Department of Agriculture September 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

As part of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture's (NIFA) strategy to successfully implement Section 7404 of Public Law 113-79, the Agricultural Act of 2014, NIFA is soliciting stakeholder input on how it will establish procedures, including timelines, under which an entity established under a commodity promotion law (as such term is defined under section 7401(a) of the Agricultural Act of 2014) or a State commodity board (or other equivalent State entity) may submit proposals for Requests for Applications (RFA)to be competed as part of the Agricultural and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) competitive grant programs. If proposals are accepted for funding, the proposed RFA will be competed as part of the AFRI competitive grants program RFAs and entities eligible for AFRI awards will be able to compete for award. In addition, as a condition of funding the grant proposed by a commodity board, NIFA shall require a contribution of funds equal to the amount of the grant. NIFA will be holding Web-based listening sessions in order to solicit stakeholder input on this new challenge area. The focus of the Web-based listening sessions will be to gather stakeholder input that will be used in developing a process for soliciting, evaluating, and prioritizing AFRI Request for Applications (RFA) submissions from the previously stated commodity board entities or their equivalent. All comments must be received by close of business on October 16, 2014, to be considered in the initial planning of the FY 2015 cycle.

The Land Between the Lakes Advisory Board (Board) will meet in Golden Pond, Kentucky. The Board is established consistent with the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (5 U.S.C. App 2). Additional information concerning the Board, including the meeting summary/ minutes, can be found by visiting the Board's Web site at: https://www.lbl.org/ LRMPadvisoryboard.html.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on the proposed information collection. This is a revision of a currently approved collection. The purpose of Section 6(o) of the Food and Nutrition Act is to establish a time limit for the receipt of benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for certain able-bodied adults who are not working. The provision authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture, upon a State agency's request, to waive the provision for any group of individuals if the Secretary determines ``that the area in which the individuals reside has an unemployment rate of over 10 percent, or does not have a sufficient number of jobs to provide employment for the individuals.'' As required in the statute, in order to receive a waiver the State agency must submit sufficient supporting information so that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) can make the required determination as to the area's unemployment rate or sufficiency of available jobs. This collection of information is, therefore, necessary in order to obtain waivers of the SNAP time limit.

This Notice announces the timeframes to submit applications for participation in the Advanced Biofuels Payment Program. The Advanced Biofuels Payment Program funds were provided through the Agricultural Act of 2014, Public Law 113-79, on February 7, 2014, (2014 Farm Bill). Under the Advanced Biofuel Payment Program, payments are made to advanced biofuel producers for the production of eligible advanced biofuels.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) is requesting comments from all interested individuals and organizations on an extension with a revision of a currently approved information collection process associated with the regulations, licensing, and electronic provider agreements issued as specified in the United States Warehouse Act (USWA).

FNS is seeking nominations for 9 vacancies on the National Advisory Council on Maternal, Infant and Fetal Nutrition (Council). The Council is composed of 24 members. Members of the Council from outside USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are appointed for 3-year terms. State and local officials may serve only during their official tenure. Parent participants are appointed for 2- year terms. Members appointed from USDA and HHS serve at the pleasure of their respective Secretaries. The Council studies the operation of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), and related programs such as the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP). Categories of membership are specified by law. To assure a balance of differing views, Council members are drawn from Federal, State and local governments, industry and organizations with a common interest in the management of WIC and CSFP, including parent participants in both programs. The vacant positions include:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the intention of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) to seek approval to conduct a new information collection, the Organic Certifiers Survey. This will be a voluntary survey that will be conducted annually.

The Tongass Advisory Committee (Committee) will meet in Klawock, Alaska. The Committee is established consistent with the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (5 U.S.C. App. 2). The most up to date information concerning the Committee, including meeting times and agendas can be found by visiting the Committee's Web site at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/R10/Tongass/TAC. The meeting is open to the public.

The Rural Housing Service of Rural Development previously announced in a Notice published June 5, 2013, (78 FR 33800), the availability of funds and the timeframe to submit applications for loans to both private non-profit organizations, and State and local housing finance agencies, to carry out a demonstration program to provide revolving loans for the preservation and revitalization of low- income Multi-Family Housing (MFH). Rural Development did not receive sufficient applications to use all the available funds. As a result, Rural Development is soliciting additional applications under this Notice for the remaining funding. This Notice also eliminates the $1 million cap on subsequent loans for existing intermediaries. Housing that is assisted by this demonstration program must be financed by Rural Development through its MFH loan program under Sections 515, 514 and 516 of the Housing Act of 1949. The goals of this demonstration program will be achieved through loans made to intermediaries. The intermediaries will establish their programs for the purpose of providing loans to ultimate recipients for the preservation and revitalization of low-income Sections 515, 514 and 516 MFH as affordable housing.

The National Advisory Committee for Implementation of the National Forest System Land Management Planning Rule Committee (Committee) will meet in Arlington, VA. Attendees may also participate via webinar and conference call. The Committee operates in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) (Pub. L. 92-463). Additional information relating to the Committee can be found by visiting the Committee's Web site at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/ planningrule/committee.

We are advising the public of our determination that three varieties of herbicide resistant corn and soybeans produced by Dow AgroSciences LLC are no longer considered regulated articles under our regulations governing the introduction of certain genetically engineered organisms. Our determination is based on our evaluation of data submitted by the Dow AgroSciences LLC in its three petitions for a determination of nonregulated status, our analysis of publically available scientific data, and comments received from the public on the petition for nonregulated status and its associated environmental impact statement and plant pest risk assessments. This notice also announces the availability of our written determination and record of decision.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Food Safety and Inspection Service's intention to renew an information collection related to the Salmonella Initiative Program (SIP). FSIS is requesting the renewal because the current OMB approval will expire on January 31, 2015.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is amending the meat, poultry, and egg products import regulations to provide for the Agency's Public Health Information System (PHIS) Import Component. The PHIS Import Component, launched on May 29, 2012, provides an electronic alternative to the paper-based import inspection application and the foreign inspection and foreign establishment certificate processes. The Agency is also removing from the regulations the discontinued ``streamlined'' import inspection procedures for Canadian product and is requiring Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) at official import inspection establishments. In addition to the regulatory amendments outlined above, FSIS is discontinuing its practice of conducting imported product reinspection based on a foreign government's guarantee to replace a lost or incorrect foreign inspection certificate and is clarifying its policy of addressing imported product that is not presented for reinspection.

We are amending the regulations concerning the importation of fruits and vegetables to allow the importation of mangoes from Jamaica into the continental United States. As a condition of entry, the mangoes must be produced in accordance with a systems approach employing a combination of mitigation measures for certain fruit flies, soft scale insects, and diseases and must be inspected prior to exportation from Jamaica and found free of these pests and diseases. The mangoes must be imported in commercial consignments only and be treated to mitigate the risk of fruit flies. The mangoes must also be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate. This action will allow the importation of mangoes from Jamaica while continuing to protect against the introduction of plant pests into the United States.

As directed by the National Forest Management Act (NFMA), the U.S. Forest Service is preparing the El Yunque National Forest's revised land management plan (forest plan) and will also prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for this revised forest plan. This notice briefly describes the nature of the decision to be made, a proposed action based on the preliminary identified need to change the existing plan, and information concerning public participation. It also provides estimated dates for filing the EIS and the name and address of the responsible agency official and the individuals who can provide additional information. Finally, this notice identifies the applicable planning rule that will be used for completing this plan revision. The revised forest plan will supersede the existing forest plan that was approved by the Regional Forester in April 1997. The existing forest plan will remain in effect until the revised forest plan takes effect.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 this notice announces the intention of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) to request revision and extension of a currently approved information collection, the Agricultural Labor Survey. Revision to burden hours will be needed due to changes in the size of the target population, sampling design, and/or questionnaire length.

Rural Development (RD) is amending the regulations so that an obligation date for all guaranteed loans, direct loans, and grants will no longer be 6 working days from the date of request for reservation of authority. This action is necessary as the 6-day reservation period will be permanently removed from the Commercial Loan Servicing System (CLSS), Guaranteed Loan System (GLS), and Program Loan Accounting System (PLAS). The effect of this action will reduce system or manual intervention when legislative mandates direct cutoff for obligations and/or funding; eliminate program waivers on obligation date; increase consistency with other RD programs; reduce risks with new system implementations, such as the Financial Modernization Management Initiative; and eliminate numerous reconciliation issues between processed obligations and actual obligations for internal RD reports and USDA reporting requirements.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Food Safety and Inspection Service's intention to reinstate an information collection associated with qualitative customer and stakeholder feedback on service delivery by the Food Safety and Inspection Service.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on the proposed information collection. This is an extension, without change of a currently approved data collection.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces that the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) intends to request a new approval of an information collection process for the Trade Show Evaluation form that is used in support of FAS' Exporter Assistance Programs.

This rule changes the maturity requirements currently prescribed under the Florida avocado marketing order (order). The order regulates the handling of avocados grown in South Florida and is administered locally by the Avocado Administrative Committee (Committee). The corresponding change in the avocado import regulation is required under section 8e of the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937. This rule changes the maturity shipping schedule to allow certain sizes and weights of the Choquette avocado variety to be shipped to the fresh market earlier. With this change, the maturity schedule will better reflect the current maturity rate for the Choquette variety, facilitating the shipment of this variety as it matures.