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

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget, for an extension of the currently approved information collection National Organic Program (NOP) Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements.

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), announces the availability of $17,531,000 in grant funds and solicitation of applications for the Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) Grant Program for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 competition.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request for an extension and revision of a currently approved information collection for Fruit and Vegetable Market News.

This interim final rule amends the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program regulations to establish nutrition standards for all foods sold in schools, other than food sold under the lunch and breakfast programs. Amendments made by Section 208 of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (HHFKA) require the Secretary to establish nutrition standards for such foods, consistent with the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and directs the Secretary to consider authoritative scientific recommendations for nutrition standards; existing school nutrition standards, including voluntary standards for beverages and snack foods; current State and local standards; the practical application of the nutrition standards; and special exemptions for infrequent school-sponsored fundraisers (other than fundraising through vending machines, school stores, snack bars, [agrave] la carte sales and any other exclusions determined by the Secretary). In addition, this interim final rule requires schools participating in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program to make potable water available to children at no charge in the place where lunches are served during the meal service, consistent with amendments made by section 203 of the HHFKA, and in the cafeteria during breakfast meal service. This interim final rule is expected to improve the health and well-being of the Nation's children, increase consumption of healthful foods during the school day, and create an environment that reinforces the development of healthy eating habits.

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

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and the Farm Service Agency (FSA) are requesting comments from all interested individuals and organizations on an extension of a currently approved information collection. The CCC and FSA are using the collected information to determine whether representatives or survivors of a producer are entitled to receive payments earned by a producer who dies, disappears, or is declared incompetent before receiving payments or other disbursements.

The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) announces the intent to include Certificates of Quota Eligibility (CQEs) issued under the United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement (U.S.-Colombia TPA) and the United States-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement (U.S.-Panama TPA) in the sugar purchase and exchange announced on June 18, 2013.

The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) finalizes the Area Risk Protection Insurance (ARPI) Basic Provisions, ARPI Barley Crop Insurance Provisions, ARPI Corn Crop Insurance Provisions, ARPI Cotton Crop Insurance Provisions, ARPI Forage Crop Insurance Provisions, ARPI Grain Sorghum Crop Insurance Provisions, ARPI Peanut Crop Insurance Provisions, ARPI Soybean Crop Insurance Provisions, and ARPI Wheat Crop Insurance Provisions to provide area yield protection and area revenue protection. These provisions will replace the Group Risk Plan (GRP) provisions in 7 CFR part 407, which includes the: GRP Basic Provisions, GRP Barley Crop Provisions, GRP Corn Crop Provisions, GRP Cotton Crop Provisions, GRP Forage Crop Provisions, GRP Peanut Crop Provisions, GRP Sorghum Crop Provisions, GRP Soybean Crop Provisions, and GRP Wheat Crop Provisions. The ARPI provisions will also replace the Group Risk Income Protection (GRIP) Basic Provisions, the GRIP Crop Provisions, and the GRIP-Harvest Revenue Option (GRIP-HRO). The GRP and GRIP plans of insurance will no longer be available. The intended effect of this action is to offer producers a choice of Area Revenue Protection, Area Revenue Protection with the Harvest Price Exclusion, or Area Yield Protection, all within one Basic Provision and the applicable Crop Provisions. This will reduce the amount of information producers must read to determine the best risk management tool for their operation and will improve the provisions to better meet the needs of insureds. The changes will apply for the 2014 and succeeding crop years.

This Notice is to invite applications for loans and grants under the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant (REDLG) program pursuant to 7 CFR part 4280, subpart A for fiscal year (FY) 2013. Funding to support $33 million in loans and $10 million in grants is currently available. The commitment of program dollars will be made to applicants of selected responses that have fulfilled the necessary requirements for obligation. All applicants are responsible for any expenses incurred in developing their applications.

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 in support of the regulations for the importation of shepherd's purse from the Republic of Korea into the United States.

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 the export of animal products from the United States.

The Forest Service published a document in the Federal Register of June 6, 2013, concerning a notice of meeting containing an incorrect teleconference line.

This notice informs the public of the sanitary and phytosanitary standard-setting activities of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), in accordance with section 491 of the Trade Agreements Act of 1979, as amended, and the Uruguay Round Agreements Act, Public Law 103-465, 108 Stat. 4809. This notice also provides a list of other standard-setting activities of Codex, including commodity standards, guidelines, codes of practice, and revised texts. This notice, which covers the time periods from June 1, 2012, to May 31, 2013, and June 1, 2013, to May 31, 2014, seeks comments on standards under consideration and recommendations for new standards.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request approval, from the Office of Management and Budget, for an extension of and revision to the currently approved information collection in support of the Regulations for Voluntary Grading of Poultry Products and Rabbit Products7 CFR Part 70.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, this notice announces the Foreign Agricultural Service's intention to request an extension for a currently approved information collection in support of the regulation providing for the issuance of certificates of quota eligibility (CQEs) required to enter sugar and sugar-containing products under tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) into the United States.

This notice is intended to notify the public of their opportunity to attend an open meeting of the Plant Variety Protection Board.

We are advising the public of our determination that a maize line developed by Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc., designated as maize event DP-[Oslash][Oslash]4114-3, which has been genetically engineered to be resistant to certain lepidopteran and coleopteran pests and to the herbicide glufosinate, is no longer considered a regulated article under our regulations governing the introduction of certain genetically engineered organisms. Our determination is based on our evaluation of data submitted by Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., in its petition for a determination of nonregulated status, our analysis of available scientific data, and comments received from the public in response to our previous notice announcing the availability of the petition for nonregulated status and its associated environmental assessment and plant pest risk assessment. This notice also announces the availability of our written determination and finding of no significant impact.

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 August 5, 2013. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States positions that will be discussed at the 21st Session of the Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods (CCRVDF) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), which will be held in Minneapolis, Minnesota from August 26- 30, 2013. The Under Secretary for Food Safety and the Food and Drug Administration recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 21st Session of CCRVDF, and to address items on the agenda.

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 the regulations for the importation of plants for planting.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS), an Agency within Rural Development, announces that it is soliciting competitive applications under its Housing Preservation Grant (HPG) program. The HPG program is a grant program which provides qualified public agencies, private non- profit organizations including, but not be limited to, faith-based and community organizations, and other eligible entities, grant funds to assist very low- and low-income homeowners in repairing and rehabilitating their homes in rural areas. In addition, the HPG program assists rental property owners and cooperative housing complexes in repairing and rehabilitating their units if they agree to make such units available to low- and very low-income persons. This action is taken to comply with RHS regulations found in 7 CFR part 1944, subpart N, which require RHS to announce the opening and closing dates for receipt of pre-applications for HPG funds from eligible applicants. The intended effect of this Notice is to provide eligible organizations notice of these dates.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in Fiscal Year 2006 established the demonstration Rural Development Voucher Program, as authorized under Section 542 of the Housing Act of 1949 as amended, (without regard to Section 542(b)). This Notice informs the public that funding is available for the Rural Development Voucher Program and also sets forth the general policies and procedures for use of these vouchers for Fiscal Year 2013. Pursuant to the requirements in the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013, Rural Development Vouchers are only available to low-income tenants of Rural Development-financed multifamily properties where the Section 515 loan has been prepaid either through prepayment or foreclosure action, prior to the loan's maturity date and after September 30, 2005. RD Voucher issuance requested by eligible tenants will be made to the extent that funding may ultimately be made available to the Agency through appropriations.

Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. APP., this notice announces a meeting of the National Advisory Council on Maternal, Infant and Fetal Nutrition.

The USDA Forest Service, Bitterroot National Forest will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) to document and disclose the effects analysis of the proposed Como Forest Health Project (Como FHP). The Como FHP covers approximately 5,640 acres of national forest land between Lake Como and Lost Horse Roads, about XX miles northwest of Darby in Ravalli County, Montana. The purpose of the Como FHP is to (1) reduce potential mortality of large diameter ponderosa pine caused by increasing mountain pine beetle populations; (2) reduce fuel loads and maintain the historic fire return interval; (3) improve forest resilience to dwarf mistletoe, root rot, Douglas-fir beetle, and spruce budworm; (4) and maintain the visual integrity of the larger Lake Como Recreation Area. Commercial harvest is proposed on about 1,860 acres, pre-commercial thinning on about 330 acres, and prescribed fire on about 3,000 acres to achieve the purposes of the Como FHP. Three sections of road totaling about 0.8 of a mile are proposed for construction to support the timber harvest. The roads would be closed after timber operations. Site-specific Bitterroot National Forest Plan amendments may be proposed for coarse woody debris, snags, elk habitat effectiveness, thermal cover, old growth, and visual quality.