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

The designations of the official agencies listed below will end on September 30, 2010. We are asking persons or governmental agencies interested in providing official services in the areas presently served by these agencies to submit an application for designation. In addition, we are asking for comments on the quality of services provided by the following designated agencies: Amarillo Grain Exchange, Inc. (Amarillo); Cairo Grain Inspection Agency, Inc. (Cairo); Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (Louisiana); North Carolina Department of Agriculture (North Carolina); and D. R. Schaal Agency, Inc. (Schaal).

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 Umatilla National Forest, Southeast Washington Resource Advisory Committee will conduct a business meeting. The meeting is open to the public.

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

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 regulations for the importation of live poultry, poultry meat, and other poultry products from specified regions.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to revise an information collection associated with regulations to prevent the introduction of the H5N1 subtype of highly pathogenic avian influenza through imported birds, poultry, and unprocessed bird and poultry products and to request extension of approval of the information collection.

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.

Notice is hereby given that the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, intends to grant to GENETICS & IVF INSTITUTE of FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA, an exclusive license to U.S. Patent No. 5,985,216; ``FLOW CYTOMETRY NOZZLE FOR HIGH EFFICIENCY CELL SORTING'', issued on NOVEMBER 16, 1999.

This rule makes administrative corrections to a final rule published in the Federal Register on October 8, 2009, entitled ``Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC): Vendor Cost Containment.''

The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) finalizes the Common Crop Insurance Regulations, Basic Provisions, Small Grains Crop Insurance Provisions, Cotton Crop Insurance Provisions, Sunflower Seed Crop Insurance Provisions, Coarse Grains Crop Insurance Provisions, Malting Barley Crop Insurance Provisions, Rice Crop Insurance Provisions, and Canola and Rapeseed Crop Insurance Provisions to provide revenue protection and yield protection. The amended provisions replace the Crop Revenue Coverage (CRC), Income Protection (IP), Indexed Income Protection (IIP), and the Revenue Assurance (RA) plans of insurance. These individual plans of insurance will no longer be available. The intended effect of this action is to offer producers a choice of revenue protection (protection against loss of revenue caused by low prices, low yields or a combination of both) or yield protection (protection for production losses only) within one Basic Provisions and the applicable Crop Provisions to reduce the amount of information producers must read to determine the best risk management tool for their operation and to improve the prevented planting and other provisions to better meet the needs of insured producers. In addition, FCIC has revised the Texas Citrus Tree Crop Insurance Provisions, Pear Crop Insurance Provisions, Sugarcane Crop Insurance Provisions, Macadamia Tree Crop Insurance Provisions, Macadamia Nut Crop Insurance Provisions, Onion Crop Insurance Provisions, Dry Pea Crop Insurance Provisions, Plum Crop Insurance Provisions, and Cabbage Crop Insurance Provisions to correct specific references to the revised Common Crop Insurance Regulations, Basic Provisions. Further, FCIC has revised certain provisions to incorporate provisions from previous rules implementing the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Farm Bill).

The Rural BusinessCooperative Service (RBS), an Agency within the Rural Development mission area, announces the availability of grants under the Rural Business Opportunity Grant (RBOG) program for fiscal year (FY) 2010, to be competitively awarded based on the terms of this notice and RBOG program regulations found at 7 CFR part 4284, subpart G in the following amounts:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) is seeking comments from all interested individuals and organizations on an extension without revision of the information collection associated with online registration for FSA- sponsored events and conferences. The information collection is needed for FSA to obtain information from the respondents who register on the Internet to make payment and reservations to attend any FSA-sponsored conferences and events.

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 (Pub. L. 106-393) the Beaverhead- Deerlodge National Forest's Southwest Montana Resource Advisory Committee will meet on Monday April 19, 2010, from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m., in Dillon, Montana. The purpose of the meeting is to review funding proposals for Title II funding.

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) announces its Revolving Fund Program (RFP) application window for Fiscal Year (FY) 2010. In addition to announcing the application window, RUS announces the available funding of $497,000 for RFP competitive grants for the fiscal year.

Sunset of the exempted or prohibited use of substances under the National Organic Program (NOP) is required by the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (OFPA). The exemptions and prohibitions granted under the OFPA are required to be reviewed every 5 years by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). The Secretary of Agriculture has authority under the OFPA to renew such exemptions and prohibitions. If they are not reviewed by the NOSB and renewed by the Secretary within 5 years of their inclusion on the National List, their authorized use or prohibition expires. This advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) announces the sunset of 37 exempted substances added to the National List for use in organic handling on June 27, 2007; the sunset of 183 continued exemptions (use) and prohibitions of substances used in organic production and handling added to the list on October 21, 2007; the sunset of 2 exemptions of one substance for continued use in organic crop and livestock production added to the national list on December 11, 2007; and the sunset of 10 exempted substances for use in organic livestock production added to the national list on December 13, 2007. This ANPR establishes June 27, 2012, October 21, 2012, December 11, 2012, and December 13, 2012, as the respective dates by which the sunset review and renewal process must be concluded. The NOP may try to conclude the sunset and renewal process for the 232 combined exempted and prohibited substances used in organic production and handling added to the National List in 2007 by the earliest respective date of June 27, 2012. This ANPR also begins the public comment process on whether the identified existing exemptions and prohibitions should be continued. Finally, this ANPR discusses how the NOP will manage the sunset review and renewal process.

This document contains corrections to the final rule governing the Forest Service's Special Use Program that was published in the Federal Register on December 24, 2009 (74 FR 68379). These corrections add phrases which were inadvertently omitted from the final rule and which are necessary to reflect properly the Forest Service's authority to revoke or suspend special use authorizations under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is proposing to implement provisions of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 by adopting regulations that require official establishments to promptly notify the appropriate District Office that an adulterated or misbranded meat or poultry product has entered commerce; require official establishments to prepare and maintain current procedures for the recall of meat and poultry products produced and shipped by the establishment; and require official establishments to document each reassessment of the establishment's process control plans, that is, its Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point plans.

The Office of Food Safety, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), are sponsoring a public meeting on April 7, 2010. 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 38th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Labeling (CCFL) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), which will be held in Quebec City, Canada, May 3-7, 2010. The Office of Food Safety and the FDA recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 38th Session of the

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 Ravalli County Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Hamilton, Montana. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss upcoming projects.

This rule would establish the quantity of spearmint oil produced in the Far West, by class that handlers may purchase from, or handle for, producers during the 2010-2011 marketing year, which begins on June 1, 2010. This rule invites comments on the establishment of salable quantities and allotment percentages for Class 1 (Scotch) spearmint oil of 566,962 pounds and 28 percent, respectively, and for Class 3 (Native) spearmint oil of 980,265 pounds and 43 percent, respectively. The Spearmint Oil Administrative Committee (Committee), the agency responsible for local administration of the marketing order for spearmint oil produced in the Far West, recommended these limitations for the purpose of avoiding extreme fluctuations in supplies and prices to help maintain stability in the spearmint oil market.

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 (Pub. L. 106-393, as amended by H.R. 1424 January 3, 2008) the Lolo National Forest's Mineral County Resource Advisory Committee will meet on April 6, May 4 and May 12, 2010 at 6 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. in Superior, Montana for a business meeting. The meeting is open to the public.

As directed by the National Forest Management Act, the USDA Forest Service is preparing the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (referred to as the LTBMU) revised land management plan (forest plan) and will also prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for this revised plan. This notice briefly describes the nature of the decision to be made, the need for change, and information concerning public participation. It also provides estimated dates for filing the EIS and