Department of Agriculture 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Missoula Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Missoula, Montana. The committee is authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (Pub. L. 110-343) (the Act) and operates in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. 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. The purpose of the meeting is to review and vote on submitted proposals, and receive public comment on the meeting subjects and proceedings.

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 currently approved information collection requirements associated with initiating collection actions against households who have received an overissuance in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces the intention of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights to request a renewal to a currently approved information collection for race, ethnicity, and gender along with comments.

This final rule extends the Dairy Forward Pricing Program in accordance with the Agricultural Act of 2014 (2014 Farm Bill). The Dairy Forward Pricing Program was first authorized in section 1502 of the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008. The program allows handlers regulated under the Federal milk marketing order program to pay producers and cooperative associations in accordance with the terms of a forward contract and not have to pay the minimum Federal order uniform price for milk. Establishing new contracts under the Dairy Forward Pricing Program has been prohibited since the expiration of the program on September 30, 2013. The 2014 Farm Bill (H.R. 2642) was signed into law on February 7, 2014, and extends the program to allow new contracts to be entered into until September 30, 2018. Any forward contract entered into up and until the September 30, 2018, deadline is subject to a September 30, 2021, expiration date to meet the terms of the contract.

The Lyon-Mineral Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Yerington, Nevada. The committee is authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (Pub. L. 110-343) (the Act) and operates in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. 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. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss project proposals for 2014.

The Tuolumne-Mariposa Counties Resource Advisory Committee will meet on May 5, 2014, May 19, 2014, and June 2, 2014), at the City of Sonora Fire Department, in Sonora, California. The purpose of the meeting is to reprioritize projects due to expected decreases to Title II RAC funding.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces that 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 ``Laboratory Approval Programs''.

This document directs that a referendum be conducted among eligible producers of oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, and tangelos grown in Florida to determine whether they favor continuance of the marketing order regulating the handling of oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, and tangelos produced in the production area.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service intends to re-establish the Charter of the Black Hills National Forest Advisory Board (Board). The purpose of the Board is to obtain advice and recommendations on a broad range of forest issues such as forest plan revisions or amendments, forest health including fire management and mountain pine beetle infestations, travel management, forest monitoring and evaluation, recreation fees, and site-specific projects having forest wide implications.

The USDA Forest Service (Forest Service) and the Palmdale Water District (District) will prepare a joint Environmental Impact Statement and Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) for sediment removal and construction of a grade control structure at Littlerock Reservoir, in Los Angeles County, California. The District has submitted an application to the Forest Service for a special use authorization for the project. The Forest Service is the lead Federal agency for the preparation of this EIS/EIR in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and the District is the lead State of California agency for the preparation of the EIS/EIR in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The Littlerock Dam and Reservoir are located on Littlerock Creek, on National Forest System (NFS) lands managed by the Angeles National Forest. The project is approximately 10 miles southwest of the city of Palmdale, California. The Dam and Reservoir are operated and maintained by the District, pursuant to a Forest Service special use permit. The facilities serve both flood control and municipal water storage purposes. The Reservoir also provides recreational opportunities for boating, fishing, swimming, picnicking, and off-highway vehicle riding. The proposed action would construct a grade control structure midway between the dam and the southern end of the Reservoir; remove sediment from the Reservoir to restore original capacity; and maintain capacity by conducting annual sediment removal through the life of the authorization, until 2037. The Forest Service and the District invite written comments on the scope of this proposed project. In addition, the lead agencies give notice of this analysis so that interested and affected individuals are aware of how they may participate and contribute to the final decision.

The Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) is asking persons or governmental agencies interested in providing official services in unassigned areas of Southeast Texas to submit an application for designation.

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has received a petition from Dow AgroSciences LLC (DAS) seeking a determination of nonregulated status of cotton designated as DAS-8191[Oslash]-7, which has been genetically engineered for resistance to the herbicides 2,4-D and glufosinate. The petition has been submitted in accordance with our regulations concerning the introduction of certain genetically engineered organisms and products. We are making the DAS petition available for review and comment to help us identify potential environmental and interrelated economic issues and impacts that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service may determine should be considered in our evaluation of the petition.

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS) is proposing to amend its regulations found in 7 CFR part 1940, subpart L for allocating program funds to its State Offices. RBS is proposing to amend 7 CFR part 1940, subpart L to add three programsthe Rural Energy for America Program, the Value-Added Producer Grant program, and the Intermediary Relending Program. In addition, RBS is proposing revisions to its state allocation formulae for existing programs within 7 CFR part 1940, subpart L to account for changes in data reported by the U.S. Bureau of the Census' decennial Census. RBS is also proposing to make various other changes including: revising the weight percentages associated with each of the allocation criteria; providing flexibility in determining when not to make state allocations for a program; restricting the use of the transition formula and changing the limitations on how much program funds can change when the transition formula is used; adding provisions for making state allocation for other RBS programs, including new ones; and providing consistency, where necessary, in the allocation of RBS program funds to State Offices.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the intention of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) to seek reinstatement of an information collection, the Census of Horticultural Specialties.

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 a new information collection: National Organic Program (NOP); Organic Certification Cost-Share Programs.

The El Dorado County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Placerville, California. The committee is authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (Pub. L. 110- 343) (the Act) and operates in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. 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 meetings are open to the public. The purpose of the meeting is to review operational procedures, evaluate project proposals, prioritize a list of projects for funding in FY 2014, and vote to recommend projects for funding.

This proposed rule invites comments on proposed limits to the quantity of Far West Scotch and Native spearmint oil that handlers may purchase from, or handle on behalf of, producers during the 2014-2015 marketing year, which begins on June 1, 2014. The Far West includes Washington, Idaho, Oregon, and designated parts of Nevada and Utah. The salable quantity and allotment percentage for Class 1 (Scotch) spearmint oil would be set at 1,149,030 pounds and 55 percent, respectively. For Class 3 (Native) spearmint oil, the salable quantity and allotment percentage would be set at 1,090,821 pounds and 46 percent, respectively. The Spearmint Oil Administrative Committee (Committee), the agency responsible for local administration of the marketing order for spearmint oil produced in the Far West, recommended these quantities.

This document directs that a referendum be conducted among eligible California walnut growers to determine whether they favor continuance of the marketing order regulating the handling of walnuts grown in California.

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 request Web-Based Supply Chain Management Commodity Offer Form, Paperwork Collection Notice. This information collection is necessary to support the procurement of agricultural commodities for domestic nutrition assistance programs. AMS issues invitations to purchase fresh and processed commodities for domestic nutrition assistance programs on a year round basis. The extension of the information collection request is required to continue using our Web- Based Supply Chain Management (WBSCM) system, which allows respondents to submit information electronically. The information collection burden for respondents should not increase.

This rule decreases the assessment rate established for the California Olive Committee (Committee) for the 2014 and subsequent fiscal years from $21.16 to $15.21 per ton of assessable olives handled. The Committee locally administers the marketing order, which regulates the handling of olives grown in California. Assessments upon olive handlers are used by the Committee to fund reasonable and necessary expenses of the program. The fiscal year began January 1 and ends December 31. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

The Forest Service in the Federal Register of March 7, 2014 concerning a notice of meeting for the Del Norte Resource Advisory Committee. The document contained an incorrect date and location.