Department of Agriculture February 14, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Shasta-Trinity National Forest proposes to harvest timber and clean up the resulting down wood (fuels) on approximately 3,770 acres of National Forest System lands. About 90% of the area would be harvested through thinning by removing a portion of the trees from overcrowded forest stands. Trees removed would be those infected with disease or insects and generally smaller in size than those left behind. Most of the trees on the remaining 10% are infected by disease and insects and would be removed. Young tree seedlings would be planted in the openings created in these areas. The project area is in T40 and 41N, R1W, MDM., about 10 miles northeast of the town of McCloud, California. Most of the project area is zoned by the Forest Land and Resource Management Plan as Matrix land. About one percent of the area is zoned as Riparian Reserve (areas adjacent to streams or other wetlands).

This decision proposes amending the marketing agreement and order (order) for Irish potatoes grown in Washington, and provides producers with the opportunity to vote in a referendum to determine if they favor the changes. The amendments are based on those proposed by the State of Washington Potato Committee (Committee), which is responsible for local administration of the order. These amendments include: adding authority for container and marking regulations; requiring Committee producer members to have produced potatoes for the fresh market in at least 3 out of the last 5 years prior to nomination; updating order provisions pertaining to establishment of districts and apportionment of Committee membership among those districts; requiring Committee nominees to submit a written background and acceptance statement prior to selection by USDA; allowing for nominations to be held at industry meetings or events; adding authority to change the size of the Committee; and adding authority to allow temporary alternates to serve when a Committee member and that member's alternate are unable to serve. The USDA proposed two additional amendments: to establish tenure limitations for Committee members, and to require that continuance referenda be conducted on a periodic basis to ascertain producer support for the order. The proposed amendments are intended to improve the operation and functioning of the marketing order program.