Department of Agriculture January 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), are sponsoring a public meeting on April 17, 2013. 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 41st Session of the Codex Committee on Food Labeling (CCFL) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), which will be held in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada from May 14-17, 2013. The Under Secretary for Food Safety and FDA recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 41st Session of the CCFL, and to address items on the agenda.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and organizations on the new information collection, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Recreation Visitor Study2013.

We are proposing to amend the fruits and vegetables regulations to allow the importation of avocados from continental Spain (excluding the Balaeric Islands and Canary Islands) into the United States. As a condition of entry, avocados from Spain would have to be produced in accordance with a systems approach that would include requirements for importation in commercial consignments; registration and monitoring of places of production and packinghouses; grove sanitation; and inspection for quarantine pests by the national plant protection organization of Spain. Consignments of avocados other than the Hass variety would also have to be treated for the Mediterranean fruit fly either prior to moving to the United States or upon arrival prior to release. Consignments would also be required to be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate with an additional declaration stating that the avocados were grown and inspected and found to be free of pests in accordance with the proposed requirements. This action would allow for the importation of avocados from Spain into the United States while continuing to provide protection against the introduction of quarantine pests.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), this Notice announces the Rural Business- Cooperative Service intention to request an extension to a currently approved information collection for the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program (RMAP).

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 an extension, without change, of a currently approved burden for the applications, periodic reporting and notices burden calculations for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

This notice invites the following eligible States: Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming, to submit an Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424), and to enter into a Cooperative Agreement with the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) for the allocation of organic certification cost-share funds. The AMS has allocated $1.425 million for this organic certification cost-share program. Funds are available to 16 designated States to provide cost- share assistance to organic crop and livestock producers certified under the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Organic Standards (7 CFR 205) that either receive organic certification or incur expenses for continued certification during the period of October 1, 2012 through September 30, 2013. Eligible States interested in obtaining cost-share funds for their organic producers must submit an Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424) via https://www.grants.gov and enter into a Cooperative Agreement with AMS for the allocation of funds.

Come gather 'round people Wherever you roam And admit that the waters Around you have grown And accept it that soon You'll be drenched to the bone If your time to you is worth savin' Then you better start swimmin' or you'll sink like a stone For the times, they are a-changin'.

The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN), are sponsoring a public meeting on February 5, 2013. 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 23rd Session of the Codex Committee on Fats and Oils (CCFO) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), which will be held in Langkawi, Malaysia, February 25-March 1, 2013. The Under Secretary for Food Safety and FDA recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 23rd Session of the CCFO and to address items on the agenda.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing its intention to request an extension of an approved information collection regarding the importation and transportation of meat and poultry products. This information collection is due to expire.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended), the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) invites comments on this information collection for which RUS intends to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

This document contains corrections to the final regulation that was published Friday, December 21, 2012 (74 FR 75509-75521). The regulation pertains to the insurance of Florida Citrus Fruit.

This notice lists the newspapers that Ranger Districts, Forests, and the Regional Office of the Alaska Region will use to publish legal notice of all decisions subject to appeal under 36 CFR Part 215 and to publish legal notices for public comment on actions subject to the notice and comment provisions of 36 CFR Part 215, as updated on June 4, 2003. The intended effect of this action is to inform interested members of the public which newspapers will be used to publish legal notice of actions subject to public comment and decisions subject to appeal under 36 CFR Part 215, thereby allowing them to receive constructive notice of a decision or proposed action, to provide clear evidence of timely notice, and to achieve consistency in administering the appeals process.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request a revision to and extension of approval of an information collection associated with the regulations for the importation of fruit from Thailand.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request a revision to and extension of approval of an information collection associated with the regulations for the importation of cut flowers from countries with chrysanthemum white rust.

The Ochoco National Forest is preparing an environmental impact statement (EIS) to analyze the effects of changing grazing management in four allotments on the Paulina Ranger District. The Fox Canyon Cluster project area is located approximately 35 miles east of Prineville, south of Big Summit Prairie. The four allotments are Antler, Brush Creek, Fox Canyon, and Gray Prairie. The Proposed Action would reauthorize term grazing permits, construct rangeland improvements, manage livestock use and distribution, and conduct riparian restoration activities to facilitate the improvement of riparian conditions for streambank stability, riparian vegetation, and water temperature. These actions are needed to achieve and maintain consistency with the Ochoco National Forest Land and Resource Plan, as amended.

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 is a revision of a currently approved collection under OMB 0584-0010, which is due to expire April 30, 2013.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, this notice invites the public and other public agencies to comment on a proposed information collection burden for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Employment and Training (E&T) Program, currently approved under OMB No. 0584-0339. This is a revision of a currently approved collection, which proposes to decrease the currently approved burden of 26,083 hours by 4,194. The adjusted burden is 21,889 hours. This decrease is due to greater efficiencies in tracking and reporting E&T component placements. In prior collections, FNS estimated that State agencies used one minute per component placement to compile and record this data. This estimate is now reduced to 10 seconds per component placement, which is the same amount of time allotted for States to compile and record work registrant data.

The Forestry Research Advisory Council will meet in Washington, DC February 7-8, 2013. The Council is required by Section 1441 of the Agriculture and Food Act of 1981 to provide advice to the Secretary of Agriculture on accomplishing efficiently the purposes of the Act of October 10, 1962 (16 U.S.C. 582a, et seq.), commonly known as the McIntire-Stennis Act of 1962. The Council also provides advice relative to the Forest Service research program, authorized by the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Research Act of 1978 (Pub. L. 95-307, 92 Stat. 353, as amended; 16 U.S.C. 1600 (note)). The meeting is open to the public.

GIPSA requests comments on the applicants for designation to provide official services in the Indianapolis, Indiana area.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) proposes to revise eight United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Vegetables. AMS is proposing to replace the dual grade nomenclature with single letter grade designations. ``U.S. Grade A'' (or ``U.S. Fancy''), ``U.S. Grade B'' (or ``U.S. Extra Standard''), and ``U.S. Grade C'' (or ``U.S. Standard'') would become ``U.S. Grade A,'' ``U.S. Grade B,'' and ``U.S. Grade C,'' respectively. This would conform to recent changes in other grade standards. AMS is also proposing to provide updated contact information in order to obtain copies of the grade standards and color standards. These changes would bring these grade standards in line with the present quality levels being marketed today and would provide guidance in the effective utilization of these products. The grade standards covered by these proposed revisions are: frozen asparagus, frozen lima beans, frozen speckled butter beans, frozen cooked squash, frozen summer squash, frozen sweet potatoes, frozen turnip greens with turnips, and frozen mixed vegetables.

The Department of Agriculture (USDA), Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) is proposing several changes to the fee schedule for official inspection and weighing services performed under the United States Grain Standards Act (USGSA), as amended. The USGSA provides GIPSA's Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) with the authority to charge and collect reasonable fees to cover the cost of performing official services. These fees also cover the costs associated with managing the program. After a financial review of GIPSA's Fees for Official Inspection and Weighing Services, including a comparison of the costs and revenues associated with official inspection and weighing services, GIPSA is proposing to revise local and national tonnage fees (assessed in addition to all other applicable fees) for all export grain shipments serviced by GIPSA field offices.