Department of Agriculture March 24, 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We are proposing to amend the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP, the Plan), its auxiliary provisions, and the indemnity regulations for the control of H5 and H7 low pathogenic avian influenza to clarify participation in the NPIP and amend participation requirements, amend definitions for poultry and breeding stock, amend the approval process for new diagnostic tests, and amend laboratory inspection and testing requirements. These changes would align the regulations with international standards and make them more transparent to Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service stakeholders and the general public. The proposed changes were voted on and approved by the voting delegates at the Plan's 2014 National Plan Conference.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request approval of a revision to and extension of an information collection associated with regulations for the importation of live poultry, poultry meat, and other poultry products from specified regions.

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has prepared a record of decision for the programmatic environmental impact statement titled ``Carcass Management During a Mass Animal Health Emergency.''

Section 4022 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 requires that, not later than 18 months after the date of enactment, USDA (the Department) shall issue an interim final rule implementing the amendments made by subsection (a)(2). Pursuant to that requirement, this rule implements the employment and training (E&T) provisions of section 4022(a)(2) of the Agricultural Act of 2014. Section 4022(a)(2) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 provides the Department additional oversight authority of State agencies' administration of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) E&T program. In addition, it requires the Department to develop national reporting measures and for State agencies to report outcome data to the Department. It also requires that the Department monitor and assess State agencies' E&T programs, and provides the Department with the authority to require State agencies to make improvements to their programs as necessary. Finally, State agencies are required to submit reports on the impact of certain E&T components and, in certain States, the E&T services provided to able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs).