Department of Agriculture 2019 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing that it has withdrawn certain proposed rules that were either published in the Federal Register more than 3 years ago without subsequent action or determined to no longer be candidates for final action. USDA is taking this action to reduce its regulatory backlog and focus its resources on higher priority actions. The Department's actions are part of an overall regulatory reform strategy to reduce regulatory burden on the public and to ensure that future Unified Agendas of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions provide the public accurate information about rulemakings the Department intends to undertake.

As part of the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act, 2019, the Rural Housing Service's Community Facilities Program (CF) received supplemental grant funding available for necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricanes Michael and Florence and wildfires occurring in calendar year 2018, tornadoes and floods occurring in calendar year 2019, and other natural disasters, to remain available until expended. The authority for the Agency to administer the Community Facilities Grant Program is provided in the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (CONAct). The grant funds will be administered in accordance with this notice of funds availability.

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 specified risk materials in cattle. The approval for this information collection will expire on February 29, 2020. There are no changes to the information collection.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and organizations on the addition of two optional appendices and one clause to the information collection: FS-2700-4iSpecial Use Permit for Outfitting and Guiding.

This rule establishes the Milk Donation Reimbursement Program. Under the program, eligible dairy organizations that account to a Federal milk marketing order marketwide pool and incur qualified expenses related to certain fluid milk product donations may apply for and receive limited reimbursements to cover those expenses. A provision of the 2018 Farm Bill requires establishment of this program. The program is intended to reduce food waste and provide nutrition assistance to individuals in low-income groups.

The U.S Codex Office is sponsoring a public meeting on September 26, 2019. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States (U.S.) positions to be discussed at the 51st Session of the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (CCFH) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, in Cleveland, Ohio, November 4-8, 2019. The U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius and the Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 51st Session of the CCFH and to address items on the agenda.

This rule implements the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) Programs authorized by the Agricultural Act of 2014 (the 2014 Farm Bill), as amended. The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) amended 2014 Farm Bill provisions regarding ARC and PLC, and authorized the ARC and PLC Programs for the 2019 through 2023 program years. The ARC and PLC Programs are continuing, with some changes. This rule also includes conforming changes to Farm Service Agency (FSA) general regulations that apply to multiple programs. The ARC and PLC Programs provide producers a choice between a counter-cyclical payment support type program (PLC) and an income support program (ARC). In a defined election and enrollment period, producers can elect different programs for different covered commodities on a farm, for example, choosing PLC for corn and ARC for soybeans on the same farm. There is also an option to elect ARC individual coverage (ARC-IC); however, if that option is elected, all the farm's covered commodities are elected with that option. This rule specifies the eligibility requirements, enrollment procedures, and payment calculations for the ARC and PLC Programs.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS or the Agency) is proposing to amend its regulation to remove the stated amount that the Agency will charge for the initial and annual guarantee fees. The regulation change will allow the Agency the flexibility to establish or make any future changes to the initial and annual guarantee fees without the need for a regulatory change.

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is soliciting nominations of veterinary service shortage situations for the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) for fiscal years (FY) 2020-2022, as authorized under the National Veterinary Medical Services Act (NVMSA). This notice initiates the nomination period for FY 2020 and prescribes the procedures and criteria to be used by eligible nominating officials (State, Insular Area, DC and Federal Lands) to nominate veterinary shortage situations for fiscal years 2020-2022. Each year all eligible nominating officials may submit nominations, up to the maximum indicated for each entity in this notice. NIFA is conducting this solicitation of veterinary shortage situation nominations under an approved information collection (OMB Control Number 0524-0050).

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an agency within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), has issued a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Supplemental Draft EIS) for Central Electric Power Cooperative's (Central Electric) proposed McClellanville Area 115-kV Transmission Project (Project) in South Carolina. In this document, RUS analyzes the environmental impacts associated with an anticipated decision request to approve or deny funding for Central Electric's proposed Project. The Supplement Draft EIS was prepared to address substantial changes to the proposed action and assesses new circumstances and information relevant to potential environmental impacts originally evaluated in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Draft EIS). In April 2014, RUS issued a Draft EIS that evaluated six 115-kV transmission line corridors originating in Georgetown County, South Carolina and terminating in the McClellanville area of Charleston County, South Carolina. Since publication of the Draft EIS, updated engineering data has resulted in substantial changes to the proposed action, including the need to evaluate new transmission line corridors originating from the Jamestown and Charity areas of Berkeley County, South Carolina, and to account for a new winter weather operating agreement between the former South Carolina Electric and Gas (now Dominion Energy South Carolina) and Berkeley Electric Cooperative that addresses load concerns during the winter months. In addition, the following changes made it necessary to supplement the Draft EIS: The promulgation of a new environmental regulation applicable to RUS (7 CFR part 1970, which replaced the former 7 CFR part 1794, RUS Environmental Policies and Procedures), issuance and implementation of Executive Order 13807: ``Establishing Discipline and Accountability in the Environmental Review and Permitting Process for Infrastructure Projects'' (known as the ``One Federal Decision Executive Order''), and publication of the Francis Marion National Forest's Forest Plan. The Supplemental Draft EIS addresses the construction, operation, and maintenance of Central Electric's proposed Project. The Project includes the construction of a new 115 kV transmission line needed to energize the new McClellanville Substation located near the McClellanville service area. The Supplemental Draft EIS considers three alternatives, encompassing three potential corridor locations with one corridor including two different alignments. The overall project area encompasses parts of Berkeley, Georgetown and Charleston counties in coastal South Carolina, and potentially crosses the Francis Marion National Forest. The Supplemental Draft EIS has identified the potential for impacts to various resources, including wetlands, biological resources and cultural resources (including historic properties). Central Electric does not hold easements across these areas. Once a final right-of-way (ROW) is selected within the preferred corridor, coordination with federal and state agencies and other interested parties would occur to identify, evaluate and, if needed, mitigate any adverse effects. RUS will compile public comments received on the Supplemental Draft EIS and produce a Final EIS that considers and responds to those substantive public comments. Based on this analysis in additional to technical and financial reviews, RUS will decide to approve or deny an application for funding.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) invites comments on a proposal to reduce the fees for the sampling, inspection, weighing, and certification of rice performed under authority of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (AMA), as amended. Under the proposal, fees would decrease by 20 percent for fiscal year (FY) 2020 and by another 20 percent for FY 2021. The proposed changes are necessary to lower the balance in the program's operating reserve to a level adequate to cover three to six months' expenses. AMS is also proposing to adopt standardized AMS user-fee calculations used in other AMS programs for rice inspection services beginning in FY 2022.

The U.S Codex Office is sponsoring a public meeting on November 21, 2019. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States (U.S.) positions to be discussed at the 7th Session of the Codex Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance (TFAMR) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, in Pyeongchang, Republic of Korea, December 9-13, 2019. The U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius and the Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 7th Session of the TFAMR and to address items on the agenda.

This notice announces the Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement intention to request an extension for a currently approved information collection for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) 1994 Tribal Scholars Program.

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 revise the approved information collection regarding import inspection applications. The approval for this information collection will expire on October 31, 2020. FSIS is updating this collection, based on new information about burden, and adding a new application for the return of exported products to the United States. The Agency has increased the burden estimate by 21,932 hours due to updated information and the addition of this form.

The National Forests in North Carolina is proposing to charge new fees at two recreation sites. All sites have recently been reconstructed or improvements are being added to enhance services and experiences. Fees are assessed based on the level of amenities and services provided, cost of operation and maintenance, market assessment, and public comment. Funds from fees would be used for the continued operation and maintenance of these recreation sites.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Housing Service (RHS) invites comments on this information collection for which approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will be requested.

This rule implements a recommendation from the Far West Spearmint Oil Administrative Committee (Committee) to increase the assessment rate established for the 2019-2020 and subsequent marketing years. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

We are advising the public that we have added Cambodia to the list of regions that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service considers to be affected with African swine fever (ASF). We are taking this action because of the confirmation of ASF in Cambodia.

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service proposes to add a system of records to its inventory of records systems subject to the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended. The system of records being proposed is the Agricultural Quarantine Activity System, USDA/APHIS-20. This notice is necessary to meet the requirements of the Privacy Act to publish in the Federal Register notice of the existence and character of record systems maintained by the agency. Although the Privacy Act requires only that the portion of the system which describes the ``routine uses'' of the system be published for comment, we invite comment on all portions of this notice.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is amending the Federal meat and poultry products inspection regulations to eliminate prescriptive requirements governing the manufacture of uninspected products, such as pet food, in edible product areas of official establishments and to allow official establishments to manufacture such products outside the hours of inspection. These prescriptive regulations are no longer necessary and are inconsistent with the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) and sanitation regulations. Removal of these unnecessary provisions will provide establishments the flexibility to be innovative and operate in the most efficient, cost effective manner.

This final rule revises regulations for seasons, harvest limits, methods, and means related to taking of fish for subsistence uses in Alaska during the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 regulatory years. The Federal Subsistence Board (Board) completes the biennial process of revising subsistence hunting and trapping regulations in even-numbered years and subsistence fishing and shellfish regulations in odd-numbered years; public proposal and review processes take place during the preceding year. The Board also addresses customary and traditional use determinations during the applicable biennial cycle. This rule also revises fish customary and traditional use determinations.

On June 13, 2019, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (Agency) published a proposed rule to revise its National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations. The Agency is extending the comment period on the proposed rule, which was scheduled to close on August 12, 2019, for 14 days until August 26, 2019.

This final rule revises the regulations for seasons, harvest limits, and methods and means for the subsistence taking of fish in the Cook Inlet Area of Alaska. This action also reorganizes specific regulations addressing the Kenai River, which will provide clarity for the public, and allow the Federal Subsistence Board to correct regulatory conflicts that have arisen based on recent rulemaking.