Department of Agriculture June 29, 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Natural Resources Conservation Service is providing public notice that the Secretary of Agriculture has determined that cost-share payments made by the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) through its Facilitating Agricultural Resource Management Systems (FARMS) Program, Mini-FARMS Program, Flow Meter Reimbursement Program, Quality of Water Improvement Program (QWIP), and Back-Plugging Funding Assistance Initiative are primarily for the purpose of conserving soil and water resources or protecting and restoring the environment. SWFWMD is a political subdivision of the State of Florida. NRCS was assigned technical and administrative responsibility for reviewing SWFWMD's FARMS Program, Mini-FARMS Program, Flow Meter Reimbursement Program, QWIP, and Back-Plugging Funding Assistance Initiative, and for making appropriate recommendations for the Secretary's determination of primary purpose. The Secretary made the determination for the State of Florida's Agricultural Best Management Practices Program, which is a counterpart to SWFWMD's FARMS Program (74 FR 49850). This determination is in accordance with section 126 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended (26 U.S.C. 126), and permits recipients of cost-share payments to exclude such payments from gross income to the extent allowed by the Internal Revenue Service.

The Department of Agriculture published a document in the Federal Register on June 18, 2015, Volume 80, page 34880 concerning a request for comments on the Information Collection ``Pesticide Use Proposal (PUP) Form'' OMB control number 0596New. The number of respondents 36, and the 600 total burden hours reported were incorrect. The correct figures are 700 respondents and 1,750 total burden hours.

In accordance with section 1409(e) of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3124a(e)), Federal-State Partnership and Coordination, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announces an open meeting of the Agricultural Research ServiceAnimal Handling and Welfare Review Panel (ARS-AHWR) to discuss the report and recommendations on the Phase II review of the agency-wide research animal care and well-being policies, procedures, and standards for agricultural livestock in ARS research.

The San Juan Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Durango Colorado. The committee is authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (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 Title II of the Act. Additional RAC information, including the meeting agenda and the meeting summary/ minutes can be found at the following Web site: https://cloudapps-usda- gov.force.com/FSSRS/RAC_Page?id=001t0000002JcvFAAS.