Department of Agriculture 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This proposed rule would amend the Lamb Promotion, Research, and Information Order (Order) to increase the assessment rate on all live ovine animals sold from $.005 per pound to $.007 per pound for producers, feeders, and seedstock producers, and from $.30 per head of ovine animals purchased for slaughter to $.42 per head for first handlers. The increase is provided for under the Order, which is authorized by the Commodity Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1996 (Act). The American Lamb Board (Board), which administers the Order, recommended this action to maintain and expand their promotional, research, advertising, and communications programs.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) issues this final rule amending NRCS' informal appeal procedures as required by Title II of the Federal Crop Insurance Reform and Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (the 1994 Act). This final rule amends regulations promulgated by the interim final rule published on May 16, 2006, and also includes new language to address comments and make procedural and structural changes in relation to 6 years of implementation.

The Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest is submitting a correction to the notice of intent for the Smiths Fork Vegetation Restoration Project published on May 7, 2012 [77 FR 26733]. The notice of intent initially read: ``Only persons who submit specific written comments on the proposed action during the 30-day comment period will be eligible to file an objection. This comment period represents the only opportunity for the public to comment on this proposal prior to the objection process. The opportunity to comment will end 30 days after a legal notice announcing the request for scoping comments is published in the Salt Lake Tribune, which is the newspaper of record.'' The correction to the notice of intent is as follows: ``Only individuals and organizations who have submitted specific written comments related to the proposed action during the opportunities for public comment provided during the scoping period or the comment period on the draft EIS will be eligible to file an objection under the Healthy Forests Restoration Act. The opportunity to provide scoping comments will end 30 days after a legal notice announcing the request for scoping comments is published in the Salt Lake Tribune, which is the newspaper of record. Comments on the draft EIS itself will be solicited when the draft EIS is available. Availability of the draft EIS will be made via a notice of availability in the Federal Register as well as a legal notice in the Salt Lake Tribune.''

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on a proposed information collection. This collection is a revision of a currently approved collection for determining eligibility for free and reduced price meals and free milk in schools as stated in 7 CFR Part 245. These federal requirements affect eligibility under the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, and the Special Milk Program and are also applicable to the Child and Adult Care Food Program and the Summer Food Service Program when individual eligibility must be established. The current approval for the information collection burden associated with 7 CFR Part 245 expires on March 31, 2013. The revisions being requested are from rulemaking and are also from revisions made to a form associated with this information collection.

USDA announces the availability of grants through the Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) Program for Fiscal Year (FY) 2012. Nonprofit corporations and institutions of higher education may apply. Approximately $5.8 million is available. Applications are limited to a maximum of $175,000 and matching funds are required. The grant period is limited to a one-year timeframe.

We are amending the horse protection regulations to require horse industry organizations or associations that license Designated Qualified Persons to assess and enforce minimum penalties for violations of the Horse Protection Act (the Act). The regulations currently provide that such penalties will be set either by the horse industry organization or association or by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This action will strengthen our enforcement of the Act by ensuring that minimum penalties are assessed and enforced consistently by all horse industry organizations and associations that are certified under the regulations by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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 required by the Lacey Act for the importation of certain plants and plant products.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations (5 CFR part 1320) which implement the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35), this notice announces the National Institute of Food and Agriculture's (NIFA) intention to request approval to extend the currently approved information collection in support of authorizations to use the 4-H Club Name and/or Emblem.

The Departments, in compliance with the determinations of the District Court in Peratrovich v. United States, No. 3:92-cv-00734-HRH (D. Alaska), announce the initiation of reviews of pre-statehood withdrawals and reservations in the Tongass National Forest. These reviews, as ordered by the United States District Court for the District of Alaska, will be used in regulatory proceedings for the purpose of implementing Title VIII of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act with respect to submerged public lands within the Tongass National Forest.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration published a document in the Federal Register on May 30, 2012, concerning the announcement for the Designation for the Topeka, KS; Cedar Rapids, IA; Minot, ND; and Cincinnati, OH Areas. The document contained an incorrect abbreviation.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will maintain user fees for cotton producers for 2012 crop cotton classification services under the Cotton Statistics and Estimates Act and the Cotton Standards Act of 1923 at $2.20 per balethe same level as in 2011. This fee and the existing reserve are sufficient to cover the costs of providing classification services for the 2012 crop, including costs for administration and supervision.

We are amending the Asian longhorned beetle regulations to make changes to the list of quarantined areas by adding portions of Worcester County, MA, and Clermont County, OH, to the list of quarantined areas. We are also removing a portion of Suffolk County, NY, from the list of quarantined areas based on our determination that the area meets our criteria for removal. These actions are necessary to prevent the artificial spread of Asian longhorned beetle to noninfested areas of the United States and to relieve restrictions on certain areas that are no longer necessary.

This document amends the General Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Inspection and Grading Service (General Specifications) by raising the maximum allowable somatic cell count in producer herd goat milk from 1,000,000 cells per milliliter to 1,500,000 cells per milliliter. This will ensure that goat milk can continue to be shipped and recognizes that goats have a need for different regulatory limits for somatic cells than cows. In addition this document eliminates mandatory sediment testing on producer milk except for milk in cans. The requirement for sediment testing has become outdated and is no longer needed.

We are advising the public that we have prepared an environmental assessment relative to our recent proposal to allow the importation of fresh bananas from the Philippines into the continental United States. The environmental assessment documents our review and analysis of environmental impacts associated with the proposed action. We are making this environmental assessment available to the public for review and comment.

The designations of the official agencies listed below will end on December 31, 2012. We are asking persons or governmental agencies interested in providing official services in the areas presently served by these agencies to submit an application for designation. In addition, we are asking for comments on the quality of services provided by the following designated agencies: California-Agri Inspection Company, Ltd. (Cal-Agri); Frankfort Grain Inspection, Inc. (Frankfort); Indianapolis Grain Inspection and Weighing Service, Inc. (Indianapolis); and Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (Virginia).

We are advising the public that we have determined that it is necessary to immediately add to the Plant Protection and Quarantine Treatment Manual a treatment schedule for methyl bromide fumigation of cottonseed for the fungal plant pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum (FOV). We have prepared a treatment evaluation document that describes the new treatment schedule and explains why we have determined that it is effective at neutralizing FOV, certain strains of which are quarantine pests. We are making the treatment evaluation document available to the public for review and comment.

The Colorado Recreation Resource Advisory Committee will tentatively meet in Colorado Springs, CO. The purpose of the meeting is to continue to provide new members with the information they need to be effective committee members; to elect a Chair and Vice-Chair; and to review proposals for fee changes and new fee projects. These fee proposals will tentatively include two new cabin rentals, a new fee at the Buckeye Group Site, fee changes to Green Mountain Reservoir and the elimination of fees at Cataract Lake. There will also be an update of changes at the Mt. Evans fee site. Proposals can be found at https:// www.fs.usda.gov/goto/r2/rac-colorado.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) implementing regulations, this notice announces the Economic Research Service's (ERS) intention to request renewal of approval for an annual information collection on supplemental food security questions in the Current Population Survey (CPS), commencing with the December 2013 survey. These data will be used: to monitor household-level food security and food insecurity in the United States; to assess food security and changes in food security for population subgroups; to assess the need for, and performance of, domestic food assistance programs; to improve the measurement of food security; and to provide information to aid in public policy decision making.

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 extension to an information collection associated with regulations for the importation of live poultry, poultry meat, and other poultry products from specified regions.

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 National Poultry Improvement Plan.

This notice lists the updated quantity trigger levels for products which may be subject to additional import duties under the safeguard provisions of the WTO Agreement on Agriculture. This notice also includes the relevant period applicable for the trigger levels on each of the listed products.

We are giving notice that the Secretary is soliciting nominations for membership for this Committee to serve for 2- to 3-year staggered terms.