Department of Agriculture October 19, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We are advising the public of our decision to begin issuing permits for the importation into the continental United States of peeled baby carrots from Kenya. Based on the findings of a pest risk analysis, which we made available to the public for review and comment through a previous notice, we believe that the application of one or more designated phytosanitary measures will be sufficient to mitigate the risks of introducing or disseminating plant pests or noxious weeds via the importation of peeled baby carrots from Kenya.

We are advising the public of our decision to begin issuing permits for the importation into the continental United States of Ribes species fruits (i.e., currants and gooseberries) from South Africa. Based on the findings of a pest risk analysis, which we made available to the public for review and comment through a previous notice, we believe that the application of one or more designated phytosanitary measures will be sufficient to mitigate the risks of introducing or disseminating plant pests or noxious weeds via the importation of Ribes species fruits from South Africa.

The Forest Service is proposing changes to directives governing special use permits for outfitting and guiding conducted on National Forest System lands by simplifying the application and administration process; establishing a flat land use fee for temporary use permits; developing a process for allocation of use on a first- come, first-served basis for temporary use permits to facilitate greater participation in outfitting and guiding by youth, educational, and religious groups; offering the same terms and conditions to educational and institutional permit holders as to other types of permit holders; and clarifying policy for priority use permits governing performance, inspections, and allocation of use. In addition, the Forest Service is proposing changes to a directive governing insurance requirements for Forest Service special use permits. Public comment is invited and will be considered in development of the final directives.

The Farm Service Agency (FSA) is requesting applications for competitive cooperative agreement funds for Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 for the credit outreach initiative targeted to American Indian farmers, ranchers, and youth residing primarily on Indian reservations within the contiguous United States. FSA anticipates the availability of $933,120 in funding. This request for applications is being made prior to passage of a final appropriations bill to allow applicants sufficient time to submit proposals, give the Agency maximum time to process applications, and permit continuity of this program. FSA requests proposals from eligible nonprofit organizations, land-grant institutions, and federally-recognized Indian tribal governments interested in a competitively-awarded cooperative agreement to create and implement a mechanism that will provide credit outreach and promotion, pre-loan education, one-on-one loan application preparation assistance and other related services as proposed by the successful applicant that are specific to FSA's Agricultural Credit Programs.

On August 15, 2005, the USDA Forest Service (FS), Ochoco National Forest, published a Notice of Intent (NOI) in the Federal Register (70 FR 47785-47787) to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the East Maurys Fuels and Vegetation Management Project. The FS revises that NOI as follows: Except for the sections noted, all prior information remains the same.