the 2019-2020 and subsequent marketing years. The assessment rate would remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.