Department of Agriculture 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and organizations on the revised information collection, Federal Excess Personal Property (FEPP) and Firefighter Property (FFP) Program Administration.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the intention of the Foreign Agricultural Service to request approval for a new information collection for the USDA's Emerging Markets Program.

The Office of Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, are sponsoring a public meeting on March 2, 2017. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States (U.S.) positions that will be discussed at the 11th Session of the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Food (CCCF) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), taking place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil April 3-7, 2017. The Office of Food Safety and the FDA recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 11th Session of the CCCF and to address items on the agenda.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (``AMS'') intention to request an extension for the form currently used by marketers to apply for exemption from market promotion assessments under 23 marketing order programs.

Consistent with the memorandum of January 20, 2017, to the heads of executive departments and agencies from the Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff entitled ``Regulatory Freeze Pending Review'', the Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is extending the effective dates and comment period for this rule, which was published January 6, 2017 and implements provisions of the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (FCEA) affecting the eligibility, benefits, certification, and employment and training (E&T) requirements for applicant or participant households in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is extending by 30 days the deadline to submit comments on the proposed rule to designate 12 product categories for federal procurement, which was published on January 13, 2017 (82 FR 4206) under the authority of section 9002 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (the 2002 Farm Bill), as amended by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the 2008 Farm Bill), and further amended by the Agricultural Act of 2014 (the 2014 Farm Bill), 7 U.S.C. 8102. The 60-day comment period in the proposed rule is scheduled to end on March 14, 2017. The extended comment period will now close on April 13, 2017. In this proposed rule, USDA is proposing to amend the Guidelines for Designating Biobased Products for Federal Procurement (Guidelines) to add 12 sections that will designate the product categories within which biobased products would be afforded procurement preference by Federal agencies and their contractors.

The Butte County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Oroville, 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. RAC information can be found at the following Web site: https:// www.fs.usda.gov/main/pts/specialprojects/racweb.

The Lake Tahoe Basin Federal Advisory Committee (LTBFAC) will meet in South Lake Tahoe, California. The Committee is established pursuant to Executive Order 13057, and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972. Additional information concerning the Committee can be found by visiting the Committee's Web site at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/ goto/ltbmu/LTFAC.

Notice is hereby given that the comment period for the proposed rule published in the Federal Register on January 13, 2017 (82 FR 4198), is extended until April 13, 2017. The proposed rule invited comments on proposed amendments to the Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) regulation to add muscle cuts of venison and ground venison to mandatory COOL requirements.

Notice is hereby given that the comment period for the proposed rule published in the Federal Register on December 14, 2016 (81 FR 90255), is extended until March 15, 2017. The rule invited comments on proposed amendments to the regulations under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) that would clarify how growers and other principals may preserve their PACA trust rights. The proposed amendments would also provide guidance on the type of notification required to initiate U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) investigations of alleged PACA violations.

Notice is hereby given that the comment period for the proposed rule published in the Federal Register on January 18, 2017, is extended until April 19, 2017. The rule invited comments on recommendations submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) following their October 2015 meeting. The proposed rule would remove eleven substances from the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List) for use in organic production and handling.

On January 19, 2017, we published a final rule amending the select agent and toxin regulations in several ways, including the addition of provisions to address the inactivation of select agents, provisions addressing biocontainment and biosafety, and clarification of regulatory language concerning security, training, incident response, and records. In this document, we are delaying the effective date of that final rule.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), with participation from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), international partners, and academic institutions, is hosting a public meeting to discuss the prevention of undeclared allergens in FSIS-regulated product. Specifically, the meeting will address the continued occurrence of product recalls due to undeclared allergens and best practices for preventing the presence of undeclared allergens in FSIS-regulated products. Topics will focus on FSIS policy and enforcement regarding undeclared allergens, labeling compliance, best practices for prevention, and emerging issues. Industry and interested individuals, organizations, and other stakeholders are invited to participate in the meeting and comment on these topics.

This Recommended Decision proposes the issuance of a Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) regulating the handling of milk in California. The proposed FMMO incorporates the entire state of California and would adopt the same dairy product classification and pricing provisions used throughout the current FMMO system. The proposed FMMO provides for the recognition of producer quota as administered by the California Department of Food and Agriculture. This proposed rule also announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intent to request approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) of new information collection requirements to implement the order.

We are extending the comment period for our proposed rule that would revise our regulations regarding the movement of plant pests to propose criteria regarding the movement and environmental release of biological control organisms, and to establish regulations to allow the importation and movement in interstate commerce of certain types of plant pests without restriction by granting exceptions from permitting requirements for those pests. The proposal would also revise our regulations regarding the movement of soil. This action will allow interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request the reinstatement of an information collection associated with the Federal plant pest and noxious weeds regulations.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing its intention to request a revision of the approved information collection regarding nutrition labeling of the major cuts of single-ingredient raw meat or poultry products and ground or chopped meat and poultry products. OMB approval will expire on May 31, 2017. Based on the latest available data, FSIS has increased its total annual burden estimate by 2,693 hours, to account for an increase in the number of retail operations making products subject to nutrition labeling requirements.

We are extending the comment period for our proposed rule that would revise our regulations regarding the importation, interstate movement, and environmental release of certain genetically engineered organisms in order to update the regulations in response to advances in genetic engineering and understanding of the plant pest and noxious weed risk posed by genetically engineered organisms, thereby reducing burden for regulated entities whose organisms pose no plant pest or noxious weed risks. This action will allow interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments.

This document delays the effective date of a final rule titled, ``Roadless Area Conservation; National Forest System Lands in Colorado,'' that was published in the Federal Register on December 19, 2016 reinstating the North Fork Coal Mining Area exception to the Colorado Roadless Rule.

Consistent with the memorandum of January 20, 2017, to the heads of executive departments and agencies from the Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff entitled ``Regulatory Freeze Pending Review,'' the Department of Agriculture's Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) is extending by 30 days the public comment period for this proposed rule, which was published on December 20, 2016. This proposed rule identifies criteria that the Secretary may consider when determining whether a live poultry dealer's use of a poultry grower ranking system for ranking poultry growers for settlement purposes is unfair, unjustly discriminatory, or deceptive or gives an undue or unreasonable preference, advantage, prejudice, or disadvantage. The proposed amendments also clarify that absent demonstration of a legitimate business justification, failing to use a poultry grower ranking system in a fair manner after applying the identified criteria is unfair, unjustly discriminatory, or deceptive and a violation of section 202(a) of the Packers and Stockyards Act, 1921, as amended and supplemented (P&S Act), regardless of whether it harms or is likely to harm competition.

Consistent with the memorandum of January 20, 2017, to the heads of executive departments and agencies from the Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff entitled ``Regulatory Freeze Pending Review,'' the Department of Agriculture's Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) is extending by 30 days the public comment period for this proposed rule, which was published on December 20, 2016. This proposed rule would clarify the conduct or action by packers, swine contractors, or live poultry dealers that GIPSA considers unfair, unjustly discriminatory, or deceptive and a violation of section 202(a) of the Packers and Stockyards Act, 1921, as amended and supplemented (P&S Act). This proposed rule would also identify criteria that the Secretary would consider in determining whether conduct or action by packers, swine contractors, or live poultry dealers constitutes an undue or unreasonable preference or advantage and a violation of section 202(b) of the P&S Act.

The National Advisory Committee for Implementation of the National Forest System Land Management Planning Rule Committee (Committee) will meet in Washington, DC Attendees may also participate via webinar and conference call. The Committee operates in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). Additional information relating to the Committee, including the meeting summary/minutes, can be found by visiting the Committee's Web site at: https:// www.fs.usda.gov/main/planningrule/committee.