Department of Agriculture June 2019 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing its intention to renew the approved information collection regarding industry responses to noncompliance records. The approval for this information collection will expire on November 30, 2019. FSIS is making no changes to the existing information collection.

The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) amends the Catastrophic Risk Protection Endorsement, the Area Risk Protection Insurance (ARPI) Basic Provisions, and the Common Crop Insurance Policy (CCIP) Basic Provisions to implement the changes mandated by the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (commonly referred to as the 2018 Farm Bill). This rule revises the provisions regarding the catastrophic administrative fee, actual production history (APH) yield, crop production on native sod, and the definition of veteran farmer or rancher. In addition to the 2018 Farm Bill required changes, FCIC is changing provisions for premium offsets, electronic delivery of policy changes, and assigned yields. The changes to the policy made in this rule are applicable for the 2020 crop year for crops with a contract change date on or after June 30, 2019. For all crops the changes to the policy made in this rule are applicable for the 2021 and succeeding crop years.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on this proposed information collection. This is an extension of a currently approved collection under OMB No. 0584-0010, which is due to expire October 31, 2019.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking nominations for the Secure Rural School Resource Advisory Committees (SRS RACs) pursuant to the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self- Determination Act (the Act) and the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). Additional information on the SRS RACs can be found by visiting the SRS RACs website at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/pts/.

This notice lists all newspapers that will be used by the Ranger Districts, Grasslands, Forests and the Regional Office of the Southern Region to publish notices. The intended effect of this action is to inform members of the public which newspapers will be used by the Forest Service to publish legal notices regarding proposed actions, notices of decisions and notices indicating opportunities to file objections.

The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is currently accepting stakeholder feedback in the form of content requests for the 2022 Census of Agriculture. This census is required by law under the Census of Agriculture Act of 1997.

We are revising our regulations regarding the movement of plant pests. We are also adding criteria to the regulations for the importation, interstate movement, and release of biological control organisms. This final rule also establishes regulations to allow the interstate movement of certain plant pests and biological control organisms without restriction by granting exceptions from permit requirements for those pests and organisms. Finally, we are revising our regulations regarding the importation and interstate movement of soil. This rule clarifies the points that we will consider when assessing the risks associated with the movement and release of certain organisms and facilitates the movement of regulated organisms and articles in a manner that protects U.S. agriculture.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing the dollar limitations on the amount of meat and meat food products and poultry and poultry products that a retail store can sell to hotels, restaurants, and similar institutions without disqualifying itself for exemption from Federal inspection requirements.

This rule amends the regulations that specify the storage and handling of cotton at warehouses approved by the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC). The amendment modifies the weekly accounting and reporting for cotton bales made available for shipment to assure compliance with CCC requirements. This rule also revises the regulations to reflect transfer of administrative oversight of warehouse programs and activities from the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS).

This document contains technical corrections to the Paperwork Reduction Act section of final rule entitled ``Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Student Eligibility, Convicted Felons, Lottery and Gambling, and State Verification Provisions of the Agricultural Act of 2014,'' published in the Federal Register on April 15, 2019.

This notice lists the newspapers that will be used by the Ranger Districts, Forests, and Regional Office of the Alaska Region to publish legal notices required under Agency regulations. The intended effect of this action is to inform interested members of the public which newspapers the Forest Service will use to publish notices of proposed actions and notices of decision. This will provide the public with constructive notice of Forest Service proposals and decisions, provide information on the procedures to comment, object, or appeal, and establish the date that the Forest Service will use to determine if comments, appeals, or objection were timely.

This final rule implements the requirements of the dairy programs administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) on behalf of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC). The Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) Program, as authorized by the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill), replaces the Margin Protection Program (MPP-Dairy) for dairy producers and retains much of the structure of MPP-Dairy. DMC is a margin-based support program for dairy producers that provides risk management coverage that will pay producers when the difference between the national price of milk and the national estimated cost of feed (the margin) falls below a certain level. The rule also extends the Dairy Indemnity Payment Program (DIPP) through 2023 and amends the regulations to incorporate a specific period of time for which claims for the same loss will be eligible for indemnification under DIPP.

The Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services announce the second and subsequent meetings of the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (the Committee). These meetings will be open to the public. The period for written public comments to the Committee, which opened on March 12, 2019, will remain open throughout the Committee's deliberations. The public is invited to provide oral comments at two of the Committee's meetings.

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an agency of U.S. Department of Agriculture, is amending its regulations on Electric and Telecommunications Standards and Specifications for Materials, Equipment and Construction, to make changes to Bulletin 1728F-700, RUS Specification for Wood Poles, Stubs and Anchor Logs; Bulletin 1728H- 701, Specification for Wood Crossarms, Transmission Timbers, and Pole Keys; and Bulletin 1728H-702, Specification for Quality Control and Inspection of Timber Products (Wood Bulletins) to keep RUS standards current with the technology advances and consistent with the industry practice. The bulletins are provided as regulated specifications to RUS Electric Program borrowers for procurement of electric transmission and distribution line wood materials.

The USDA Forest Service is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Youngs Rock Rigdon project. The project area is located on the western slope of the Cascades in the Upper Middle Fork Willamette Watershed, approximately 15 miles south of Oakridge, OR. The project area is approximately 33,000 acres in size. Forest management treatments are proposed on approximately 6,800 acres within the project area. The project area is within the Northwest Forest Plan management allocations of Matrix, Late Successional Reserve, Administratively Withdrawn, and Riparian Reserves (3,000 acres). Treatments are also proposed in the 1990 Willamette Forest Plan Deadhorse Special Interest Area (SIA), which would require a Forest Plan Amendment.

The Ochoco National Forest is withdrawing the Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Ochoco Wild Horse Herd Management Plan. The original NOI was published in the Federal Register on June 21, 2017 (82 FR 28301). Upon preliminary evaluation, no potential significant impacts to the human environment are associated with the project. As a result, the Forest is withdrawing its intent to prepare an EIS and is now preparing an Environmental Assessment (EA). All comments previously received regarding this project will be retained and considered in the development of the EA. If it is determined that the project may have significant impacts, the EIS process will be reinitiated and a NOI will be published.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on this proposed information collection. This collection is a renewal of a currently approved information collection request.

Pursuant to the Trade Act of 1974 and the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, notice is hereby given that the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary), in coordination with the United States Trade Representative (Trade Representative), intends to renew the charters for the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee (APAC) and the related Agricultural Technical Advisory Committees (ATACs) for Trade to provide detailed policy and technical advice, information, and recommendations regarding trade barriers, negotiation of trade agreements, and implementation of existing trade agreements affecting food and agricultural products, including the performance of other advisory functions relevant to U.S. agricultural trade policy matters. In addition, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) continues to welcome nominations for persons to serve on these committees.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing its intention to collect information on the FSIS Form PY-200 ``Egg Products Inspection Certificate.'' FSIS is seeking approval for the FSIS Form PY-200, so that industry personnel can assist FSIS with its completion. This is a new information collection with an estimated annual burden of 96,360 hours.