Department of Agriculture March 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, that implement the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the National Institute of Food and Agriculture's (NIFA) intention to request approval to establish a new information collection for the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program.

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 the development and maintenance of a central repository containing information about authorized WIC foods as approved by various WIC State agencies.

This notice announces the Department's annual adjustments to the Income Eligibility Guidelines to be used in determining eligibility for free and reduced price meals and free milk for the period from July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016. These guidelines are used by schools, institutions, and facilities participating in the National School Lunch Program (and Commodity School Program), School Breakfast Program, Special Milk Program for Children, Child and Adult Care Food Program, and Summer Food Service Program. The annual adjustments are required by section 9 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act. The guidelines are intended to direct benefits to those children most in need and are revised annually to account for changes in the Consumer Price Index.

We are advising the public of our decision to authorize the importation into the continental United States of fresh tejocote fruit from Mexico. Based on the findings of a pest risk analysis, which we made available to the public for review and comment through a previous notice, we have determined that the application of one or more designated phytosanitary measures will be sufficient to mitigate the risks of introducing or disseminating plant pests or noxious weeds via the importation of fresh tejocote fruit from Mexico.

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 small lots of seed into the United States.

We are reopening the comment period for our proposed rule that would amend the regulations governing approval of facilities that receive livestock moved in interstate commerce, as well as the conditions under which livestock may move to such facilities without official identification or prior issuance of an interstate certificate of veterinary inspection or alternative documentation. This action will allow interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments.

We are extending the comment period for issues and proposals discussed during the workshop on agricultural coexistence that was held on March 12-13, 2015. This action will allow interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments.

This proposed rule would implement a recommendation from the California Olive Committee (committee) to increase the assessment rate established for the 2015 and subsequent fiscal years from $15.21 to $26.00 per assessable ton of olives handled. The committee locally administers the marketing order and is comprised of producers and handlers 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 begins January 1 and ends December 31. The assessment rate would remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is adopting as a final rule, without change, an interim rule recommended by the Spearmint Oil Administrative Committee (Committee) that revised the quantity of Class 1 (Scotch) spearmint oil that handlers may purchase from or handle on behalf of, producers during the 2014-2015 marketing year under the Far West spearmint oil marketing order. The Committee locally administers the order and is comprised of producers and handlers of spearmint oil. The interim rule increased the Scotch spearmint oil salable quantity from 1,149,030 pounds to 1,984,423 pounds and the allotment percentage from 55 percent to 95 percent. This change is expected to help maintain orderly marketing conditions in the Far West spearmint oil market.

This document corrects technical errors in the direct final rule that appeared in the Federal Register on February 24, 2015, entitled ``Rural Development RegulationsUpdate to FmHA References and to Census Regulations.''

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations (5 CFR part 1320) which implement the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces the National Institute of Food and Agriculture's (NIFA's) intention to request an extension for a currently approved information collection (OMB No. 0524-0026) for Form NIFA-666, ``Organizational Information.''

This rule changes the reporting requirements for commodities exempt from import regulations under section 608(e) (hereinafter referred to as ``8e'') of the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937 by adding an option to electronically file an ``Importer's Exempt Commodity Form'' (FV-6 form). These changes are needed to bring the import regulations into conformance with the current practice of filing FV-6 forms electronically using the Marketing Order Online System (MOLS), an internet-based application that was implemented in 2008. This rule also changes the import regulations for dates and raisins by moving the FV-6 form-filing procedures for these two commodities to the safeguard procedure regulations for specialty crops and by making other administrative updates. These changes to the import regulations are also required to support the International Trade Data System (ITDS), a key White House economic initiative that will automate the filing of import and export information by the trade. All government agencies that are participating in the ITDS initiative, including AMS, are required by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (hereinafter referred to as ``CBP'') to make updates to import and export regulations to provide for the electronic entry of shipment data.

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 interstate movement of fruits and vegetables from Hawaii and the territories.

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 regulations for the importation of peppers from certain Central American countries.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing the dollar limitations on the amount of meat and meat food products, poultry, and poultry products that a retail store can sell to hotels, restaurants, and similar institutions without disqualifying itself for exemption from Federal inspection requirements. In accordance with FSIS's regulations, for calendar year 2015, the dollar limitation for meat and meat food products is being increased from $70,400 to $76,900 and for poultry products from $57,100 to $58,200. FSIS is changing the dollar limitations from calendar year 2014 to reflect price changes for these products, as evidenced by the Consumer Price Index.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations at 5 CFR part 1320, this notice announces the National Agricultural Library's (NAL) intent to request an extension of currently approved information collection form related to the Animal Welfare Information Center's (AWIC) workshop, Meeting the Information Requirements of the Animal Welfare Act. This workshop registration form requests the following information from participants: Contact information, affiliation, and database searching experience. Participants include principal investigators, members of Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees, animal care technicians, facility managers, veterinarians, and administrators of animal use programs.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on this proposed information collection. This collection is a new collection for the Study on Nutrition and Wellness Quality in Childcare Settings (SNAQCS).

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 Agriculture Content Test. Response to this survey will be voluntary.

Notice is hereby given that the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, intends to grant to RENEWABLE NUTRIENTS, LLC. of PINEHURST, NORTH CAROLINA, an exclusive license to U.S. Patent No. 8,574,885, ``ANAMMOX BACTERIUM ISOLATE,'' issued on NOVEMBER 5, 2013.

The Ashley National Forest is proposing to increase the fee for Christmas tree permits from $10.00 to $15.00 per tag. This increase is proposed and will be determined upon further analysis and public comment. Funds from fees would be used for the continued operation of the Christmas tree program, including visitor services, maps, and law enforcement.