Department of Agriculture August 6, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Notice is hereby given that the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, intends to grant to OSPREY BIOTECHNICS, INC. of SARASOTA, FLORIDA an exclusive license to U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 11/901,547, ``COMPOSITION OF ENTOMOPATHOGENIC FUNGUS AND METHOD OF PRODUCTION AND APPLICATION FOR INSECT CONTROL'', filed on September 13, 2007.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 3) and the office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations at 5 CFR part 1320, this notice announces the Agricultural Research Service's (ARS) intent to seek reinstatement of the ARS Animal Health National Program Assessment Survey, which seeks input on the impact of the Animal Health National Research Program through the completion of an electronic evaluation form. This voluntary information collection will give the beneficiaries of ARS research the opportunity to provide input on the impact of the research conducted by ARS in the last national program cycle. This input will be used for planning the research agenda for the next 5-year program cycle.

This decision proposes amendments to Marketing Agreement and Order No. 983 (order), which regulates the handling of pistachios grown in California, and provides growers with the opportunity to vote in a referendum to determine if they favor the changes. The amendments are based on proposals by the Administrative Committee for Pistachios (Committee), which is responsible for local administration of the order. These amendments would: Expand the production area covered under the order to include Arizona and New Mexico in addition to California; authorize the Committee to reimburse handlers for a portion of their inspection and certification costs in certain situations; authorize the Committee to recommend research projects; modify existing order authorities concerning aflatoxin and quality regulations; modify the authority for interhandler transfers of order obligations; redesignate several sections of the order; remove previously suspended order provisions, and make other related changes. The amendments are intended to improve the operation and functioning of the marketing order program.