Agricultural Marketing Service – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), is announcing a two-day virtual meeting of the Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee (FVIAC). This meeting is being convened to examine the full spectrum of fruit and vegetable industry issues and provide recommendations and ideas on how the USDA can tailor programs and services to better meet the needs of the U.S. produce industry. Agenda items may include, but are not limited to, administrative matters and consideration of recommendations pertaining to labor and production, food safety, infrastructure and sustainability, consumption and nutrition, and data reporting and analysis.

Notice is hereby given of a public hearing to receive evidence on proposals recommended by the Raisin Administrative Committee (Committee) to amend Federal Marketing Order No. 989 (Order). The proposed amendments would reduce Committee membership, eliminate the designated cooperative bargaining association member seat, lower quorum requirements, remove producer district representation, remove the requirement for separate member and alternate nominations, remove factors for establishing marketing policy, add language to clarify the quality of reconditioned raisins, add authority to accept voluntary contributions, and add language regarding ownership of intellectual property. The Committee recommended the proposed amendments after determining a significant reduction in the size of the industry has made it increasingly difficult to fill Committee positions and conduct business. The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) also proposes to make additional changes to the Order as may be necessary to conform to any amendatory changes that result from the hearing.

This rule implements recommendations from the National Potato Promotion Board (Board) to change its membership and organization by revising the formula used to determine the number of producer and importer seats on the Board, reducing the maximum number of importer seats on the Board, and indefinitely suspending the Administrative Committee. In addition to these Board-recommended changes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) makes several non-substantive changes to clarify the start of the term of office for Board members and modernize the Board's procedures. The Board administers the Potato Research and Promotion Plan (Plan) with oversight by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS).

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is correcting non- substantive errors in the regulatory text of the Organic Livestock and Poultry Standards (OLPS) final rule published on November 2, 2023. The corrections are intended to improve readability and clarity.

This proposed rule would implement a recommendation from the California Date Administrative Committee (Committee) to decrease the assessment rate established for the 2023-2024 and subsequent crop years. The proposed assessment rate would remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

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 (OMB) for an extension of and revision to the currently approved information collection 0581-0268 for the Christmas Tree Promotion, Research and Information Program.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is delaying the effective date of the Organic Livestock and Poultry Standards (OLPS) final rule, published on November 2, 2023, to meet the requirements of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (Congressional Review Act (CRA)). The CRA requires that agencies provide Congress with at least 60 days to review a major rule before it takes effect. For the OLPS final rule, AMS provided the required notice to Congress on November 13, 2023, after publication of the rule. Therefore, the published effective date did not provide 60 days for congressional review. This final rule delays the effective date of the OLPS final rule by 10 days to meet the 60-day requirement. AMS is making a technical correction to the compliance date of January 5, 2029, for indoor and outdoor stocking density requirements and soil and vegetation requirements for broiler operations to January 2, 2029. All other compliance dates of the OLPS final rule remain unchanged. Additionally, in acknowledgement of the U.S. Government Accountability Office assessment of the final rule, AMS confirms that the Administrative Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2023 does not apply to the OLPS final rule because it does not increase direct spending.

This proposed rule would implement a recommendation from the Idaho-Eastern Oregon Onion Committee (Committee) to increase the assessment rate established for the 2023-2024 and subsequent fiscal periods. The proposed assessment rate would remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

This rule temporarily changes the substandard and maturity dockage requirements for raisins covered under the Federal marketing order for raisins produced from grapes grown in California (Order). For the 2023-2024 crop year, the minimum requirements for substandard and maturity dockage in the marketing order's handling regulations will be relaxed to accommodate raisins adversely impacted by severe weather conditions.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request an extension for the form currently used by marketers to apply for exemption from market promotion assessments under Federal marketing order programs.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention 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 is the Secretary's final decision in this proceeding and recommends amendments to the transportation credit balancing fund provisions for the Appalachian and Southeast Federal milk marketing orders, and establishment of distributing plant delivery credits in the Appalachian, Florida, and Southeast Federal milk marketing orders. AMS will determine whether producers approve of the proposed amended orders, as required by regulation.

This final rule updates the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard's (the Standard) List of Bioengineered (BE) Foods (the List) by adding ``sugarcane (Bt insect-resistant varieties)'' to the List and amending ``squash (summer)'' to ``squash (summer, coat protein-mediated virus-resistant varieties).'' In updating the List, this final rule provides consumers with information regarding foods that may be BE and aids regulated entities in determining whether they need to make a BE disclosure.

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 information collection for marketing orders covering various vegetables and specialty crops.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) published a notice in the Federal Register of November 20, 2023, concerning the availability of the Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) for the Organic Market Development Grant Program (OMDG) for public review and comments. The notice contained an incorrect link to the Draft PEA.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intent to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), for an extension of and revision to the currently approved information collection used in support of Audit Verification Programs.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is seeking persons or governmental agencies interested in providing official services in the areas noted below to submit an application for designation. Designation provides for private entities or State governmental agencies to be an integral part of the official grain inspection system (https:// www.ams.usda.gov/services/fgis/official-grain-inspection-weig hing- system). Designated agencies work under the supervision of the Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) and are authorized to provide official inspection and weighing services in a defined geographic area, as appropriate. In addition, we request comments on the quality of services provided by designated agency Michigan Grain Inspection Services, Inc. (Michigan Grain Inspection). AMS encourages submissions from traditionally underrepresented individuals, organizations, and businesses to reflect the diversity of this industry. AMS encourages submissions from qualified applicants, regardless of race, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, religion, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

This proposed rule would implement a recommendation from the Hazelnut Marketing Board (Board) to decrease the assessment rate established for the 2023-2024 marketing year and subsequent marketing years. The proposed assessment rate would remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

This notice announces the reconvening of the national public hearing, which began on August 23, 2023, in Carmel, Indiana, to consider and take evidence on proposals to amend the pricing formulas in the 11 Federal Milk Marketing Orders (FMMOs).

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's intent to request approval for a new information collection from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under OMB control No. 0581-NEW. This notice is based on a recommendation from the California Walnut Board (Board) to establish voluntary reporting for walnuts exempt from assessments under Federal marketing order no. 984, walnuts grown in California. This action would create a new form supplied by the Board to California walnut handlers to voluntarily report deliveries of walnuts exempt from assessments. The new form will be merged with the forms currently approved under OMB No. 0581-0178 Vegetable and Specialty Crops.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announces that the Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) for the Local Meat Capacity Grant Program (Local MCap) is available for public review and comments.

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 (OMB), 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 (AMS) of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) has revised the U.S. Standards for Grades of Processed Raisins. AMS is modifying two references to the allowances for capstems within the standards to modernize the standards to reflect current industry practices. The revision also includes minor editorial changes to the table headings to align with updated Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) formatting requirements and correction of a typographical error from a previous revision.

This proposed rule invites comments on the establishment of an industry-funded promotion, research, and information program for natural grass sod products. The proposed Natural Grass Sod Promotion, Research, and Information Order (Order) was submitted to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) by Turfgrass Producers International (TPI), a group of natural grass sod producers. The proposed Order also announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intent to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) of new information collection requirements to implement the program.

This proposed rule would suspend the Federal marketing order regulating dried prunes produced in California (Order) effective at the beginning of the 2023-2024 crop year. After operating for 18 years without handling regulations, the Prune Administrative Committee (Committee) recommended the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) indefinitely suspend the Order. After reviewing the Committee's recommendation, AMS determined that regulatory suspension with a sunset provision of seven years is appropriate. This suspension period would extend through the end of the 2029-2030 crop year and would provide industry sufficient time to assess whether the Order's reinstatement is beneficial. If no recommendation is made by the Committee to reinstate the Order by the end of the 2029-2030 crop year, AMS would proceed to terminate the Order.