Agricultural Marketing Service – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This action is being taken under the authority of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, as amended (AMA). The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is revising the method of interpretation for the determination of whole peas in the Pea and Lentil Inspection Handbook pertaining to the class ``Split Peas,'' in the U.S. Standards for Split Peas. Stakeholders in the pea processing/handling industry requested that AMS amend the interpretation of ``whole peas'' in the Split Pea inspection instructions by increasing the percent tolerance for the factor whole peas.

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).

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is announcing our intention to request a 3-year extension and revision of a currently approved information collection for ``Export Inspection and Weighing Waiver for High Quality Specialty Grain Transported in Containers''.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is providing an additional 30 days for public comments on the Notice on Supply Chains for the Production of Agricultural Commodities and Food Products published on April 21, 2021. During the first two weeks of the comment period, AMS received requests from stakeholders and organizations for additional time to provide thoughtful and thorough feedback to this request. Requests were received from representatives of critical supply chain activities whose comments would be of great value to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in preparing the report required by the Executive Order on ``America's Supply Chains.''

This proposed rule would implement a recommendation from the Prune Marketing Committee (Committee) to increase the assessment rate established for the 2020-21 and subsequent crop years. The proposed assessment rate would remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is providing an additional 60 days for public comments on the proposed rule that would amend the Lamb Promotion, Research, and Information Order (Order). During the February 22, 2021, through March 24, 2021, comment period, AMS received two comments requesting additional time to analyze a potential volume threshold that would allow low-volume market agencies to be eligible for flexibilities to the proposed assessment remittance process. Such flexibilities would allow for very small, low-volume market agencies to utilize quarterly or yearly remittances, as opposed to the proposed monthly remittance process. The proposed flexibilities would reduce the regulatory burden for affected market agencies.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is proposing to add a new criterionCotyledon Damageto the chickpea/garbanzo bean damage factors in the Bean Inspection Handbook. The damage factors pertain to the class Chickpea/ Garbanzo Beans in the U.S. Standards for Beans under the United States Agricultural Marketing Act (AMA). Stakeholders in the bean processing/ handling industry suggested adding a criterion related to white chalky or wafer-like spots in the cotyledon, which can affect chickpea/ garbanzo bean flavor. This proposal is intended to update inspection procedures to ensure that the bean standards remain relevant to the market. AMS invites interested parties to comment on whether revising the inspection instructions to include the additional damage factor would facilitate the marketing of chickpea/garbanzo beans. This action would not revise or amend the Grade and Grade Requirements for Chickpea/Garbanzo Beans in the U.S. Standards for Beans.

On February 24, 2021, President Biden issued an Executive Order on ``America's Supply Chains,'' which directs several Federal agency actions to secure and strengthen America's supply chains. One of these directions is for the Secretary of Agriculture (the Secretary) to submit, within one year, a report to the President that assesses the supply chains for the production of agricultural commodities and food products. This notice requests comments and information from the public to assist the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in preparing the report required by the Executive Order. Through this notice, USDA is also requesting public comment to inform our thinking regarding how stimulus relief programs and spending related to food supply chain resilience as authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (CAA), and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) can help to increase durability and resilience within the U.S. food supply.

The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is seeking comments from the public regarding the United States Standards for Wheat under the United States Grain Standards Act (USGSA). To ensure that standards and official grading practices remain relevant, AMS invites interested parties to comment on whether the current wheat standards and grading practices need to be changed.

This rule implements a recommendation from the Cherry Industry Administrative Board (Board) to decrease the portion of assessments allocated to research and promotion activities and increase the portion allocated to administrative expenses. The overall assessment rate remains unchanged. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) is terminating the following 10 U.S. Consumer Standards: The U.S. Consumer Standards for Italian Sprouting Broccoli, U.S. Consumer Standards for Fresh Carrots, U.S. Consumer Standards for Celery Stalks, U.S. Consumer Standards for Husked Corn on the Cob, U.S. Consumer Standards for Fresh Kale, U.S. Consumer Standards for Fresh Spinach Leaves, U.S. Consumer Standards for Brussels Sprouts, U.S. Consumer Standards for Fresh Parsnips, U.S. Consumer Standards for Fresh Turnips, and U.S. Consumer Standards for Beet Greens. This action is part of USDA's work to eliminate regulations that are outdated, unnecessary, ineffective, or impose costs that exceed benefits.

This proposed rule would adjust the number of members on the United Soybean Board (Board) to reflect changes in production levels that have occurred since the Board was last reapportioned in 2018. As required by the Soybean Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act (Act), membership on the Board is reviewed every 3 years and adjustments are made accordingly. This proposed change would result in a decrease in Board membership for one State, decreasing the total number of Board members from 78 to 77. These changes would be reflected in the Soybean Promotion and Research Order (Order) and would be effective with the Secretary of Agriculture's (Secretary) appointments for terms in the year 2022. This proposed rule would also correct the number of States and units to the Order. Technical corrections to the regulations would adjust the number of States and units from 30 to 31.

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 revision of a currently approved collection for the Regulations Governing the Inspection and Grading of Manufactured or Processed Dairy ProductsRecordkeeping (Subpart B).

This notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to conduct a new collection for surveys conducted by the Transportation and Marketing Program Marketing Services Division funded through cooperative agreements with various cooperators (other Federal agencies, State governments, land grant universities, and other organizations). AMS works with universities and other entities to research market access issues related to local and regional food systems. Surveys are a vital tool to help determine where to focus our research, as well as where we should encourage or initiate original research to support the sector. This generic clearance will allow AMS to conduct surveys with cooperating institutions in a timely manner.

The National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) was established to assist in the development of standards for substances to be used in organic production and to advise the Secretary on the implementation of the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (OFPA). Through this Notice, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing its call for nominations to fill four vacancies. Descriptions of the four positions are listed below under supplementary information. Appointees will serve a 5-year term beginning January 24, 2022, and ending January 23, 2027. Additionally, USDA seeks nominations for a pool of candidates that the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) can draw upon as replacement appointees if unexpected vacancies occur.

The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is seeking comments from the public regarding the United States (U.S.) Standards for Sorghum under the United States Grain Standards Act (USGSA). To ensure that standards and official grading practices remain relevant, AMS invites interested parties to comment on whether the current sorghum standards and grading practices need to be changed.

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 of a currently approved information collection under the Dairy Product Mandatory Reporting Program. The information collected supports the marketing of dairy products and is used to verify compliance with Federal milk marketing regulations.

This proposed rule would amend the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List) section of the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) organic regulations to add potassium hypochlorite for pre-harvest use as a sanitizer in organic crop production and fatty alcohols for sucker control in organic tobacco production. In addition, this rule proposes to remove the listing for dairy cultures, as it is redundant with an existing listing.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) proposes to revise the U.S. Standards for Grades of Watermelons. The proposed changes would provide a common language for trade of watermelons.

This final rule implements a recommendation from the Administrative Committee for Pistachios (Committee) to increase the assessment rate established for the 2020-21 and subsequent production years. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) invites comments on a proposal to implement a standardized formula model for calculating Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) supervision fees. The proposed change would enable FGIS to adjust supervision fees annually in order to maintain an appropriate operating reserve as required by the United States Grain Standards Act (USGSA). As with other AMS fee-based programs, AMS would publish annual FGIS fee updates in the Federal Register and post updated fee schedules on its website. The proposed rule would also eliminate or revise certain registration and duplication fees charged by FGIS.

This final rule suspends the reporting and assessment requirements prescribed under the marketing order regulating Irish potatoes grown in Washington. In a separate action, the State of Washington Potato Committee recommended termination of the marketing order. This final rule indefinitely suspends the reporting and assessment requirements of the marketing order during the period that USDA is processing the termination request.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is providing an additional 30 days for public comments on the proposed rule that would amend the Lamb Promotion, Research, and Information Order (Order). Reopening the comment period gives interested persons an additional opportunity to comment on the proposal. Comments are solicited from all stakeholders, notably those who would be impacted by the proposed amendments.

The designations of the official agencies listed in SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION below will end on the prescribed dates. We are asking persons or governmental agencies interested in providing official services in the areas presently served by these agencies to submit an application for designation. The Agricultural Marketing Service (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. In addition, we are asking for comments on the quality of services provided by the following designated agencies: 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); Keokuk Grain Inspection Service (Keokuk); Michigan Grain Inspection Services, Inc. (Michigan); Omaha Grain Inspection Service, Inc. (Omaha); Fremont Grain Inspection Department, Inc. (Fremont); Maryland Department of Agriculture (Maryland); Amarillo Grain Exchange, Inc. (Amarillo); Cairo Grain Inspection Agency, Inc. (Cairo); Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (Louisiana); North Carolina Department of Agriculture (North Carolina); D.R. Schaal Agency, Inc. (Schaal); and Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (Utah).

This document directs that a referendum be conducted among eligible producers of Irish potatoes grown in certain designated counties in Idaho, and Malheur County, Oregon, to determine whether they favor continuance of the marketing order regulating the handling of Irish potatoes grown in the production area.