Department of Agriculture May 9, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We are advising the public that we have prepared a pest risk analysis that evaluates the risks associated with the importation into the continental United States of dragon fruit from Vietnam. Based on that analysis, 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 dragon fruit from Vietnam. We are making the pest risk analysis available to the public for review and comment.

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is adopting as a final rule, without change, an interim final rule which decreased the assessment rate established for the California Olive Committee (committee) for the 2008 and subsequent fiscal years from $47.84 to $15.60 per assessable ton of olives handled. The committee locally administers the marketing order which regulates the handling of olives grown in California. Assessments upon olive handlers are used by the committee to fund reasonable and necessary expenses of the program. The fiscal year began January 1 and ends December 31. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

We propose to amend the Animal Welfare Act regulations by adding minimum age requirements for the transport in commerce of animals. The regulations currently contain such requirements for dogs and cats, but no corresponding ones for other regulated animals, despite the risks associated with the early transport of these species. We also propose to amend the regulations to allow, provided certain conditions are met, for animals to be transported without their mothers for medical treatment and for scientific research before reaching the minimum age and weaning requirement. Establishing minimum age requirements for the transport in commerce of animals and providing for the transport of animals that have not met the minimum age requirements are necessary to help ensure the humane treatment of these animals.

NRCS and CCC published in the Federal Register on April 10, 2008, (73 FR 19456), a document stating ``Notice of the Conservation Security Program, (CSP-08-01) sign up.'' This notice extends the sign- up period end date from May 16, 2008, to May 30, 2008, in the SUMMARY and SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION sections of the previously published document.