Department of Agriculture 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This rule increases the assessment rate established for the Raisin Administrative Committee (committee) for the 2010-11 and subsequent crop years from $7.50 to $14.00 per ton of free tonnage raisins acquired by handlers and reserve tonnage raisins released or sold to handlers for use in free tonnage outlets. The committee locally administers the marketing order which regulates the handling of California raisins produced from grapes grown in California. Assessments upon raisin handlers are used by the committee to fund reasonable and necessary expenses of the program. The 2010-11 crop year began August 1 and ends July 31. No volume regulation will be implemented for the 2010-11 crop year, and no reserve pool will be established for this crop. Some committee expenses usually covered by reserve pool revenues must therefore be covered by handler assessments, necessitating an increased assessment rate. The $14.00 per ton assessment would remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

The Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) of 1990, as amended, requires the establishment of a National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). The NOSB is a 15-member board that is responsible for developing and recommending to the Secretary a proposed National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances. The NOSB also advises the Secretary on all other aspects of the National Organic Program. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is requesting nominations to fill five (5) upcoming vacancies on the NOSB. The positions to be filled are: Organic producer (1 position), organic handler (1 position), consumer/public interest (1 position), scientist (1 position), and an environmentalist (1 position). The Secretary of Agriculture will appoint a person to each position to serve a 5-year term of office that will commence on January 24, 2012, and run until January 24, 2017. USDA encourages eligible individuals who can demonstrate an ability to represent minorities, women, and persons with disabilities to apply for membership on the NOSB.

The Forest Service will prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the Miller West Fisher Project. The Project includes timber harvest, fuels reduction, precommercial thinning, prescribed fire, watershed rehabilitation activities, pool creation in Miller Creek, improvement of trails and trailheads, fuels management and hazard tree removal in Lake Creek Campground, and access management changes, including road decommissioning. The project is located in the Silverfish Planning Subunit on the Libby Ranger District, Kootenai National Forest, Lincoln County, Montana, and south of Libby, Montana. The Notice of Availability of the Draft EIS for this project was published in the Federal Register (vol. 74, no. 43) on March 6, 2009, and the notice of the Final EIS (vol. 74 no. 126) on July 2, 2009. The Record of Decision was issued in June of 2009. The Record of Decision was litigated in District Court for the District of Montana (CV 09-M-DWM) on issues regarding the grizzly bear analysis. The District Judge remanded the project to the Forest Service to address deficiencies in disclosures in the analysis. A Supplemental EIS is being prepared to address these disclosures in the grizzly bear analysis.

In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) is proposing to add a new Forest Service system to its inventory of records systems. USDA invites public comment on this new records system.

The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Fruit and Vegetable Programs of the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), are sponsoring a public meeting on April 5, 2011. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States (U.S.) positions that will be discussed at the 16th session of the CCFFV of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), which will be held in Mexico City, Mexico from May 2-6, 2011. The Under Secretary for Food Safety and AMS recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 16th Session of the CCFFV and to address items on the agenda.

The Umatilla National Forest, Columbia County Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Dayton, Washington. The committee is meeting as authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act, as amended, (Pub. L 110-343) and in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. Purpose of the meeting is to conduct general business review proposed projects. This meeting is open to the public.

The Huron-Manistee Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Mio, 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 of the meeting is to hold the first meeting of the newly formed committee.

The North Central Idaho RAC will meet in Grangeville, Idaho. 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 select projects for 2012. The authority of the RAC to recommend projects expires on September 30, 2011, so they need to complete recommendations for two year's worth of projects in the next few months.

The South Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie (MBS) Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in North Bend, Washington on May 11, 2011. The committee is meeting to review and rank 2012 Title II RAC proposals.

We are advising the public that we are adding new approved phytosanitary treatment schedules to the Plant Protection and Quarantine Treatment Manual for certain species of citrus fruit imported from Australia into the United States. These new treatments will continue to prevent the introduction or interstate movement of quarantine pests in the United States.

On April 14, 2011, the U.S Forest Service will host a meeting of the federally designated Secure Rural Schools Resource Advisory Committee (RAC). The public is invited to attend the meeting and provide input. A Secure Rural Schools RAC provides advice and recommendations to the Forest Service on the development and implementation of special projects as authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act, Public Law 110-343.

The Coconino Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Flagstaff, Arizona, to hear project proposals, review submissions and make decisions on which proposals will be recommended to the Designated Federal Official.

The Sitka Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Sitka, 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 this meeting, is to finalize the list of proposed projects.

The Ashley Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Vernal, Utah. 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 conduct introductions, approve meeting minutes, develop and finalize evaluation criteria for the ranking of recommended projects, set the next meeting date, time and location and receive public comment on the meeting subjects and proceedings.

We are proposing to amend the fruits and vegetables regulations to allow the importation of French beans and runner beans from the Republic of Kenya into the United States. As a condition of entry, both commodities would have to be produced in accordance with a systems approach that would include requirements for packing, washing, and processing. Both commodities would also be required to be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate attesting that all phytosanitary requirements have been met and that the consignment was inspected and found free of quarantine pests. This action would allow for the importation of French beans and runner beans from the Republic of Kenya into the United States while continuing to provide protection against the introduction of plant pests.

The Eleven Point Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Winona, Missouri. 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 proposed forest management projects so that recommendations may be made to the Forest Service on which should be funded through Title II of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act of 2000, as amended in 2008.

The Southern New Mexico Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Socorro, New Mexico. 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 to be implemented in 2011.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on proposed information collections. This collection is a revision of currently approved information collection requirements associated with initiating collection actions against households who have received an overissuance in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

The Butte County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will hold a meeting on April 18, 2011 in Oroville, CA. The purpose of the meeting is to: Introduce new RAC members to each other, review the Secure Rural Schools legislation & RAC member responsibilities, review & make funding recommendation for Cycle 1 projects, review a timeline for Cycle 2 project funding and schedule out meeting(s). 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 6:30-9 p.m. at the Feather River Ranger District Office, 875 Mitchell Avenue, Oroville, CA.

The Hiawatha West Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Rapid River, 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 hold the first meeting of the newly formed committee.

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 how nutrition assistance programs are currently being implemented in the diverse operational contexts of farmers' markets and identify facilitators and barriers for farmers' markets' participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is proposing to maintain user fees for cotton producers for 2011 crop cotton classification services under the Cotton Statistics and Estimates Act at the same level as in 2010. These fees are also authorized under the Cotton Standards Act of 1923. The 2010 crop user fee was $2.20 per bale, and AMS proposes to continue the fee for the 2011 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 2011 crop, including costs for administration and supervision.