Department of Agriculture 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35), this notice announces the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) intention to request an extension for and revision to a currently approved information collection related to the delivery of services conducted under the official inspection, grading and weighing programs authorized under the United States Grain Standards Act and the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946. This voluntary survey would give GIPSA customers of the official inspection, grading and weighing programs, who are primarily in the grain, oilseed, rice, lentil, dry pea, edible bean and related agricultural commodity markets, an opportunity to provide feedback on the quality of services they receive and would provide information on new services that customers would like to receive. This feedback would help GIPSA's Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) improve services and service delivery provided by the official inspection, grading, and weighing system.

The Ravalli County Resource Advisory Committee will be having the routine monthly meeting with project presentations and hold a short public forum (question and answer session). The meeting is being held pursuant to the authorities in the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 110-343) and under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self- Determination Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 110-343). The meeting is open to the public.

The Plumas National Forest is proposing to charge a new fee for the overnight rental of Black Mountain Lookout. This Lookout has not been available for recreation use prior to this date. Fees are assessed based on the level of amenities and services provided, cost of operation and maintenance, market assessment and public comment. The fee listed is only proposed and final determination will be made upon further analysis and public comment. Rentals of other lookouts on the adjacent National Forests have shown that people appreciate and enjoy the availability of historic rental lookouts. Funds from the rental will be used for the continued operation and maintenance of Black Mountain Lookout, and to develop improvements that benefit visitor's recreation experiences.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Commodity Credit Corporation's (CCC) intention to request a revision from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a currently approved information collection process in support of the Foreign Market Development Cooperator's (Cooperator) Program and the Market Access Program (MAP).

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Foreign Agricultural Service's (FAS) intention to request an extension for a currently approved information collection. This information collection is required in petitions filed with FAS for emergency relief from duty-free imports of perishable products under section 204(d) of the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announces that soybean producers may request a referendum to determine if producers want a referendum on the Soybean Promotion and Research Order (Order), as authorized under the Soybean Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act (Act). If at least 10 percent (not in excess of one- fifth of which may be producers in any one State) of the 589,182 eligible producers, as determined by the Department of Agriculture (USDA), participate in the Request for Referendum, a referendum will be held within 1 year from that determination. If results of the Request for Referendum indicate that a referendum is not supported, a referendum would not be conducted. The results of the Request for Referendum will be published in a Notice in the Federal Register.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and organizations on the extension, with revision, of a currently approved information collection, 0596-0106 Recreation Fee Permit Envelope.

The Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) is implementing a new competitive grants program called the Healthy Urban Food Enterprise Development Center Program (the Center) authorized by 7 U.S.C. 2034(h). By this notice, CSREES is soliciting public comments and stakeholder input from persons who use or conduct research, extension or education, training, outreach and technical assistance regarding the development of competitive Requests for Applications (RFAs) and implementing regulations.

This final rule amends the procedures to request a referendum under the Soybean Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information program, commonly known as the soybean checkoff program, by updating the number of soybean producers in the United States. The number of soybean producers, based on information provided by the Department of Agriculture (USDA), Farm Service Agency (FSA), is 589,182. Additionally, this rule amends the regulations pursuant to administrative changes to Web site addresses and office locations made for the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS).

Notice is hereby given that the Secretary of Agriculture has reestablished the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) Grain Inspection Advisory Committee (Advisory Committee). The Secretary of Agriculture has determined that the Advisory Committee is necessary and in the public interest.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), U.S. Department of Agriculture's Office of Rural Development, and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will host a public meeting on March 10, 2009, in connection with the Broadband Initiatives funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Public Law No. 111-5.

The Shasta County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet at the USDA Service Center in Redding, California, on March 12, 2009 from 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon; April 9, 2009 from 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon; May 27 and 28, 2009 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The purpose of these meetings is to discuss proposed projects under Title II of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2008.

The Allegheny National Forest proposes to apply design criteria included in the Allegheny National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan), issued in March 2007 to reserved and outstanding oil and gas development on the Forest. The 2007 Forest Plan proposed design criteria are identified on pages 53 through 168. This proposal responds to instructions in the February 15, 2008 decision by the Chief of the Forest Service on appeals of the Allegheny National Forest Revised Land and Resource Management Plan. A Supplement to the Forest Plan Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) will be prepared for this proposal.

The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) amends General Administrative Regulations, Subpart VSubmission of Policies, Provisions of Policies, Rates of Premium and Premium Reduction Plans to remove provisions that allow approved insurance providers (AIP) to offer premium reduction plans. The authority for such premium reductions has been eliminated in the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Farm Bill).

The Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) to document the analysis and disclose the environmental impacts of proposed land management activities and corresponding alternatives within the Honey Creek-Padus Project. The purpose of the Honey Creek-Padus Project is to implement land management activities that are consistent with direction in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest 2004 Revised Land and Resource Management Plan and respond to the specific needs identified in the project area. Honey Creek-Padus Project is located on National Forest System lands, administered by the Lakewood-Laona Ranger District, north of Wabeno, WI. The legal description of the project is Township 35 North, Range 14 and 15 East.

The Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on a proposal to harvest timber for the Tonka Timber Sale EIS on the Lindenberg Peninsula, Kupreanof Island, on the Petersburg Ranger District, Tongass National Forest. The proposed action is to harvest approximately 60 million board feet (mmbf) of timber from about 3,500 acres of forested land. An estimated 11 miles of new road is associated with this proposed action. A range of alternatives, responsive to significant issues, will be developed and will include a no action alternative. The existing marine access facility, (MAF) located along the eastern shore of Lindenberg Peninsula, in the Wrangell Narrows, would be used and further development of the MAF is included in the proposed action. This development would facilitate the transport and scaling of logs for this proposed project and future long-term production of young-growth from the project area. This project is within the MitkofYKupreanof biogeographic province. The Record of Decision will disclose whether and where the Forest Supervisor has decided to provide timber harvest units, roads and associated timber harvesting facilities.

The Mendocino County Resource Advisory Committee will meet March 13, 2009 (RAC) in Willits, California. Agenda items to be covered include: (1) Approval of minutes, (2) Handout discussion, (3) Public Comment, (4) Financial Report, (5) Subcommittees, (6) Matters before the group/discussionitems of interest, (7) Discussion/approval of projects, (8) Membership, (9) Next agenda and meeting date.

This rule establishes final free and restricted percentages for the 2008-2009 crop year tart cherries covered under the Federal marketing order regulating tart cherries grown in seven States (order). The percentages are 73 percent free and 27 percent restricted and will establish the proportion of cherries from the 2008 crop which may be handled in commercial outlets. The percentages are intended to stabilize supplies and prices, and strengthen market conditions. The percentages were recommended by the Cherry Industry Administrative Board (Board), the body that locally administers the marketing order. The order regulates the handling of tart cherries grown in the States of Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin.

The Office of the Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), are sponsoring a public meeting on March 5, 2009. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States positions that will be discussed at the 3rd Session of the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods (CCCF) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), which will be held in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, from March 23-27, 2009. The Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety and FDA recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 3rd Session of the CCCF and to address items that will be on the agenda.

The Klamath National Forest (KNF) will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to document and publicly disclose the environmental effects of implementing a vegetation and fuels management project designed to reduce fire hazard to research plots and improve forest health.

This notice directs that a referendum be conducted among the eligible producers of peanuts to determine whether they favor continuance of the Peanut Promotion, Research and Information Order (Order).

This rule increases the assessment rate established for the California Olive Committee (committee) for the 2009 and subsequent fiscal years from $15.60 to $28.63 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.

The Ochoco National Forest is preparing an environmental impact statement (EIS) to analyze the effects of managing fuels and vegetation within the 31,500-acre Canyon project area, which is approximately 20 miles east of Prineville, Oregon. The project area includes National Forest System lands in the Upper Ochoco Creek Watershed. The alternatives that will be analyzed include the proposed action, no action, and additional alternatives that respond to issues generated through the scoping process. The Ochoco National Forest will give notice of the full environmental analysis and decision making process so interested and affected people may participate and contributes to the final decision.

On January 14, 2009, NRCS published in the Federal Register a proposed rule for the Healthy Forests Reserve Program (HFRP) with a public comment period closing on February 13, 2009. The proposed rule included changes to address amendments to HFRP associated with enactment of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008. NRCS is hereby reopening the public comment period for the HFRP proposed rule and amending the closing date to March 20, 2009.

The Ochoco National Forest is preparing an environmental impact statement (EIS) to analyze the effects of changing grazing management in five grazing allotments on the Lookout Mountain Ranger District. These five allotments are: Big Summit, Pringle, Brush Creek, Lost Horse and North Fork. The proposed action will reauthorize term grazing permits, make rangeland improvements, manage livestock use and distribution to facilitate the improvement of riparian conditions, including streambank stability, riparian vegetation, and water temperature, and will conduct riparian restoration activities on some streams in the project area. These actions are needed to achieve and maintain consistency with the Ochoco National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan, as amended.