Department of Agriculture September 15, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice announces that the Farm Service Agency (FSA) is adding California, Minnesota, and Nebraska as eligible states to its Beginning Farmer and Rancher Land Contract Guarantee Pilot Program. Expanding the Pilot Program is intended to facilitate land transfers to a greater number of beginning farmers and ranchers.

An Opal Creek Scenic Recreation Area Advisory Council meeting will convene in Stayton, Oregon on Wednesday, October 5, 2005. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m., and will conclude at approximately 8:30 p.m. The meeting will be held in the South Room of the Stayton Community Center located on 400 West Virginia Street in Stayton, Oregon. The Opal Creek Wilderness and Opal Creek Scenic Recreation Area Act of 1996 (Opal Creek Act) (Pub. L. 104-208) directed the Secretary of Agriculture to establish the Opal Creek Scenic Recreation Area Advisory Council. The Advisory Council is comprised of thirteen members representing state, county and city governments, and representatives of various organizations, which include mining industry, environmental organizations, inholders in Opal Creek Scenic Recreation Area, economic development, Indian tribes, adjacent landowners and recreation interests. The council provides advice to the Secretary of Agriculture on preparation of a comprehensive Opal Creek Management Plan for the SRA, and consults on a periodic and regular basis on the management of the area. Tentative agenda items include project updates and season end reporting, Pearl Creek Guard Station restoration strategy subcommittee report, and future council membership. A direct public comment period is tentatively scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Time allotted for individual presentations will be limited to 3 minutes. Written comments are encouraged, particularly if the material cannot be presented within the time limits of the comment period. Written comments may be submitted prior to October 5th by sending them to Designated Federal Official Paul Matter at the address given below.

This rule decreases the assessment rate established for the Prune Marketing Committee (committee) under Marketing Order No. 993 for the 2005-06 and subsequent crop years from $6.00 to $0.65 per ton of salable dried prunes. The committee locally administers the marketing order which regulates the handling of dried prunes grown in California. Authorization to assess dried prune handlers enables the committee to incur expenses that are reasonable and necessary to administer the program. The crop year began August 1 and ends July 31. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.