Department of Agriculture March 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This is a recommended decision regarding proposed amendments to Marketing Order No. 915 (order), which regulates the handling of avocados grown in Florida. The amendments were proposed by the Florida Avocado Administrative Committee (Committee), which is responsible for local administration of the order. The amendments included in this recommended decision would: add authority for the Committee to borrow funds; revise voting requirements for changing the assessment rate; allow for District 1 nominations to be conducted by mail; and add authority for the Committee to accept voluntary contributions. The proposed amendments are intended to improve the operation and functioning of the marketing order program. This recommended decision invites written exceptions on the proposed amendments. This rule also announces AMS's intention to request approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) of a new information collection.

The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) announces the availability of approximately $8 million in funding for the Emerging Markets Program (EMP) for fiscal year (FY) 2007. The intended effect of this notice is to solicit applications from the private sector and from government agencies for FY 2007 and award funds in August 2007. The EMP is administered by personnel of the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).

The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) announces the availability of funding for the 2008 Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops (TASC) Program. The intended effect of this notice is to solicit applications from the private sector and from government agencies for participation in the FY 2008 TASC Program. The TASC Program is administered by personnel of the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).

The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) announces that it is inviting proposals for the 2008 Market Access Program (MAP). The intended effect of this notice is to solicit applications from eligible applicants and award funds in October 2007. The MAP is administered by personnel of the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), has reviewed the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable grade standards for usefulness in serving the industry. As a result, AMS is proposing to revise the sweet cherry standard to include standardized row sizes into the standard. These standardized row sizes would establish a uniform basis for defining size in the industry.

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is adopting, as a final rule, without change, an interim final rule modifying the grade and maturity requirements for potatoes handled under the Colorado potato marketing order, Area No. 2. The marketing order regulates the handling of Irish potatoes grown in Colorado and is administered locally by the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee, Area No. 2 (Committee). This rule continues in effect the action that relaxed the minimum grade requirement from U.S. No. 1 grade to U.S. Commercial grade for all Area No. 2 potato varieties, other than round, red-skinned varieties, measuring from 1\1/2\-inch minimum diameter to 2\1/4\-inch maximum diameter (size B), and 1-inch minimum diameter to 1\3/4\-inch maximum diameter. This rule also continues in effect the action that changed the date minimum maturity requirements are implemented from August 25 to August 1 of each year. These changes are intended to facilitate the handling and marketing of Colorado Area No. 2 potatoes.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces the intention of the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) to request an extension of a currently approved information collection in support of customer- focused improvement initiatives for USDA-procured poultry, livestock, fruit, and vegetable products.

This rule invites comments concerning the collection of assessments owed under the nectarine and peach marketing orders. The marketing orders regulate the handling of nectarines and peaches grown in California and are administered locally by the Nectarine Administrative Committee and the Peach Commodity Committee (committees). This rule would implement authorities contained in the marketing order to allow the committees to apply late payment and interest charges on past due assessments owed the committees by handlers.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request an extension of approval of an information collection associated with regulations for the importation of artificially dwarfed plants.

USDA Rural Development administers rural utilities programs through the Rural Utilities Service. USDA Rural Development announces its fiscal year (FY) 2007 funding and application window for the Household Water Well System (HWWS) Grant Program. The HWWS Grant Program is authorized under Section 6012 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (The Act), Public Law 107-171. The Act authorizes USDA Rural Development to make grants to qualified private non-profit organizations to establish lending programs for household water wells. For FY 2007, the HWWS grant funding available is $990,000. The non-profit organizations will use the grants to make loans to individual homeowners to construct or upgrade a household water well system for an existing home. The organizations must contribute an amount equal to at least 10 percent of the grant request to capitalize the loan fund. Applications may be submitted in paper or electronic format. The HWWS Grant Program regulations are contained in 7 CFR part 1776.

The Forest Service will prepare a supplement (Supplement) to the environmental impact statement (EIS) for the North Sheep Grazing Allotment Final EIS. The Supplement will include additional analyses and new information concerning Management Indicator Species (MIS), capable and suitable grazing lands, and adaptive management strategies.

It has been determined by the NRCS State Conservationist for Virginia that changes must be made in the NRCS State Technical Guide specifically in practice standards: 647, Early Successional Habitat Development Management, 511, Forage Harvest Management, 655, Forest Trails and Landings and 512, Pasture and Hay Planting. These practices will be used to plan and install conservation practices on cropland, pastureland, woodland, and wildlife land.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request an extension of approval of an information collection associated with regulations for the interstate movement of plants and plant products from the District of Columbia.

We are adopting as a final rule, without change, an interim rule that amended the regulations by adding the Cities of Roanoke and Salem and the Counties of Craig, Giles, and Roanoke in Virginia to the list of generally infested areas based on the detection of infestations of gypsy moth in those areas. As a result of the interim rule, the interstate movement of regulated articles from those areas is restricted. The interim rule was necessary to prevent the spread of gypsy moth to noninfested areas of the United States.

This recommended decision invites written exceptions on proposed amendments to Marketing Order No. 984, which regulates the handling of walnuts grown in California (Order). The amendments were proposed by the Walnut Marketing Board (Board), which is responsible for local administration of the order. The amendments included in this recommended decision would: Change the marketing year; include ``pack'' as a handler function; restructure the Board and revise nomination procedures; rename the Board and add authority to change Board composition; modify Board meeting and voting procedures; add authority for marketing promotion and paid advertising; add authority to accept voluntary financial contributions and to carry over excess assessment funds; broaden the scope of the quality control provisions and add the authority to recommend different regulations for different market destinations; add authority for the Board to appoint more than one inspection service; replace outdated order language with current industry terminology; and other related amendments. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) proposed three additional amendments: To establish tenure limitations for Board members, to require that continuance referenda be conducted on a periodic basis to ascertain producer support for the order, and to make any changes to the order as may be necessary to conform with any amendment that may result from the hearing. The proposed amendments are intended to improve the operation and functioning of the marketing order program.

The Eastern Region Recreation Resource Advisory Committee will hold its first meeting in Milwaukee, WI. The purpose of the meeting is to receive recommendations concerning recreation fee proposals on the Allegheny, Chequamegon-Nicolet, Chippewa, Hiawatha, Hoosier, Huron- Manistee, Monongahela, Ottawa, Shawnee, Superior, and Wayne National Forests and to discuss other items of interest related to the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act of 2004. A large part of this first meeting will be dedicated to committee orientation and organizational matters such as election of chair, and crafting of by-laws. Individuals who need special assistance such as sign language interpretation or other reasonable accommodations, or who wish a hard copy of the agenda, should contact Marcia Heymen at 626 E. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53202 no later than 10 days prior to the meeting.

We are advising the public of our determination that a corn line developed by Syngenta, designated as transformation event MIR604, which has been genetically engineered for resistance to corn rootworm, is no longer considered a regulated article under our regulations governing the introduction of certain genetically engineered organisms. Our determination is based on our evaluation of data submitted by Syngenta Seeds, Inc., in their petition for a determination of nonregulated status, our analysis of other scientific data, and comments received from the public in response to a previous notice announcing the availability of the petition for nonregulated status and an environmental assessment. This notice also announces the availability of our written determination and our finding of no significant impact.

As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on the proposed information collection for Food Stamp Program Regulations, Part 275Quality Control. Specifically, this is the burden associated with the collection of information for the sampling plan, the arbitration process, and the good cause process. This proposed collection is a revision of a collection currently approved under OMB No. 0584-0303.

This rule establishes final free and restricted percentages for the 2006-2007 crop year. The percentages are 55 percent free and 45 percent restricted and will establish the proportion of cherries from the 2006 crop which may be handled in commercial outlets. The percentages are intended to stabilize supplies and prices, and strengthen market conditions. The percentages were recommended by the Cherry Industry Administrative Board (Board), the body that locally administers the marketing order. The marketing order regulates the handling of tart cherries grown in the States of Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Pursuant to section 606(b) of the International Forestry Cooperation Act of 1990, as amended, the following lands in the State of Hawaii are designated as units of the Hawaii Experimental Tropical Forest: 1. Laup[amacr]hoehoe Experimental Forest Unit comprising approximately 12,343 acres on the Island of Hawaii, and 2. Pu'u Wa'awa'a Experimental Forest Unit comprising approximately 38,885 acres on the Island of Hawaii. Research on these experimental forest units shall be administered in accordance with applicable laws and the Cooperative Agreement between the United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, and the State of Hawaii, Board of Land and Natural Resources, entered into on December 12, 2006.

The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests (GMUG) has made its proposed Land Management Plan and associated documents available for review. Interested parties are invited to review and comment on the proposed Plan and supporting documents, which include: 1. The proposed Land Management Plan, including maps and appendices (approximately 300 pages). 2. The proposed Land Management Plan Newsletter including Key Changes from current plan (16 pages). 3. The Comprehensive Evaluation Report summary of social, economic, and ecological conditions, trends, and management implications (approximately 280 pages). The Comprehensive Assessments of conditions and trends which include volumes on terrestrial resources, watershed and aquatic resources, geologic and mineral resources, and human uses of the forest (4 volumes totaling approximately 2,500 pages). The proposed Forest Plan, and Comprehensive Evaluation Report can be accessed, viewed, and downloaded from our planning Web site at https://www.fs.fed.us/r2/gmug/policy/planrev/, or by obtaining a CD from forest headquarters. The Comprehensive Assessments will be available on CD only and sent to those who request it. Paper copies of the proposed Forest Plan newsletter and readers guide are available. Additionally, Geographic Information System (GIS) data used in the development of the proposed Plan can be viewed, and maps can be produced, on the Internet using ArcIMS. With this option you can view single date layers or overlay different layers. You can view the data forest-wide or zoom to your area of interest. To use this option, navigate to https://maps.fs.fed.us and scroll to the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests (GMUG) project. Public Involvement: Current information and details of upcoming public participation opportunities are posted on our Web site: https:// www.fs.fed.us/r2/gmug/policy/plan rev/. Contact Anne Janik (970) 874- 6637, or e-mail ajanik@fs.fed.us to be placed on our mailing list.

The Secretary of Agriculture is renewing the charter of the Roadless Area Conservation National Advisory Committee, under the authority of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, 5 U.S.C. App II). The purpose of the Roadless Area Conservation National Advisory Committee is to provide advice and recommendations to the Secretary on management and conservation of roadless areas. This includes, but is not limited to, petitions by States to the Secretary, or his designee, under the authority of the Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. 553(e) and 7 CFR 1.28.

We are amending the citrus canker quarantine regulations to explicitly prohibit, with limited exceptions, the interstate movement of regulated nursery stock from a quarantined area. The interstate movement of regulated nursery stock from an area quarantined for citrus canker poses a high risk of spreading citrus canker outside the quarantined area. We are including two exceptions to the prohibition. We are allowing calamondin and kumquat plants, two types of citrus plants that are highly resistant to citrus canker, to move interstate from a quarantined area under a protocol designed to ensure that they are free of citrus canker prior to movement. We will also continue to allow the interstate movement of regulated nursery stock for immediate export, under certain conditions. This action is necessary to clarify our regulations and to address the risk associated with the interstate movement of regulated nursery stock from areas quarantined for citrus canker.