Department of Agriculture August 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of Agriculture is adopting, as a final rule, without change, an interim rule that extended the one-year suspension of the minimum quality, maturity, pack, marking, and inspection requirements prescribed for russet potato varieties under the Washington potato marketing order for the 2011-2012 and subsequent fiscal periods. The interim rule also extended the reporting requirement for russet potato handlers for the purpose of obtaining information necessary for administering the marketing order. This change is expected to reduce overall industry expenses and increase net returns to producers and handlers while allowing the industry the opportunity to continue exploring alternative marketing strategies.

This rule invites comments on proposed changes to the reporting requirements currently prescribed under the marketing order that regulates the handling of kiwifruit grown in California. The order is administered locally by the Kiwifruit Administrative Committee (Committee). This rule would require handlers to file two end-of-season reports with the Committee. One report would contain price and handler shipment information and the other report would contain grower shipment information. The Committee would use this information to determine appropriate grower representation on the Committee, to conduct grower nominations, to verify shipments for assessment collections, and to prepare the annual report and the annual marketing policy, as required under the order. This proposal also announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request approval from Office of Management and Budget (OMB) of a new information collection.

The Hiawatha East Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Kincheloe, Michigan. 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 is to review project proposals.

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 collection is a new collection for the Food and Nutrition Service to examine the characteristics, circumstances, program dynamics, and benefit redemption patterns of participants whose households reported zero gross income in their applications for participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has prepared an environmental assessment relative to an oral rabies vaccination field trial in West Virginia. The environmental assessment, which is based on a risk analysis prepared to assess the risks associated with an experimental rabies vaccine, analyzes the use of that vaccine in field safety and efficacy trials in West Virginia. The proposed field trial is necessary to evaluate a wildlife rabies vaccine that will produce sufficient levels of population immunity in raccoons and striped skunks. We are making the environmental assessment and risk assessment available to the public for review and comment.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request approval of an information collection associated with the State-Federal Brucellosis Eradication Program.

The Huron Manistee Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Mio, MI. The committee is authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (Pub. L. 110-343) (the Act) and operates in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The purpose of the committee is to improve collaborative relationships and to provide advice and recommendations to the Forest Service concerning projects and funding consistent with Title II of the Act. The meeting is open to the public. The purpose of the meeting is to conduct committee business and to review proposed projects.

The Southern Arizona Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Tucson, Arizona. The committee is authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (Pub. L. 110-343) (the Act) and operates in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The purpose of the committee is to improve collaborative relationships and to provide advice and recommendations to the Forest Service concerning projects and funding consistent with the title II of the Act. The meeting is open to the public. The purpose of the meeting is for the committee to review, discuss, and recommend to the Designated Federal Official the grant proposals to be funded.

The Stanislaus National Forest proposes to reauthorize livestock grazing on the Bell Meadow (B), Eagle Meadow (E) and Herring Creek (H) allotments on the Summit Ranger District. The area affected by this proposal includes approximately 57,250 acres in the Sierra Nevada, located in Tuolumne County, California. The purpose of this proposal is to ensure compliance with all applicable Public Laws and standards and guidelines described in the Forest Plan.

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is amending the requirements established for Emergency Restoration Plans (ERPs), currently mandated for all borrowers, to include a plan to comply with the eligibility requirements to qualify for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance Grant Program in the event of a declared disaster. This amendment will ensure that RUS borrowers have a plan to maintain their eligibility to receive financial assistance from FEMA in the event they incur eligible costs for disaster related system repair and restoration.

This document directs that a referendum be conducted among eligible Washington sweet cherry growers to determine whether they favor continuance of the marketing order regulating the handling of sweet cherries grown in designated counties in Washington.

The Tuolumne-Mariposa Counties Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet on August 15, 2011 at the City of Sonora Fire Department, in Sonora, California. The primary purpose of the meeting is to vote on which projects to fund.

The Deschutes Provincial Advisory Committee will meet on July 22, 2011 to conduct a field trip to review projects relevant to the goals and objectives of the committee. Members will meet at the Deschutes National Forest Supervisor's office, Upper Deschutes Conference Room (1001 SW Emkay Drive, Bend Oregon) at 9 a.m. The field trip will be from 9:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. All Deschutes Province Advisory Committee meetings are open to the public.

The Lake Tahoe Federal Advisory Committee will meet in Incline Village, NV. 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. The meeting is open to the public. The purpose of the meeting is to provide updates on the 2011 Tahoe Summit held on August 16, 2011 and the Southern Nevada Public Management Act Executives meeting.

The Office of the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture is providing notice of an increase in the fiscal year (FY) 2011 specialty sugar tariff-rate quota (TRQ) of 9,072 metric tons raw value (MTRV). The Secretary also announces the establishment of the FY 2012 in-quota aggregate quantity of the raw, as well as, refined and specialty sugar TRQ as required under the U.S. World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments. The FY 2012 raw cane sugar TRQ is established at 1,117,195 MTRV that may be entered under subheading 1701.11.10 of the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) during FY 2012 (October 1, 2011- September 30, 2012). In addition, the in-quota aggregate quantity of the refined and specialty sugar TRQ is established at 112,718 MTRV for certain sugars, syrups, and molasses (collectively referred to as refined sugar) that may be entered under subheadings 1701.12.10, 1701.91.10, 1701.99.10, 1702.90.10, and 2106.90.44 of the HTS during FY 2012. The Secretary also today announced that sugar entering the United States under the FY 2012 raw sugar import TRQ will be permitted to enter U.S. Customs territory beginning September 1, 2011, a month earlier than the usual first entry date of October 1. This latter action is in response to increased tightness in the U.S. raw sugar market. Additional U.S. Note 5(a) (iv) of Chapter 17 of the HTS authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to permit sugar allocated under a given quota period to be entered in a previous or subsequent quota year period.

This rule establishes a Softwood Lumber Research, Promotion, Consumer Education and Industry Information Order (Order). Softwood lumber is used in products like flooring, siding and framing. The program will be financed by an assessment on softwood lumber domestic manufacturers and importers and will be administered by a board of industry members selected by the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary). The initial assessment rate will be $0.35 per thousand board feet of softwood lumber shipped within or imported to the United States. The purpose of the program is to strengthen the position of softwood lumber in the marketplace, maintain and expand markets for softwood lumber, and develop new uses for softwood lumber within the United States. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) conducted a referendum among eligible domestic softwood lumber manufacturers and importers from May 23 through June 10, 2011. Sixty-seven percent of those voting in the referendum representing 80 percent of the volume of softwood lumber represented in the referendum favored implementation of the program.

The Tehama County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Red Bluff, California. The committee is authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (Pub. L. 110-343) (the Act) and operates in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The purpose of the committee is to improve collaborative relationships and to provide advice and recommendations to the Forest Service concerning projects and funding consistent with the title II of the Act. The meeting is open to the public. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the future of the committee and to closeout business for 2011.

The Plumas County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will hold a meeting on August 19, 2011 in Quincy, CA. This meeting was rescheduled from July 8, 2011. The purpose of the meeting is to review applications for Cycle 11 funding and select projects to be recommended to the Plumas National Forest Supervisor for calendar year 2012 funding consideration. The funding is made available under Title II provisions of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000. Date & Address: The meeting will take place from 9-1:30 at the Mineral Building-Plumas/Sierra County Fairgrounds, 208 Fairgrounds Road, Quincy, CA.