Department of Agriculture March 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing that it will hold a public meeting on March 10, 2010 to discuss Agency procedures for identifying suppliers of source material used to produce raw beef product that FSIS has found positive for Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7. FSIS will also discuss additional verification activities the Agency will conduct at suppliers in response to positive E. coli O157:H7 results. In addition, FSIS will seek input from meeting participants on ways to improve Agency procedures for identifying product that may be positive for E. coli O157:H7.

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is adopting, as a final rule, without change, an interim final rule that decreased the assessment rate established for the Florida Tomato Committee (Committee), for the 2009-10 and subsequent fiscal periods from $0.0375 to $0.0275 per 25-pound carton of tomatoes handled. The Committee locally administers the marketing order, which regulates the handling of tomatoes grown in Florida. The interim final rule was necessary to align the Committee's expected revenue with decreases in its proposed budget for the 2009-10 and subsequent fiscal periods, which began on August 1. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

The AP Loblolly Pine Removal and Restoration Project is a district-wide project that includes 40 compartments located across the Andrew Pickens Ranger District, Sumter National Forest in Oconee County, South Carolina. Loblolly pine is a southern pine species that is not native to mountain regions in the upstate. This species was planted extensively in plantations across the district in the past, primarily in an effort to increase pine productivity for timber products. Most of the plantations have suffered from insect and disease related mortality such as southern pine beetle and need to be restored to native hardwoods and pines and understory plants more typical of the Chattooga River and Blue Ridge Mountains and Foothills (Management Area 2 and 3, respectively). Also, habitat diversity would be improved by developing and maintaining early successional habitat capable of supporting existing native and other desired non-native plants (including the federally endangered smooth coneflower, Echinacea laevigata) and wildlife species. This habitat would be maintained with herbicide, prescribed fire and also manual and mechanical treatment. Woodlands are forests with relatively low tree densities of 25-60% forest cover with understories that are dominated by native grasses and forbs. Five stands within the project area would be developed and maintained as woodland habitat (202 acres).

This rule invites comments on proposed changes to the handling regulation currently prescribed for cherries under the Washington cherry marketing order. The marketing order regulates the handling of sweet cherries grown in designated counties in Washington and is administered locally by the Washington Cherry Marketing Committee (Committee). This rule would add quality and pack requirements for Rainier cherries and other lightly colored sweet cherry varieties that are designated as ``premium'' when handled. This change is expected to reduce market confusion regarding the marketing of such cherries; improve producer returns by providing pack differentiation; and benefit producers, handlers, and consumers.

The Office of 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 29, 2010. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States (U.S.) positions that will be discussed at the 4th Session of the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Food (CCCF) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), which will be held in Izmir, Turkey, April 26-30, 2010. The Office of Food Safety and FDA recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 4th Session of the CCCF and to

The Secretary of Agriculture intends to establish the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Advisory Committee (Committee) pursuant to Title IV, Section 4003(e) of Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (Pub. L. 111-11) passed into law on March 30, 2009. The Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Advisory Committee is being established to evaluate, and provide recommendations on each project proposal that has been submitted under Section 4003(c)(2) of this act. As required by the Federal Advisory Committee Act, charters for Federal advisory committees must be renewed every 2 years. The Committee is soliciting nominations to fill no more than 15 vacancies with terms up to 2 years. The public is invited to submit nominations for membership on the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Advisory Committee.

This Notice is to inform the public that the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development's Rural Housing Service, hereinafter referred to as Housing and Community Facilities Programs (HCFP) is discontinuing its annual publication in the Federal Register the combined notice of funds availability (NOFA) for some of its existing and continuing Multi-Family and Single-Family Housing programs for which it receives annual appropriations. For Fiscal Year 2010 and thereafter, it will provide funding availability information to the public through its Web site, https://www.rurdev.usda.gov.

The Department of Agriculture published a document in the Federal Register of February 23, 2010 (pg. 8031), concerning a request for comments on the information collection ``Worksheet for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Quality Control Reviews'' OMB control number 0584-0074. The document contained incorrect burden hours. The total burden hours should be 528,333 not 500,301 as published.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request approval, from the Office of Management and Budget, for an extension of and revision to the currently approved information collection Regulations Governing Inspection, Certification and Standards for Fresh Fruit, Vegetables and Other Products 7 CFR part 51.

The Tehama County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Red Bluff, California. Agenda items to be covered include: (1) Introductions, (2) Approval of Minutes, (3) Public Comment, (4) Chairman's Perspective, (5) Elect Vice Chairmen, (6) Next Agenda.

This project is a proposal to improve the health of fire adapted ecosystems while simultaneously reducing hazardous fuels on the Bradshaw Ranger District. The project area encompasses about 55,554 acres. Within the project area, the proposal is to commercially thin approximately 16,312 acres in ponderosa pine, pine-oak, and mixed conifer forest types. Fuels treatments include mechanized fuel reduction on 34,445 acres of chaparral, pinyon-juniper, and oak sites and non-mechanized fuel reduction treatments on 6,242 acres of chaparral, juniper, pinyon, oak, pine, and mixed conifer sites. Prescribed fire is proposed on 44,641 acres and fuelbreak construction is proposed on 791 acres. It is expected that this project will require a site specific forest plan amendment to the Prescott National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (1986), as amended, in order to implement treatments within Mexican Spotted Owl habitat.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announces funding of approximately $5 million in competitive grant funds for fiscal year (FY) 2010 to increase domestic consumption of agricultural commodities by expanding direct producer-to-consumer market opportunities. Examples of direct producer-to-consumer market opportunities include new farmers' markets, roadside stands, community supported agriculture programs, agri-tourism activities, and other direct producer-to- consumer infrastructures. AMS hereby requests proposals from eligible entities from the following categories: an agricultural cooperative or a producer network or association, local governments, nonprofit corporations, public benefit corporations, economic development corporations, regional farmers' market authorities, and Tribal governments. The minimum award per grant is $2,500 and the maximum award per grant is $100,000. No matching funds are required.

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, Payette, and Sawtooth National Forests' Southwest Idaho Resource Advisory Committee will conduct a business meeting. The meeting is open to the public.