Department of Agriculture April 22, 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Codex Alimentarius Commission: Meeting of the Codex Alimentarius Commission
Document Number: 2015-09387
Type: Notice
Date: 2015-04-22
Agency: Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service
The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is sponsoring a public meeting on June 17, 2015. 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 38th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), taking place in Geneva, Switzerland, July 6-11, 2015. The Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety recognizes the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 38th Session of the CAC and to address items on the agenda.
Honey Packers and Importers Research, Promotion, Consumer Education and Information Order; Assessment Rate Increase
Document Number: 2015-09292
Type: Rule
Date: 2015-04-22
Agency: Agricultural Marketing Service, Department of Agriculture
This rule amends the Honey Packers and Importers Research, Promotion, Consumer Education and Information Order (Order) to increase the assessment rate from $0.01 per pound to $0.015 per pound on honey and honey products, over a two-year period. The Order limits an increase in the assessment rate to no more than one-quarter cent per pound per year. Thus, the rate will increase to $0.0125 per pound for the period January 1 through December 31, 2015, and to $0.015 per pound on and after January 1, 2016. This increase was unanimously recommended by the Honey Packers and Importers Board (Board) which administers the Order with oversight by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Under the program, assessments are collected from first handlers (packers) and importers and used for research and promotion projects designed to maintain and expand the market for honey and honey products in the United States and abroad. Additional funds will allow the Board to expand its production research activities and promotional efforts. The Board's production research focuses on maintaining the health of honey bee colonies. Increasing demand for honey and honey products will benefit the honey industry as a whole. This action also makes three additional changes to: Clarify that the assessment rate applies not only to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule numbers but to any other numbers used to identify honey; change the length of time that books and records are to be held; and change the exemption requirements.
Cranberries Grown in States of Massachusetts, et al.; Revising Determination of Sales History
Document Number: 2015-09291
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2015-04-22
Agency: Agricultural Marketing Service, Department of Agriculture
This proposed rule would implement a recommendation from the Cranberry Marketing Committee (Committee) to revise the determination of sales history provisions currently prescribed under the cranberry marketing order (order). The Committee, which consists of 13 growers and 1 public member, locally administers the order regulating the handling of cranberries grown in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington, and Long Island in the State of New York. Under the order, there are two different sales history calculations that have been established for this program. This action would clarify when the different methods for calculating sales history would be used. This action would also remove the fresh fruit exemption from one of the calculations.
Irish Potatoes Grown in Colorado and Imported Irish Potatoes; Relaxation of the Handling Regulation for Area No. 2 and Import Regulations
Document Number: 2015-09289
Type: Rule
Date: 2015-04-22
Agency: Agricultural Marketing Service, Department of Agriculture
This rule revises the minimum quantity exception for potatoes handled under the Colorado potato marketing order, Area No. 2 (order). The order regulates the handling of Irish potatoes grown in Colorado and is administered locally by the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee, Area No. 2 (Committee). This action increases the quantity of potatoes that may be handled under the order without regard to the order's handling regulation requirements from 1,000 to 2,000 pounds. The change in the import regulation is required under section 8e of the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937. This action allows for the importation which, in the aggregate, does not exceed 2,000 pounds for all other round type potatoes, except red skinned, round type or long type potatoes that continue to remain at a 500 pound limit, to be imported without regard to the import regulations. This action is expected to benefit producers, handlers, and importers.
Avocados Grown in South Florida and Imported Avocados; Change in Maturity Requirements
Document Number: 2015-09287
Type: Rule
Date: 2015-04-22
Agency: Agricultural Marketing Service, Department of Agriculture
The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is adopting, as a final rule, without change, an interim rule that changed the maturity requirements prescribed under the Florida avocado marketing order (order) and avocado import regulation. The interim rule changed 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 better reflects the current maturity rate for the Choquette variety, facilitating the shipment of this variety as it matures.
Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request
Document Number: 2015-09286
Type: Notice
Date: 2015-04-22
Agency: Department of Agriculture
Cranberries Grown in States of Massachusetts, et. al.; Continuance Referendum
Document Number: 2015-09282
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2015-04-22
Agency: Agricultural Marketing Service, Department of Agriculture
This document directs that a referendum be conducted among eligible producers of cranberries grown in the states of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington, and Long Island in the State of New York, to determine whether they favor continuance of the marketing order regulating the handling of cranberries grown in the production area.
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