Department of Agriculture September 2014 – 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 send comments regarding any aspect of this information collection. This notice announces the intention of the Economic Research Service to request a renewal to a currently approved information collection, namely a pilot generic clearance for experimental economic research.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces the intention of the Foreign Agricultural Service to request approval for a new information collection for General Administrative Policy for Agreements to Conduct International Agricultural Research, Extension and Teaching Activities.

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (Agency) is an agency within the Rural Development mission area of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) responsible for administering the Business and Industry (B&I) Guaranteed Loan Program. The B&I Guaranteed Loan Program is authorized by the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act and provides loan guarantees to banks and other approved lenders to finance private businesses located in rural areas. The Agency is proposing changes to refine the regulations for the B&I Guaranteed Loan Program in an effort to improve program delivery, clarify the regulations to make them easier to understand, and reduce delinquencies. The proposed changes to the program are expected to reduce the subsidy rate and thereby lower program subsidy costs over time as the proposed rule is implemented. By lowering the subsidy rate, the Agency may be able to provide greater leverage for the budget authority provided by Congress. This will allow the Agency to guarantee a higher total dollar amount of loan requests and, assuming the same average size of loans being guaranteed, to guarantee more loans. These changes could also result in increased lending activity, expanded business opportunities, and creation of more jobs in rural areas.

The Florida National Forests Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Tallahassee, Florida. The Committee is authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (the Act) (Pub. L. 110-343) and operates in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (5 U.S.C. App. 2). The purpose of the Committee is to improve collaborative relationships and to provide advice and recommendations to the Forest Service concerning projects and funding consistent with the Title II of the Act. The meeting is open to the public. Additional information concerning the Committee, can be found by visiting the Committee's Web site at: https://fsplaces.fs.fed.us/ fsfiles/unit/wo/secureruralschools.nsf/RAC/ Florida+National+Forests.

The Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest is proposing to charge fees at the Spring Mountains Visitor Gateway Complex new group picnic sites. These group picnic sites include a $70 fee per site, year around. During the summer months the sites can be reserved for $70 for a half day or $120 for all day. Fees are assessed based on the level of amenities and services provided, cost of operations and maintenance, and market assessment. The fee is proposed and will be determined upon further analysis and public comment. Funds from fees would be used for the continued operation, maintenance, and improvements of these picnic sites. An analysis of the nearby federal and state group picnic sites with similar amenities shows that the proposed fees are reasonable and typical of similar sites in the area.

The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Office of Nutrition, Labeling, and Dietary Supplements are sponsoring a public meeting on October 28, 2014. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States (U.S.) positions to be discussed at the 36th Session of the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CODEX), taking place in Bali, Indonesia November 24-28, 2014. The Under Secretary for Food Safety and the FDA recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 36th Session of the CCNFSDU and to address items on the agenda.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is affirming without changes its interim rule (79 FR 12037) to amend the procedures to Request a Referendum at 7 CFR Part 1220 by removing the specific number of soybean producers eligible to request a referendum under the Soybean Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information program, commonly known as the Soybean Checkoff Program. The number of soybean producers will be replaced with language that allows the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) to update this number based on information provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Additionally, this rule removes specific USDA and Farm Service Agency (FSA) Web site and office addresses and replaces them with more flexible language. These changes will enable AMS to announce future Requests for Referendum without engaging in additional informal rulemaking.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is proposing to amend its regulations to provide for a set of standardized formulas by which fees are calculated. The methodology used to calculate and implement the fees charged by AMS user-funded programs would be specified in the regulations. Currently, AMS publishes separate rules for each of the service fees it collects. The fees are calculated using formulas to account for all costs incurred by AMS in providing these services. Each year, fees would be announced in a notice in the Federal Register by June 1 and take effect at the start of the fiscal year, crop year, or as required by specific laws. This would provide greater transparency to the customers we serve as to how the fees are derived. The standardized formulas would be used to calculate fees that AMS charges for providing voluntary grading, inspection, certification, auditing and laboratory services for a variety of agricultural commodities including meat and poultry, fruits and vegetables, eggs, dairy products, and cotton and tobacco. The fees would also apply to those persons requesting such services including producers, handlers, processors, importers and exporters. Fees charged for inspection of fruits, vegetables, and specialty crops subject to the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937 also would be affected by this rule. Provisions of this proposed rule would not supersede rates established by Memorandum of Understanding, Marketing Orders, or by cooperative agreements already in place. Furthermore, the cotton program would continue to consult with its industry before rates are established.

The Ravalli County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Hamilton, Montana. The Committee is authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (the Act) (Pub. L. 110-343) and operates in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (5 U.S.C. App. 2). The purpose of the Committee is to improve collaborative relationships and to provide advice and recommendations to the Forest Service concerning projects and funding consistent with the Title II of the Act. The meeting is open to the public. Additional information concerning the Committee, can be found by visiting the Committee's Web site at: https://fsplaces.fs.fed.us/ fsfiles/unit/wo/secureruralschools.nsf/ WebAgendas?OpenView&Count=1000&RestrictToCategory=Ravalli+Cou nt y.

The Ketchikan Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Ketchikan, Alaska. The RAC is authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (the Act) (Pub. L. 110-343) and operates in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (5 U.S.C. App. 2). The purpose of the RAC is to improve collaborative relationships and to provide advice and recommendations to the Forest Service concerning projects and funding consistent with Title II of the Act. The meeting is open to the public. Additional information concerning the RAC, including the agenda, can be found by visiting the RAC's Web site at: https://fsplaces.fs.fed.us/fsfiles/ unit/wo/secureruralschools.nsf/RAC/ Ketchikan?OpenDocument.

This notice announces a forthcoming meeting of The Council for Native American Farming and Ranching (CNAFR), a public advisory committee of the Office of Tribal Relations (OTR). Notice of the meetings are provided in accordance with section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2). This will be the first meeting of the 2014-2016 CNAFR term and will consist of, but not limited to: Hearing public comments; update of USDA programs and activities; and discussion of committee priorities. This meeting will be open to the public.

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 control of chronic wasting disease in farmed or captive cervid herds.

The Forest Service proposes to incorporate interim directive (ID) 2709.11-2013.1 into Forest Service Handbook (FSH) 2709.11, chapter 40 to make permanent guidance for the evaluation of proposals for still photography and commercial filming on National Forest System Lands. The proposed amendment would address the establishment of consistent national criteria to evaluate requests for special use permits on National Forest System (NFS) lands. Specifically, this policy provides the criteria used to evaluate request for special use permits related to still photography and commercial filming in congressionally designated wilderness areas. Public comment is invited and will be considered in the development of the final directive.

The Black Hills National Forest Advisory Board (Board) will meet in Rapid City, South Dakota. The Board is established consistent with the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (5 U.S.C. App. II), the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. sec. 1600 et.seq.), the National Forest Management Act of 1976 (16 U.S.C. sec. 1612), and the Federal Public Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (Pub. L. 108-447). Additional information concerning the Board, including the meeting summary/minutes, can be found by visiting the Board's Web site at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/ blackhills/workingtogether/advisorycommittees.

The Hood/Willamette Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Sandy, Oregon. The Committee is authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (the Act) (Pub. L. 110-343) and operates in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (5 U.S.C. App 2). The purpose of the Committee is to improve collaborative relationships and to provide advice and recommendations to the Forest Service concerning projects and funding consistent with the Title II of the Act. The meeting is open to the public. Additional information concerning the Committee, can be found by visiting the Committee's Web site at: https://fsplaces.fs.fed.us/ fsfiles/unit/wo/secureruralschools.nsf.

The Farm Service Agency (FSA) proposes to consolidate, update, and amend its regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA). FSA's NEPA regulations have been in place since 1980. Significant changes to the structure of FSA and the scope of FSA's programs require changes in FSA's NEPA regulations. The proposed changes would also better align FSA's NEPA regulations with the President's Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) NEPA regulations and guidance and meet the FSA responsibilities for periodic review of their categorical exclusions. One component of the changes proposed to improve the clarity and consistency of the regulations, is the proposed additions to the existing list of categorical exclusions (CatExs). CatExs involve actions that typically do not result in individual or cumulative significant environmental effects or impacts and therefore do not merit further environmental review in an Environmental Assessment (EA) or Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). This proposed rule would also propose to expand and clarify the list of actions that require an EA. In addition, this rule proposes conforming changes to existing references to FSA NEPA regulations in other current USDA regulations. The revisions to the FSA NEPA implementing regulations are intended to improve transparency and clarity of the FSA NEPA process for FSA program participants and to provide for a more efficient environmental review that will lead to better decisions and outcomes for stakeholders and the environment.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing its intention to renew an information collection concerning its Web-based Public Health Information System (PHIS). There are no changes to the existing information collection except a revision to remove the FSIS Form 9540-1 for the import of meat and poultry products. This will result in a reduction in burden of 5,034 hours. The information collection burden incurred by FSIS Form 9540-1 will be covered under the Electronic Import Inspection information collection (0583-0127).