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 for an extension and revision of a currently approved information collection for Specialty Crops Market News Division.

This rule implements a recommendation from the Far West Spearmint Oil Administrative Committee (Committee) to establish salable quantities and allotment percentages for Class 1 (Scotch) and Class 3 (Native) spearmint oil produced in Washington, Idaho, Oregon, and designated parts of Nevada and Utah (the Far West) for the 2023-2024 marketing year.

This document corrects the preamble to a proposed rule published in the Federal Register of March 31, 2023 regarding revisions to the United States Standards for Soybeans. This correction provides the corrected docket number for the proposed rule and the necessary ADDRESSES and instructions for interested parties who wish to submit written comments.

This document directs that a referendum be conducted among eligible Oregon and Washington pear growers to determine whether they favor continuance of the marketing order regulating the handling of pears grown in Oregon and Washington.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) intends to reestablish the Advisory Committee on Universal Cotton Standards (Committee). The Committee is necessary and in the public interest. The Committee reviews official Universal Standards for American Upland cotton prepared by USDA and would make recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture regarding the establishment or revision of standards. USDA also seeks nominations of individuals to be considered for appointment by the Secretary as Committee members.

The United States Grain Standards Act (USGSA) designations of the official agencies listed in SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION below will end on the prescribed dates. The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is seeking persons or governmental agencies interested in providing official services in the areas presently served by these agencies to apply 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-weighing-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. In addition, we request comments on the quality of services provided by the following designated agencies: Grain Inspection, Inc. (Jamestown); Lincoln Grain Inspection Service, Inc. (Lincoln); Midsouth Grain Inspection Service (Midsouth); Kansas Grain Inspection Service, Inc. (Kansas); Mid-Iowa Grain Inspection, Inc. (Mid-Iowa); Minot Grain Inspection, Inc. (Minot); Tri-State Grain Inspection, Inc. (Tri-State); Idaho Grain Inspection Service, Inc. (Idaho); Ohio Valley Grain Inspection, Inc. (Ohio Valley); California Agri Inspection Co., Ltd. (California); and Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (Virginia). 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. AMS is also asking for comments on the quality of official services at export port locations provided by delegated state agencies Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (Virginia) and Wisconsin Department of Agriculture (Wisconsin). AMS considers comments and other available information when determining certification.

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 of the Federal Seed Act Labeling and Enforcement.

This final rule updates the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) numbers for paper and paper-based packaging products in the Paper and Paper-Based Packaging Promotion, Research, and Information Order (Order). In addition, this action adds new language that allows assessment collection to continue even if HTS numbers change in the future. The Paper and Packaging Board (Board) administers the Order with oversight by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS).

AMS is asking for comments on the quality of official services at export port locations provided by the following delegated states: Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (Alabama) and the Washington State Department of Agriculture (Washington). We consider comments and other available information when determining certification.

This final rule implements a recommendation from the Texas Valley Citrus Committee to decrease the assessment rate established for the 2022-23 and subsequent fiscal periods. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

This decision proposes amendments to Marketing Order No. 984 (Order), which regulates the handling of walnuts grown in California, and provides growers with the opportunity to vote in a referendum to determine if they favor the changes. The California Walnut Board (Board), which locally administers the Order, recommended proposed amendments that would eliminate mandatory inspection and certification of inshell and shelled walnuts, and of shelled walnuts for processing; create a new mechanism for determining and collecting handler assessments; add authority to charge interest for late payments; establish an assessment rate of $0.0125 per inshell pound of walnuts; expand the definition of ``to handle'' to include ``receive''; and remove volume control authority. In addition, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) proposed to make any such changes to the Order as may be necessary to conform to any amendment that may result from the hearing.

This proposed rule would implement a recommendation from the Cherry Industry Administrative Board (Board) to increase the assessment rate established for the 2022-23 and subsequent fiscal periods. The proposed assessment rate would remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), is announcing a meeting of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). The NOSB assists the USDA in the development of standards for substances to be used in organic production and advises the Secretary of Agriculture on any other aspects of the implementation of the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA).

A public hearing is being held to consider and take evidence on proposals to amend the inter-market transportation credits in the Appalachian and Southeast Federal milk marketing orders (FMMOs) and adopt distributing plant delivery credits (intra-market transportation credits) in the Appalachian, Southeast, and Florida FMMOs.

This rulemaking proposes amendments to Marketing Order 905, which regulates the handling of oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, and pummelos grown in Florida. The proposed amendments reduce the size of the Citrus Administrative Committee (Committee) and lower quorum requirements, revise the nomination and selection processes, remove the requirement to allocate committee seats on the basis of volume from each district, and add a new section to provide the Committee authority to receive voluntary contributions for promotion and research projects. Conforming changes to align the marketing order with the proposed amendments are also proposed.

This rule establishes the Cattle Contracts Library pilot program. Under this pilot program, the Agricultural Marketing Service will collect, maintain, and report aggregated information on contracts between packers and cattle producers for the purchase of fed cattle. The library will include different types of contracts and contract terms, including contract terms on any schedules of premiums or discounts, delivery and transportation, terms and payments, financing, risk-sharing or profit sharing, and other financial arrangements. In addition to contract term information, the Agricultural Marketing Service will also report on the number of head of cattle purchased under these contracts.

Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, this constitutes notice of the upcoming meeting of the Grain Inspection Advisory Committee (Advisory Committee). The Advisory Committee meets no less than once annually to advise the Secretary on the programs and services delivered by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) under the U.S. Grain Standards Act. Recommendations by the Advisory Committee help AMS meet the needs of its customers, who operate in a dynamic and changing marketplace.

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 Country of Origin Labeling.

This proposed rule would implement a recommendation from the Texas Valley Citrus Committee to decrease the assessment rate established for the 2022-23 and subsequent fiscal periods. The proposed assessment rate would remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is announcing designation awards of Amarillo Grain Exchange, Inc. (Amarillo); J.W. Barton Grain Inspection Service, Inc. (Barton); Cairo Grain Inspection Agency, Inc. (Cairo); Champaign-Danville Grain Inspection Departments, Inc. (Champaign); Detroit Grain Inspection Service, Inc. (Detroit); Eastern Iowa Grain Inspection and Weighing Service, Inc. (Eastern Iowa); Enid Grain Inspection Company, Inc. (Enid); Farwell Commodity and Grain Services, Inc. (Farwell Southwest); Fremont Grain Inspection Department, Inc. (Fremont); Keokuk Grain Inspection Service (Keokuk); Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (Louisiana); Michigan Grain Inspection Services, Inc. (Michigan); Omaha Grain Inspection Service, Inc. (Omaha); Maryland Department of Agriculture (Maryland); North Carolina Department of Agriculture (North Carolina); North Dakota Grain Inspection Services, Inc. (North Dakota); Northeast Indiana Grain Inspection, Inc. (Northeast Indiana); Northern Plains Grain Inspection Service, Inc. (Northern Plains); Plainview Grain Inspection and Weighing Service, Inc. (Plainview); D. R. Schaal Agency, Inc. (Schaal); Sioux City Inspection and Weighing Service Company (Sioux City); State Grain Inspection, Inc. (State Grain); and Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (Utah) to provide official services under the United States Grain Standards Act (USGSA), as amended. The West Lafayette, Indiana area previously serviced by Titus Grain Inspection, Inc. (Titus), will now be serviced by two current official agencies: Champaign and North Dakota, as detailed below. AMS also announces that the designations of Plainview and Sioux City are amended to include Class X and Class Y weighing services.

This proposal invites comments on updates to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) numbers for paper and paper-based packaging products in the Paper and Paper-Based Packaging Promotion, Research, and Information Order (Order). In addition, this action proposes new language that allows assessment collection to continue even if HTS numbers change in the future. The Paper and Packaging Board (Board) administers the Order with oversight by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Pursuant to the Pork Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act of 1985 (Act) and the Pork Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Order (Order) thereunder, this rulemaking decreases the current rate of assessment of 0.40 percent of the market value of live porcine animals to 0.35 percent and decreases the amount of assessment per pound due on imported pork and pork products (one- to three-hundredths of a cent per pound). These reductions in assessment rates are made in response to the approximately 47 percent increase in 2021 in the average prices of live hogs above its 3-year average from 2018-2020 and reflect the National Pork Producers Delegate Body's (Delegate Body) desire to lessen the assessment burden on producers and make such funds available to pork producers and the industry. The adjustment in importer assessments also brings the equivalent market value of live animals from which imported pork and pork products are derived in line with the market value of domestic porcine animals. This action also updates the Harmonized Tariff Schedule number for prepared or preserved pork in the regulation.

In keeping with ongoing efforts to increase the number of small and underserved businesses participating in the USDA food procurement program, as well as increasing access to culturally appropriate foods, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is seeking public input on perceived barriers that small businesses, those owned by underserved businesses, and providers of organic, kosher, and halal agricultural products face in working with AMS' Commodity Procurement Program (CPP). This input will be used to update CPP's Small Business and New Vendor Strategy as appropriate.

This proposed rule would implement a recommendation from the Citrus Administrative Committee (Committee) to exempt pummelos from requirements prescribed under the Florida citrus marketing order. The proposed change would exempt pummelos from all requirements under the marketing order, including registration, assessment, and reporting requirements.

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 a new information collection ``National Science Laboratories.''