Department of Agriculture – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Rural Housing Service (RHS or the Agency), a Rural Development agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is issuing this notification to extend the period to waive two regulatory requirements for the Section 502 Direct and Guaranteed Manufactured Housing program, while the Agency completes the rulemaking to remove regulatory barriers to assist eligible applicants by improving the ease of the pilot program (pilot) use for very low to moderate-income homeowners that seek to purchase more affordable housing. This continues to support the current Administration's Housing Supply Action Plan which seeks to boost new financing mechanisms to build and supply quality affordable housing units. This document briefly discusses the waivers the Agency intends to continue and provides contact information for additional details about the pilot.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) intention to request a revision of a currently approved information collection and invites comments on this information collection.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces Rural Development's (RD) intention to request a revision of a currently approved information collection and invites comments on this information collection.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the intention of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) to seek approval to conduct a new information collection to gather data related to the use of agroforestry practices.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is announcing the certification of the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries and the Washington State Department of Agriculture to provide official inspection services at the export port locations listed in table 1, below, under the delegated authority of the United States Grain Standards Act (USGSA or Act), as amended. AMS is also announcing the designation of official agencies to provide official services (at other than export port locations) in the geographic areas listed in table 2, below.

This amendment to NIFA regulations updates the list of institutions that are granted Hispanic-Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities (HSACU) certification by the Secretary and are eligible for HSACU programs for the period starting July 1, 2024, and ending July 1, 2025.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS or Service) proposes to amend its user fee regulations to establish standardized formulas the agency would use to calculate hourly and unit fees. The proposed changes would allow FGIS to charge reasonable fees sufficient to cover the costs of providing official services and re-establish a 3-to 6-month operating reserve, as required by the United States Grain Standards Act (USGSA). This proposed rulemaking would also make specified conforming changes and minor technical changes to the regulations to correct two typographical errors.

This United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) amends the Agriculture Acquisition Regulation (AGAR) to align the AGAR with changes to acquisition law, regulations, and internal USDA policies since the AGAR's last major revision in 1996.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will hold a public meeting of the Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Advisory Committee (UAIPAC). UAIPAC will convene to discuss proposed recommendations for the Secretary of Agriculture on the development of policies and outreach relating to urban, indoor, and other emerging agriculture production practices. UAIPAC is authorized under the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) and operates in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended.

This notice lists the newspapers that will be used by the ranger districts, national forests, and regional office of the Pacific Southwest Region to publish legal notices required under Agency regulations. The intended effect of this action is to inform interested members of the public which newspapers the Forest Service will use to publish notices of projects and activities implementing land management plans. Notices published in newspapers of record may notify the public of Forest Service proposals, provide information on the procedures to comment or object, and establish the date that the Forest Service will use to determine if comments or objections were timely.

This document revises the delegations of authority from the Secretary of Agriculture and general officers of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to reflect changes and additions to the delegations as summarized below.

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, 2024, through May 31, 2024, at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Farm Service Agency County offices. To trigger a referendum, 41,336 soybean producers, which represents 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 229. The number of valid petitions received was 207.

On August 1, 2024, pursuant to the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998 and the Inspector General (IG) Act of 1978, as amended, USDAIG Phyllis K. Fong issued IG-1313, Change 9, Succession, Delegations of Authority, and Signature Authorities. This directive supersedes IG-1313, Change 8, dated November 8, 2016, as amended by Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Bulletin C-20-001-1313, dated June 24, 2020; and all previous delegations to the extent that they are inconsistent with this publication. This publication supersedes the USDA OIG's prior notice of succession order.

Rural Development's Rural Business-Cooperative Service, Rural Housing Service, and Rural Utilities Service, agencies of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), collectively referred to as the Agency in this document, are publishing this final rule for the OneRD Guarantee Loan Program (OneRD). The intent of this rule is to make necessary revisions to the policy and procedures which will strengthen oversight and management of the growing Community Facilities (CF), Water and Waste Disposal (WWD), Business and Industry (B&I), and Rural Energy for America (REAP) guarantee portfolios. This action is part of a continuing effort by the Agency to improve customer service for its lenders and create a more efficient work process for its staff.

The Farm Service Agency (FSA) is announcing the extension of the Application Fast Track (AFT) pilot program that was launched August 7, 2023, which continues the expedited processing of qualified direct Operating Loans (OL) and Farm Ownership Loans (FO) to family farmers and ranchers. AFT has been available to all customers nationwide since January 1, 2024. AFT is being extended through December 31, 2025, to allow time for FSA to continue to evaluate the administrative effectiveness of AFT. The initial results of AFT reflect a significant improvement in processing times for all customers, and FSA is continuing to monitor loan performance, and overall satisfaction with the AFT pilot program from both customers and staff.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS or Agency), a Rural Development (RD) agency of the United States Department of Agriculture, announces that it is inviting applications for the Multifamily Housing Preservation and Revitalization Demonstration Program (MPR) and Section 515 Loan Program. These loan and grant funds will be made available to qualified applicants which may be used to preserve and improve existing Rural Rental Housing (RRH) and Off-Farm Labor Housing (OFF-FLH) projects to extend their affordable use.

This document informs the public that the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is withdrawing the proposed rule titled Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D- SNAP) that published in the Federal Register on May 10, 2016. This rule would have amended the SNAP regulations to establish procedures for planning, requesting and operating D-SNAP. The Department is withdrawing this proposed rule to maintain the flexibility to adapt D- SNAP to unique disaster situations. The importance of this flexibility became apparent as the Department adjusted traditional D-SNAP operations to accommodate the changing circumstances during the public health emergency. The proposed rule would have prevented the Department from enacting many of the successful responses utilized during the public health emergency to best serve households and State agencies in the aftermath of a disaster. After enacting these critical adaptations to D-SNAP design during the public health emergency, receiving feedback from D-SNAP listening sessions, and reviewing the comments received on the proposed rule, the Department is withdrawing the proposed rule to reduce the burden on State agencies and households responding to disasters.

The Forest Service ("Forest Service"), United States Department of Agriculture is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Mokelumne Amador Calaveras (MAC) Forest Resilience Project. The MAC Forest Resilience Project is a 246,838- acres planning effort designed to address the threats wildfire and climate change elicit to watershed resiliency at a scale and intensity that will be effective in improving our ability to protect communities, critical infrastructure, wildlife habitat and ecosystem services. Current forest conditions have placed the Project Area at an elevated risk of high-severity wildfires. The proposed action includes vegetation management treatments designed to better align current forest structure and composition with desired conditions, focusing on fuel reduction, forest thinning, prescribed fire, fuel break construction and maintenance, non-native invasive plant control and eradication, and other ecological and watershed restoration activities. The Planning, Appeals, and Litigation System identification number for the project is 65796.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is revising specific conservation practice standards (CPS) in the National Handbook of Conservation Practices (NHCP). NRCS is also giving the public an opportunity to provide comments on the proposed changes to the specific CPS.

This proposed rulemaking would implement a recommendation from the Avocado Administrative Committee (Committee) to change the maturity requirements under the marketing order for avocados grown in South Florida. This action would update the avocado maturity shipping schedule to allow certain sizes and weights of the Beta avocado variety to be shipped earlier. A corresponding change would be made to the avocado import regulation as required under the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on this proposed information collection for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Health Outcomes and Participant Experience (HOPE) Study. This new information collection will provide the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) with current information about the population WIC serves, how well WIC services align with participants' needs, and how WIC influences participants' health outcomes. This information will help policymakers and program administrators address service gaps and reduce potential disparities in health outcomes.