Department of Agriculture July 29, 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces a public comment period on the information collection requests (ICRs) associated with the Standard Reinsurance Agreement and Appendices I, II and IV administered by Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC). Appendix III is excluded because it contains the Data Acceptance System requirements.

The Agency published a document in the Federal Register of June 3, 2010, at 75 FR 31413 to announce the acceptance of applications under the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program (RMAP) to provide direct loans, technical assistance grants, and technical assistance- only grants to microdevelopment organizations to support the development and ongoing success of rural microentrepreneurs and microenterprises. This notice extends the application deadline and anticipated award date for applications submitted for Fiscal Year 2010.

In accordance with the Agricultural Bioterrorism Protection Act of 2002, we are soliciting public comment regarding the list of select agents and toxins that have the potential to pose a severe threat to animal or plant health, or to animal or plant products. The Act requires the biennial review and republication of the list of select agents and toxins and the revision of the list as necessary. Accordingly, we are soliciting public comment on the current list of select agents and toxins in our regulations and suggestions regarding any addition or reduction of the animal or plant pathogens currently on the list of select agents. In addition, we are soliciting public comment on the potential reorganization of the list of select agents and toxins based on the relative potential of each select agent or toxin to be misused to adversely affect human, plant or animal health. Such tiering of the list could allow for the application of different security measures for those select agents or toxins which pose a higher risk to animal or plant health if they were to be stolen or otherwise misused.