Department of Agriculture October 1, 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), a Rural Development agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is requesting public comments on streamlining the Agency's contractual process for equipment procurement by replacing type-specific Equipment Contracts, RUS Forms 397, 398, 525, 545, and the associated documents (Forms 231, 396, 396a, 397b, 397c, 397d, 397f, 397g, 397h, 517, 525a, 744, 752a, 754, and addenda) with a new, unified Equipment Contract, RUS Form 395 and the associated close-out documents (Forms 395a, 395b, 395c and 395d).

This proposed rule invites comments on a recommendation from the California Desert Grape Administrative Committee (Committee) to revise the administrative rules and regulations of the Federal marketing order for grapes grown in a designated area of southeastern California (order) and the table grape import regulation. The Committee is responsible for the local administration of the order. This proposal would allow handlers and importers to ship grapes that do not meet the minimum grade and size quality requirements to be donated to charitable organizations. Any such grapes would not be used for resale. This proposal also announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to seek the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval on a new form that would revise the currently approved information collection issued under the order. The import regulation is authorized under section 608e of the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937 and regulates the importation of table grapes into the United States. The proposal would provide an additional outlet for grapes regulated under the order and would assist USDA's efforts to reduce food waste in support of the U.S. Food Waste Challenge.