Department of Agriculture July 2, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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 for State agency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), administrative matters. FNS plans to develop and launch an electronic workflow system, SNAP Workflow Information Management (SWIM), to streamline FNS waiver processing, the current waiver request form will be transposed to an online waiver request form. The online version of the request form does not modify the currently approved burden hours in any way, but changes the method of collection for this information.

This document amends the Mango Promotion, Research, and Information Order (Order) to allow foreign producers, from countries exporting mangos to the United States, to nominate themselves or other foreign producers for appointment to the National Mango Board (Board). This change would increase the pool of foreign producer nominees. Upon further review, the proposed change to add flexibility to the timing of election of officers to the Board is not made in this rulemaking.

This proposed rule is a companion to the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) direct final rule (published today in the ``Rules and Regulations'' section of the Federal Register), amending the Cotton Board Rules and Regulations by decreasing the value assigned to imported cotton for calculating supplemental assessments collected for use by the Cotton Research and Promotion Program. An amendment is required to adjust the value assigned to imported cotton and the cotton content of imported products so that it is the same as those paid on domestically produced cotton. In addition, AMS is updating two Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) statistical reporting numbers that were amended since the last assessment adjustment. This proposed rule is a companion document to the direct final rule published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register. AMS is publishing this amendment as a direct final rule without prior proposal because the agency is contemplated by statute and required by regulation in 7 CFR 1205.510 and anticipates no significant adverse comment. AMS has explained its reasons in the preamble of the direct final rule. If AMS receives no significant adverse comment during the comment period, no further action on this proposed rule will be taken. If, however, AMS receives significant adverse comment, AMS will withdraw the direct final rule and it will not take effect. In that case, AMS will address all public comments in a subsequent final rule based on this proposed rule. AMS will not institute a second comment period on this rule. Any parties interested in commenting must do so during this comment period.