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

This rule implements the provisions of section 10004 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 and modifies the organic assessment exemption regulations under 23 Federal marketing orders and 22 research and promotion programs (commodity promotion programs). This rule amends the current regulations to allow persons that produce, handle, market, process, manufacture, feed, or import ``organic'' and ``100 percent organic'' products to be exempt from paying assessments associated with commodity promotion activities, including paid advertising, conducted under a commodity promotion program administered by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), regardless of whether the person requesting the exemption also produces, handles, markets, processes, manufactures, feeds, or imports conventional or nonorganic products. Currently, only persons that exclusively produce and market products certified as 100 percent organic are eligible for an exemption from assessments under commodity promotion programs. This rule expands the exemption to cover all ``organic'' and ``100 percent organic'' products certified under the National Organic Program regardless of whether the person requesting the exemption also produces, handles, markets, processes, manufactures, feeds, or imports conventional or nonorganic products.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and organizations on the extension to the information collection: Recreation Fee and Wilderness Program Administration.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS; also Agency) is clarifying its approach within the National Residue Program's (NRP's) Tier 2 exploratory program when it tests tissue samples collected from livestock and poultry carcasses and detects chemicals that do not have established tolerances or other regulatory levels. This approach applies to potentially hazardous chemicals that are not animal drugs or pesticide chemicals with established tolerances. The Agency also intends to apply this approach to egg products should these products become subject to chemical testing and to products from fish of the order Siluriformes when the final rule to make these species amenable to the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) is fully implemented. FSIS requests comments on the approach discussed in this document, and on how FSIS can further improve its management of environmental contaminants and other chemical hazards in meat and poultry products.

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 and record keeping requirement for the Veterinary Medical Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP).

The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) amends the Common Crop Insurance Regulations, Cotton Crop Insurance Provisions and Extra Long Staple (ELS) Cotton Crop Insurance Provisions. The intended effect of this action is to provide policy changes and to clarify existing policy provisions to better meet the needs of policyholders. As discussed further within this rule, FCIC received requests to simplify program administration consistent with evolving farming practices in cotton crop production. The changes will be effective for the 2017 and succeeding crop years.

The Farm Service Agency (FSA) on behalf of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) is issuing this notice to publish the sugar Overall Allotment Quantity (OAQ), beet and cane sugar marketing allotments, and processor allocations for fiscal year (FY) 2016 (October 1, 2015-September 30, 2016), as well as a summary of the OAQ's, sugar marketing allotments, and allocations for FY 2015 and FY 2014. Although the actions in this notice have already been announced through United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) news releases, each determination establishing, adjusting, or suspending sugar marketing allotments issued by the Secretary is required by the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938, as amended, to be published in the Federal Register.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35, as amended), the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Utilities Service (RUS) invites comments on this information collection for which the Agency intends to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

The San Bernardino National Forest (Forest Service), together with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), published a Notice of Intent in the Federal Register on October 2, 2015 for the joint Environmental Impact Report and Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) for the Southern California Gas Company (SoCal Gas) and San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E) proposed North-South Project. This notice extends the comment period to January18, 2016.

The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Grain Inspection, Packers, and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) is seeking comment from the public regarding the United States (U.S.) Standards for Rough Rice, Brown Rice for Processing, and Milled Rice under the Agriculture Marketing Act of 1946 (AMA). To ensure that standards and official grading practices remain relevant, GIPSA invites interested parties to comment on whether the current rice standards and grading practices need to be changed.

The proposed information collection requirement described below will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and OMB implementing regulations. The Department is soliciting public comments on the subject proposal.

As directed by the National Forest Management Act (NFMA), the USDA Forest Service is preparing the Chugach National Forest's revised land management plan (forest plan), which requires preparation of an environmental impact statement (EIS). Publication of this notice marks the initiation of the public scoping period for the proposed action. This notice briefly describes the nature of the decision to be made, the proposed action, and information concerning public participation. It also provides estimated dates for filing the EIS, the name and address of the responsible agency official, and the individuals who can provide additional information. The revised forest plan will supersede the existing forest plan that was approved by the Regional Forester in 2002. The existing forest plan will remain in effect until the revised forest plan takes effect.

The Del Norte County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Crescent City, California. 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://www.fs.usda.gov/ main/srnf/workingtogether/advisorycommittee.

This proposed rule would implement a recommendation from the Cherry Industry Administrative Board (Board) to establish free and restricted percentages for the 2015-16 crop year under the marketing order for tart cherries grown in the states of Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin (order). The Board locally administers the marketing order and is comprised of producers and handlers of tart cherries operating within the production area. This action would establish the proportion of tart cherries from the 2015 crop which may be handled in commercial outlets at 80 percent free and 20 percent restricted. In addition, this proposal would increase the carry-out volume of fruit to 55 million pounds for this season. These percentages should stabilize marketing conditions by adjusting supply to meet market demand and help improve grower returns.