Department of Agriculture January 18, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Office of the Acting Under Secretary for Food Safety, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), United States Department of Health and Human Services, are sponsoring a public meeting on February 2, 2005, to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items that will be discussed at the Thirty-seventh Session of the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (CCFH) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex). The 37th Session of the CCFH will be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, 14-19 March, 2005. The Acting Under Secretary and FDA recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the agenda items that will be discussed at this forthcoming session of the CCFH.

The Secretary of Agriculture (the Secretary) published in the Federal Register on August 17, 2004 proposed uniform guidelines for conducting elections of Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Committees, pursuant to section 10708 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Pub. L. 107-171) (the 2002 Farm Bill). The notice provided a thirty-day period for public comments. As a result of numerous requests, the public comment period was extended until October 16, 2004, in a Federal Register notice published September 22, 2004. After analysis of the comments received, the Secretary is now issuing the final uniform guidelines for conducting FSA County Committee elections.

The Sierra County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet on January 27, 2005, in Downieville, California. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss issues relating to implementing the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (Payments to States) and the expenditure of Title II funds benefiting National Forest System lands on the Humboldt-Toiyabe, Plumas and Tahoe National Forests in Sierra County.

The United States Grain Standards Act, as amended (Act), provides that official agency designations will end not later than triennially and may be renewed. The California Department of Food and Agriculture (California) is designated to provide official inspection and weighing services until December 31, 2005, according to the Act. California is also delegated to provide export services. California advised Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) that they will cease providing official services on May 1, 2005. Accordingly, GIPSA is announcing that California's delegation and designation will be canceled effective April 30, 2005. GIPSA is asking for applicants for domestic service in the California area.