Department of Agriculture 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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

The Oregon Coast Province Advisory Committee will meet at the Siuslaw National Forest Headquarters. The agenda includes: Economic Stimulus, Secure Rural Schools, BLM Update, Budget, Timber Sale Plan, Oregon Dunes Designated Routes, Rural Job Creation, 30-mile OHV Loop, Expansion of Oregon Dunes and Salmon River Estuary.

The Lake Tahoe Basin Federal Advisory Committee will hold a meeting on April 12, 2010 at the U.S. Forest Service Office, 35 College Drive, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150. This Committee, established by the Secretary of Agriculture on December 15, 1998 (64 FR 2876), is chartered to provide advice to the Secretary on implementing the terms of the Federal Interagency Partnership on the Lake Tahoe Region and other matters raised by the Secretary.

This action delays indefinitely the referendum to determine whether producers of raspberries for processing and importers of processed raspberries approve the issuance of the proposed Processed Raspberry Promotion, Research, and Information Order. The referendum was scheduled to be held March 22 through April 2, 2010. The Washington Red Raspberry Commission has asked for a delay in the referendum as it considers further modifications to its proposal.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Appeals Division's to request an extension for and revision to a currently approved information collection for Customer Service Survey.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Rural Housing Service's intention to request an extension for a currently approved information collection in support of the program for Rural Housing Loans.

This rule proposes to add two importer members and their alternates to the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (Council) to reflect changes in the quantity of highbush blueberry imports in the past three years. The change was proposed by the Council in accordance with the provisions of the Blueberry Promotion, Research, and Information Order (Order) which is authorized by the Commodity Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1996 (Act). The Order requires that the Council review the geographical distribution of the United States production and the quantity of imports of highbush blueberries at least every five years. As a result of these changes, the total Council membership would increase from 14 to 16 members and their alternates. In addition, this rule proposes to increase the quorum minimum from seven to nine members.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is announcing a forthcoming meeting of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB).

Across the country, childhood obesity has reached epidemic rates. On February 9, 2010, President Obama signed a Presidential Memo establishing a Task Force on Childhood Obesity that directs Federal agencies to create a comprehensive interagency national action plan to solve the challenge of childhood obesity within a generation. The Presidential Memo directs the Task Force to focus on four pillars: Ensuring access to healthy, affordable food; increasing physical activity in schools and communities; providing healthier food in schools; and empowering parents with information and tools to make good choices for themselves and their families. This notice announces a request for public comments to assist the Task Force in making recommendations on public and private sector actions that can be taken to solve the problem.

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is making available, for public review and comment, a draft response to two petitions we received requesting the reclassification of light brown apple moth [Epiphyas postvittana (Walker)] as a non-quarantine pest. Following the review period, APHIS will consider the comments prior to the release of a final petition response.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. 2, the United States Department of Agriculture announces a meeting of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board.

The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announce the availability of up to $44,158,381 of technical and financial assistance funding in fiscal year (FY) 2010 through the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative for agricultural producers in the Chesapeake Bay watershed in the States of Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative funds are available to help producers implement natural resources conservation practices on agricultural lands.

RBS is announcing a new application window to submit applications for the Repowering Assistance Program under criteria established in the prior NOFA, which was published in this publication on June 12, 2009 (74 FR 28009). All payments will be made based upon the terms and conditions provided in the prior NOFA, which authorized $20 million for Fiscal Year (FY) 2009. This notice announces the availability of the remaining FY 2009 funds that were not requested under the previous NOFA.

RBS is announcing a new application window to submit application for the Biorefinery Assistance Program under criteria established in the prior NOFA, which was published in this publication on November 20, 2008 (73 FR 70544). All loan guarantees will be made based upon the terms and conditions illustrated in the prior NOFA, which made available $75 million in budget authority. Not all of this budget authority has been awarded by the Agency. Therefore, the Agency is requesting additional applications in order to award the remaining Fiscal Year 2009 budget authority. There will only be one application window under this notice.