Department of Agriculture April 7, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In a final rule that was published in the Federal Register on January 16, 2009 (74 FR 2770-2786, Docket No. APHIS-2007-0052), and effective on February 17, 2009, we revised the regulations governing the interstate movement of fruits and vegetables from Hawaii and the territories. Those regulations do not apply to articles whose interstate movement is regulated under the subpart governing the interstate movement of soil, sand, earth, and plants in growing media from Hawaii and the territories; we neglected to indicate that in the final rule. In this amendment, we are amending the regulations to clearly indicate that the interstate movement of soil, sand, earth, and plants in growing media is governed by the regulations specific to those articles.

This rule relaxes the minimum size requirement for white seedless grapefruit grown in Florida and for white seedless grapefruit imported into the United States for the fresh market. The Citrus Administrative Committee (Committee) which locally administers the marketing order for oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, and tangelos grown in Florida (order) recommended this change for Florida grapefruit. The corresponding change in the import regulation is required under section 8e of the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937. This rule relaxes the minimum size requirement for domestic shipments, making it the same as required for export shipments. This change is expected to maximize fresh white seedless grapefruit shipments and provide greater flexibility to handlers.

Section 1261(b)(1) of the Food Security Act of 1985, as amended by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Act) requires the Secretary of Agriculture to develop standard operating procedures to standardize the operations of State Technical Committees. NRCS published an interim final rule for State Technical Committees, 7 CFR part 610, in the Federal Register on November 25, 2008, that states NRCS will incorporate standard operating procedures for State Technical Committees into its directives system and provide public notice of those procedures. NRCS seeks public comment on this document that includes the current NRCS standard operating procedures as set forth in the NRCS directives system.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended), the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) invites comments on this information collection for which approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will be requested.

The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) is revising regulations as required by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the 2008 Farm Bill) to administer the Marketing Assistance Loans (MAL) and Loan Deficiency Payments (LDP) programs for wheat, feed grains, soybeans, other oilseeds, peanuts, pulse crops, honey, wool and mohair. The 2008 Farm Bill generally extends the existing programs with some changes that are implemented in this rule. The amendments in this rule will add large chickpeas, beginning with the 2009 crop year, to the list of pulse crops eligible for assistance and provide separate rates for long and medium grain rice beginning with the 2008 crop year. The addition of large chickpeas may increase the number of farmers and ranchers who may receive FSA and CCC program benefits. The amendments will also, in addition, to other amendments to the old rule and clarifications, allow producers to store collateral in Federally and State-licensed warehouses that do not have a CCC storage agreement, which may reduce redundant licensing costs for warehouse operators while allowing producers a greater choice of warehouses.

Pursuant to the authorities in the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463) and under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000, as amended, (Pub. L. 110-343), the Boise and Payette National Forests' Southwest Idaho Resource Advisory Committee will conduct a business meeting. The meeting is open to the public.

The USDA, Forest Service, will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) to implement vegetation management strategies on forty three (43) domestic livestock grazing allotments, which will result in development of new allotment management plans (AMPs). On portions of the analysis area, fuel management in forested and sagebrush/grassland communities is being analyzed. The agency gives notice of the full environmental analysis and decision-making process so that interested and affected people are aware of how they may participate in the process and contribute to the final decision.

This rule proposes to amend provisions of the Mushroom Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Order (Order) to reapportion membership of the Mushroom Council (Council) to reflect shifts in United States mushroom production as well as to add language to the powers and duties section of the Order allowing the Council the power to develop and propose good agricultural and handling practices and related activities for mushrooms. This rule proposes changes to the Order based on amendments to the Food Conservation and Energy Act.

The Lake Tahoe Basin Federal Advisory Committee will hold a meeting on May 5, 2009 at the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, 128 Market Street, Stateline, NV 89449. This Committee, established by the Secretary of Agriculture on December 15, 1998 (64 FR 2876), is chartered to provide advice to the Secretary on implementing the terms of the Federal Interagency Partnership on the Lake Tahoe Region and other matters raised by the Secretary.