Department of Agriculture 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This document directs that a referendum be conducted among eligible Washington potato growers to determine whether they favor continuance of the marketing order regulating the handling of Irish potatoes grown in Washington.

The Mendocino County Resource Advisory Committee will meet April 15, 2011 (RAC) in Willits, California. Agenda items to be covered include: (1) Approval of minutes, (2) Handout Discussion (3) Public Comment, (4) Financial Report (5) Sub-committees (6) Matters before the group (7) Discussionapproval of projects, (8) Next agenda and meeting date.

The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) is requesting comments about the calculation of assessments to fund the Tobacco Transition Payment Program (TTPP). Currently the cigar portion of the assessment uses a per unit calculation that treats all cigars, large and small, the same. That policy is under review as the result of a court decision. This review could also affect cigarettes, which are subject to similar provisions.

We are advising the public that an environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact have been prepared by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service relative to the control of air potato (Dioscorea bulbifera). Based on its finding of no significant impact, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has determined that an environmental impact statement need not be prepared.

GIPSA is announcing the designation of the following organizations to provide official services under the United States Grain Standards Act, as amended (USGSA): J. W. Barton Grain Inspection Service, Inc. (Barton); Central Illinois Grain Inspection, Inc. (Central Illinois); Central Iowa Grain Inspection Service, Inc. (Central Iowa); Farwell Commodity and Grain Services, Inc. (Farwell Southwest); North Dakota Grain Inspection Service, Inc. (North Dakota); Northern Plains Grain Inspection Service, Inc. (Northern Plains); and Plainview Grain Inspection and Weighing Service, Inc. (Plainview).

We are amending the National Poultry Improvement Plan (the Plan) and its auxiliary provisions by providing new or modified sampling and testing procedures for Plan participants and participating flocks. The changes were voted on and approved by the voting delegates at the Plan's 2008 National Plan Conference. These changes will keep the provisions of the Plan current with changes in the poultry industry and provide for the use of new sampling and testing procedures.

In a final rule that was published in the Federal Register on November 16, 2010, and effective on December 1, 2010, we added the Brazilian State of Santa Catarina to the list of regions we recognize as free of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), rinderpest, swine vesicular disease (SVD), classical swine fever (CSF), and African swine fever. We also added Santa Catarina to the list of regions that are subject to certain import restrictions on meat and meat products because of their proximity to or trading relationships with rinderpest- or FMD-affected countries. In the final rule, we neglected to add Santa Catarina to the lists of regions that are subject to certain import restrictions on pork and pork products because of their proximity to or trading relationships with SVD- and CSF-affected countries. This document corrects that error.

The Upper Rio Grande Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Monte Vista, Colorado. 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 and recommend project proposals to be funded with Title II money.

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 evaluation of the quantity and quality of nutritional information available to school food authorities about food service products and commodities.

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 for the importation of Hass avocados from Michoacan, Mexico.

This document informs the public about a change in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans that affects the proposed rule ``Nutrition Standards in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs'' issued by the Department of Agriculture and published in the Federal Register on January 13, 2011. Members of the public are asked to address this change when writing comments on the above referenced rule to assist the Department in updating the school meal patterns and nutrition standards according to the latest dietary recommendations.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the intention of the above-named Agencies to request an extension for the currently approved information collection in support of the servicing of Community and Direct Business Programs Loans and Grants.

The Humboldt County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Eureka, California. The committee meeting is 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 South Central Idaho Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Sun Valley, 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 hear project presentations and decide which projects will be funded.

The Daniel Boone National Forest Resource Advisory Committee will meet in London, Kentucky. The committee is 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 primary objective of the meeting is to review proposed project applications.

This document implements amendments to the Dairy Promotion and Research Order (Order). This action is pursuant to the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (2002 Farm Bill) and the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Farm Bill). The 2002 Farm Bill mandates that the Order be amended to implement an assessment on imported dairy products to fund promotion and research and to add importer representation, initially two members, to the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board (Board). The 2008 Farm Bill specifies a mandatory assessment rate of 7.5 cents per hundredweight of milk, or equivalent thereof, on dairy products imported into the United States. This final rule, in accordance with the 2008 Farm Bill, also amends the term ``United States'' in the Dairy Production Stabilization Act of 1983 (Act) to mean all States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Producers in these areas will be assessed 15 cents per hundredweight for all milk produced and marketed.

In accordance with the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 106-393), [as reauthorized as part of Pub. L. 110-343] and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Sabine National Forest Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) meeting will meet as indicated below.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) is seeking comments from interested individuals and organizations on an extension with a revision of a currently approved information collection associated with transferring of farm records from one administrative county office to another.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the intention of FNS to request revisions to currently approved information collections in the WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition Program Financial Report (Form FNS-683); WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition Program Recipient Report (Form FNS-203); and WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition Program Regulations.

The New Mexico Collaborative Forest Restoration Program Technical Advisory Panel will meet in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Panel is meeting as authorized under the Community Forest Restoration Act (Title VI, Pub. L. 106-393) and in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The purpose of the meeting is to provide recommendations to the Regional Forester, USDA Forest Service Southwestern Region, on which applications submitted in response to the Collaborative Forest Restoration Program Request For Applications best meet the program objectives.

We are proposing to amend the fruits and vegetables regulations to allow the importation into the continental United States of figs and pomegranates from Chile, subject to a systems approach. Under this systems approach, the fruit would have to be grown in a place of production that is registered with the Government of Chile and certified as having a low prevalence of Brevipalpus chilensis. The fruit would have to undergo pre-harvest sampling at the registered production site. Following post-harvest processing, the fruit would have to be inspected in Chile at an approved inspection site. Each consignment of fruit would have to be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate with an additional declaration stating that the fruit had been found free of Brevipalpus chilensis based on field and packinghouse inspections. This proposed rule would allow for the safe importation of fresh figs and pomegranates from Chile using mitigation measures other than fumigation with methyl bromide.

The Bridger-Teton Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Kemmerer, Wyoming. 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 listen to proposed project presentations.

The Farm Service Agency (FSA) proposes adding processed agricultural products to the agricultural products for which warehouse licenses may be issued under the United States Warehouse Act (USWA). Through this notice, FSA is providing an opportunity for anyone to provide comments on this proposal to offer a license for the processed agricultural products that are stored in climate controlled, cooler, and freezer warehouses. An example of a processed agricultural product is apple juice concentrate. In the past, USDA has issued USWA licenses for syrup or sirup, dried fruit, canned foods, cold-pack fruit, seeds, and cherries-in-brine. Current USWA licenses for agricultural products include grain, cotton, nuts, cottonseed, and dry beans. Warehouse operators voluntarily agree to be licensed, observe the rules for licensing, and pay associated user fees.