Department of Agriculture February 23, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has prepared an environmental assessment for a confined field planting of rice plants genetically engineered to express the protein lactoferrin. This environmental assessment is available for public review and comment.

This rule amends a prior interim final rule that increased the quantity of Class 3 (Native) spearmint oil produced in the Far West that handlers may purchase from, or handle for, producers during the 2004-2005 marketing year. The prior interim final rule increased the Native spearmint oil salable quantity from 773,474 pounds to 1,095,689 pounds, and the allotment percentage from 36 percent to 51 percent. This rule increases the Native spearmint oil salable quantity by an additional 171,873 pounds from 1,095,689 pounds to 1,267,562 pounds, and the allotment percentage by an additional 8 percent from 51 percent to 59 percent. The Spearmint Oil Administrative Committee (Committee), the agency responsible for local administration of the marketing order for spearmint oil produced in the Far West, unanimously recommended this rule to avoid extreme fluctuations in supplies and prices and to help maintain stability in the Far West spearmint oil market.

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is adopting, as a final rule, without change, an interim final rule suspending, for the 2004-05 fiscal period, the minimum grade, quality, maturity, container, pack, inspection, assessment collection, and other related requirements currently prescribed under the South Texas melon (cantaloupes and honeydews) marketing order (order). It also continues in effect the action that suspends reporting requirements, except for the acreage planting reports, which continue to be required during the suspension period. The order regulates the handling of melons grown in South Texas and is administered locally by the South Texas Melon Committee (Committee). This rule reduces handler costs while the industry evaluates whether the marketing order should be continued.