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

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is requesting public comment on a draft quantitative food safety risk assessment for Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) that compares the risk of listeriosis from consumption of prepackaged ready-to-eat (RTE) deli meat versus RTE deli meat that is sliced and packaged at retail. The risk assessment analyzes the comparative risk of listeriosis from prepackaged RTE deli meat versus RTE deli meat that is sliced and packaged at retail using data from a study by the National Alliance for Food Safety and Security (NAFSS) and new consumer survey data from Research Triangle Institute (RTI) International, Tennessee State University, and Kansas State University.

The purpose of this rule is to establish procedures which the Department of Agriculture (USDA or the Department) will use in conducting a referendum to determine whether the issuance of the proposed Processed Raspberry Promotion, Research, and Information Order (Proposed Order) is favored by producers of raspberries for processing and importers of processed raspberries. The Order will be implemented if it is approved by a simple majority of the eligible producers and importers voting in the referendum. These procedures would also be used for any subsequent referendum under the Proposed Order, if it is approved in the initial referendum. The Proposed Order is being published separately in this issue of the Federal Register. This proposed program would be implemented under the Commodity Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1996 (1996 Act).

This rule proposes the establishment of an industry-funded promotion, research, and information program for processed raspberries. The proposed program, Processed Raspberry Promotion, Research, and Information Order (Proposed Order), was submitted to the Department of Agriculture (Department) by the Washington Red Raspberry Commission (WRRC). Under the Proposed Order, producers of raspberries for processing and importers of processed raspberries would pay an assessment of up to one cent per pound, with the initial assessment rate being one cent per pound, which would be paid to the proposed National Processed Raspberry Council (Council). Producers and importers of less than 20,000 pounds annually of raspberries for processing and processed raspberries respectively would be exempt from the assessment. The proposed program would be implemented under the Commodity Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1996 (1996 Act). An initial referendum would be conducted among eligible producers of raspberries for processing and importers of processed raspberries to determine whether they favor the implementation of the program prior to it going into effect. This rule also announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request approval of new processed raspberries information collection requirements by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for the Proposed Order.

Due to some errors, the following notice supersedes the original Request for Applications, published on March 27, 2009, for the Targeted States Program at 74 FR 13403-13410.

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.

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 RUS intends to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

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 livestock disease surveillance programs.

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 the Horse Protection Program.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing new dollar limitations on the amount of meat, meat food products, poultry, and poultry products that a retail store can sell to hotels, restaurants, and similar institutions without disqualifying itself for exemption from Federal inspection requirements. In accordance with FSIS' regulations, for calendar year 2009, the dollar limitation is increased for meat and meat food products from $56,900 to $60,200 and for poultry products from $46,700 to $49,400. FSIS is changing the dollar limitations from calendar year 2008 based on price changes for these products evidenced by the Consumer Price Index.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is publishing for public comment, a summary of a proposed information collection. The collection establishes a new financial report that will replace the SF-269 (Food Stamp) report currently used by State agencies to report expenditures in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly the Food Stamp Program).

The Wenatchee-Okanogan Resource Advisory Committee will meet on Wednesday, April 29 and Wednesday, May 13 at the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Headquarters Office, 215 Melody Lane, Wenatchee, WA, and on Wednesday, May 6 at the Rural County Fire District 1 Sunnyslope Fire Station, 206 Easy Street, Wenatchee, WA. These meetings will begin at 9 a.m. and continue until 3 p.m. On April 29, committee members will review Yakima County and Kittitas County projects, on May 6, committee members will review Chelan County projects, and on May 13, committee members will review Okanogan County projects proposed for Resource Advisory Committee consideration under Title II of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000.

This document announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) review of the Peanut Promotion, Research, and Information Order (Order), conducted under the Commodity Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1996 (Act), under the criteria contained in Section 610 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA).

The Forest Service published a Notice of Availability Record of Decision in the Federal Register of March 24, 2009. The document

The Lake County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will hold a meeting.

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

Nominations are being sought for certain positions to serve on the Recreation Resource Advisory Committee (Recreation RAC) operating in the state of Colorado for the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. New members will be appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) and serve three year terms. Appointments will begin in July 2009 when current member appointments expire.