Department of Agriculture 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is announcing the release of the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) Request for Applications (RFA) at https:// www.nifa.usda.gov/vmlrp.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is withdrawing a notice soliciting comments on its proposed revision to the United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Blueberries. After considering the comments received regarding the proposed revision and the withdrawal of the petition requesting revisions, the agency has decided not to proceed with this action.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) is revising the United States Standards for Grades of Olive Oil. This revision includes updated terms consistent with objective criteria for determining quality and purity among the grades of olive oil and olive-pomace oil commonly accepted in the United States and abroad. The revision will facilitate the marketing of olive oil and olive-pomace oil, employ terms consistent with the marketplace, provide definitions for olive oil and olive-pomace oil, promote truth in labeling, and provide a basis for enforcement by State and Federal agencies if these products are mislabeled.

This rule increases the assessment rate established for the California Olive Committee (Committee) for the 2010 and subsequent fiscal years from $28.63 to $44.72 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.

We are amending the fruits and vegetables regulations to allow, under certain conditions, the importation of commercial shipments of fresh papayas from Colombia and Ecuador into the continental United States. The conditions for the importation of papayas from Colombia and Ecuador include requirements for field sanitation, hot water treatment, and fruit fly trapping in papaya production areas. This action allows for the importation of papayas from Colombia and Ecuador while continuing to provide protection against the introduction of injurious plant pests into the continental United States.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is proposing to maintain user fees for cotton producers for 2010 crop cotton classification services under the Cotton Statistics and Estimates Act at the same level as in 2009. These fees are also authorized under the Cotton Standards Act of 1923. The 2009 crop user fee was $2.20 per bale, and AMS proposes to continue the fee for the 2010 cotton crop at that same level. This proposed fee and the existing reserve are sufficient to cover the costs of providing classification services for the 2010 crop, including costs for administration and supervision.

The Sierra County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet on May 10, 2010, in Sierraville, California. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss issues relating to implementing the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act of 2000 (Payments to States) as reauthorized by Public Law 110-343 and the expenditure of Title II funds benefiting National Forest System lands on the Humboldt-Toiyabe, Plumas and Tahoe National Forests in Sierra County.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS), an agency within Rural Development, announces that it is soliciting competitive applications under its Housing Preservation Grant (HPG) program. The HPG program is a grant program which provides qualified public agencies, private non- profit organizations, which may include, but not be limited to, faith- based and community organizations, and other eligible entities grant funds to assist very low- and low-income homeowners in repairing and rehabilitating their homes in rural areas. In addition, the HPG program assists rental property owners and cooperative housing complexes in repairing and rehabilitating their units if they agree to make such units available to low- and very low-income persons. This action is taken to comply with RHS regulations found in 7 CFR part 1944, subpart N, which require RHS to announce the opening and closing dates for receipt of preapplications for HPG funds from eligible applicants. The intended effect of this Notice is to provide eligible organizations notice of these dates.

The Wrangell-Petersburg Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Wrangell, Alaska. The committee is meeting as authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (Pub. L. 110- 343) and in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The purpose of the meeting is to review project proposals and make project funding recommendations.

The Manti-La Sal National Forest is proposing to charge fees at the thirty-unit Pioneer Campground and at the Buckeye Group Site within the Buckeye Recreation Area Paradox, Colorado. The proposed fee for the Pioneer Campground units is $10 per site per night. The proposed fee for the Buckeye Group Site that holds up to 50 people is $50 per night. There are 19 other single units, 4 double units and a 5 unit day use area also located within the Buckeye Recreation Area that will be free to the public and on a first come basis. Fees are assessed based on the level of amenities and services provided, cost of operations and maintenance, market assessment and public comment. The fees are proposed and will be determined upon further analysis and public comment. Funds from fees would be used for the continued operation and maintenance and improvements of Pioneer Campground and the Buckeye Group Site.

The USDA, Forest Service, will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on proposed variable density thinning treatments designed to control stocking and maintain or improve overall forest vigor and resiliency within a 6,516-acre planning area known as Eden Ridge. Timber harvested from stand treatments will contribute commercial timber to the Forest's Probable Sale Quantity. The planning area is located approximately four (4) air miles southeast of the city of Powers, Oregon, on the Powers Ranger District. The district proposes timber harvest and other connected activities on approximately 3,650 acres in stands regenerated from timber harvested around the 1920s and 1930s. Candidate stands located on suitable forest land within the planning area are proposed for treatment that are designated as Matrix, with some minor amounts of Riparian Reserve under the Land and Resource Management Plan as amended by the Northwest Forest Plan. Approximately seventy-two (72) treatment units would be designed for timber harvest with associated harvest systems that would use a combination of ground-based, skyline and helicopter operations depending on soil, slope and hydrological concerns. New system road construction, reconstruction of unclassified roads and/or construction of new temporary roads to facilitate treatments within the potential units are to be considered (approximately 8 miles). In addition, reconstruction and/or maintenance of existing system roads will be considered (approximately 22 miles). It is estimated the project could produce up to 55 million board feet from the 3,650 acres being considered, from multiple timber sales over a 5-year period. The alternatives will include the proposed action, no action, and additional alternatives that respond to issues generated through the scoping process. The agency will give notice of the full environmental analysis and decision making process so interested and affected people may participate and contribute to the final decision.

As directed by the National Forest Management Act (NFMA), the USDA Forest Service is revising the Kaibab National Forest Land Management Plan (forest plan) and will also prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the revised forest plan. This notice briefly describes the nature of the decision to be made, the proposed action and need for change, and information concerning public participation. It also provides estimated dates for filing the EIS and the names and

This final rule amends the producer-handler definitions of all Federal milk marketing orders to limit exemption from pooling and pricing provisions to those with total route disposition and sales of packaged fluid milk products to other plants of 3 million pounds or less per month. The exempt plant definition will continue to limit disposition of Class I milk products to 150,000 pounds or less per month. A referendum was held and the required number of producers approved the issuance of the orders as amended.

The Hood/Willamette Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet on Tuesday, May 18, 2010. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. and will conclude at approximately 12:30 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Salem Office of the Bureau of Land Management Office; 1717 Fabry Road SE; Salem, Oregon; (503) 375-5646. The tentative agenda includes: (1) Recommendations on 2011 Projects; and (2) Public Forum.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on this proposed information collection. This is a new collection for the contract Evaluation of Reaching the Underserved Elderly and Working Poor in SNAP.

The Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) establish the Advisory Committee on Minority Farmers (Committee) on December 2, 2009. The purpose of the Committee is to advise the Secretary on methods of outreach and assistance to socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, methods of maximizing participation of minority farmers and ranchers in Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs and civil rights activities related to program participation. This notice invites nominations for persons to serve on the Committee.

Notice is hereby given that the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, intends to grant to ORO AGRI INC. of TROPHY CLUB, TEXAS, an exclusive license to U.S. Patent No. 7,579,183, ``SAPROPHYTIC YEAST, PICHIA ANOMALA'', issued on AUGUST 25, 2009, and to U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 12/507,057, ``GROWTH MEDIA AND SAPROPHYTIC USE FOR PICHIA ANOMALA'', filed on JULY 21, 2009.

Notice is hereby given that the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, intends to grant to Basin Seed Company, LLC of Nampa, Idaho, an exclusive license to the cranberry dry bean variety named ``Crimson.''

Deciding Officers in the Southern Region will publish notice of decisions subject to administrative appeal under 36 CFR parts 215 and 217 in the legal notice section of the newspapers listed in the Supplementary Information section of this notice. As provided in 36 CFR part 215.5 and 36 CFR part 217.5(d), the public shall be advised through Federal Register notice, of the newspaper of record to be utilized for publishing legal notice of decisions. Newspaper publication of notice of decisions is in addition to direct notice of decisions to those who have requested it and to those who have participated in project planning. Responsible Officials in the Southern Region will also publish notice of proposed actions under 36 CFR part 215 in the newspapers that are listed in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice. As provided in 36 CFR part 215.5, the public shall be advised, through Federal Register notice, of the newspaper of record to be utilized for publishing notices on proposed actions. Additionally, the Deciding Officers in the Southern Region will publish notice of the opportunity to object to a proposed authorized hazardous fuel reduction project under 36 CFR part 218.4 or developing, amending or revising land management plans under 36 CFR 219.9 in the legal notice section of the newspapers listed in the Supplementary Information section of this notice.

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) (a) provide notice of the sixth and final meeting of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, and (b) solicit written comments pertinent to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

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 that provide for the payment of compensation to owners of commercial stone fruit orchards and fruit tree nurseries whose trees or nursery stock were destroyed to eradicate plum pox virus.

This rule changes reporting dates prescribed under the marketing order that regulates the handling of cranberries grown in the States of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington, and Long Island in the State of New York. The order is administered locally by the Cranberry Marketing Committee (Committee). This rule revises the due dates of handler reports to provide more time for handlers to file their reports with the Committee, and would improve handler compliance with the order's reporting regulations.