Department of Agriculture March 19, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In September 2010, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) implemented the new Conservation Loan (CL) Program authorized by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the 2008 Farm Bill). FSA added the CL Program provisions to the existing direct and guaranteed loan regulations. The provisions provide CL program eligibility and servicing options for the direct and guaranteed loans made through the CL Program. FSA is amending the Farm Loan Programs (FLP) direct and guaranteed loan regulations for the CL Program based on public comments received on the interim rule.

The Southern Region Recreation Resource Advisory Committee will hold a meeting via teleconference. The purpose of the teleconference is to discuss committee roles and responsibilities and to set a meeting date to consider fee proposals for areas managed by the Forest Service in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and the territory of Puerto Rico; and to discuss other items of interest related to the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act of 2004. A final agenda will be sent to regional media sources at least 7 days before the teleconference, and hard copies can also be mailed or sent via FAX. Individuals who need special, or who wish a hard copy of the agenda, should contact Caroline Mitchell at PO Box 1270, Hot Springs, AR 71902 or by phone at 501-321-5318 prior to the meeting.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is proposing to amend the meat and poultry products regulations pertaining to the schedule of operations. FSIS is proposing to amend these regulations to define the 8-hour workday as including time that inspection program personnel need to prepare the inspection station, if necessary, or retrieve and return lot tally sheets; the time necessary for FSIS inspection program personnel to sharpen knives, if necessary; and the time necessary to conduct duties scheduled by FSIS, including administrative activities. The activities are integral and indispensable to inspectors' work and are part of the continuous workday as defined by the Fair Labor Standards Act. Therefore, they are activities that need to be part of the Agency's regulatory definition for the 8-hour workday.