Department of Agriculture February 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (USFS) Caribou-Targhee National Forest (CTNF), have prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS) for the proposed East Smoky Panel Mine Project (Project) and by this notice are announcing its availability.

We are establishing standards to allow us to recognize compartments for animal disease status, consistent with World Organization for Animal Health international standards. Under this action, when a foreign government submits a request for recognition of a compartment, we will conduct a compartmentalization evaluation based on a list of factors that parallel those we use when conducting regionalization evaluations, and will provide for public notice of and comment on the risk assessment. We are also adding provisions for imposing import restrictions or prohibitions when a compartment we have recognized as disease-free experiences an outbreak, and for lifting those sanctions once the outbreak has been controlled. These standards for compartmentalization will provide a means for preserving international trade when regionalization is not feasible.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request an extension and revision to the approved forms and information collection for marketing orders covering various vegetables and specialty crops.

The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) amends the Agricultural Act of 2014 to make changes to the Supplemental Agricultural Disaster Assistance Programs, which include the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP), the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP), the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP), and the Tree Assistance Program (TAP). The rule includes changes required by the 2018 Farm Bill, as well as discretionary changes intended improve administration of the programs and clarify existing program requirements.

On February 3, 2020, the U.S Codex Office, USDA published a notice that announced a public meeting on February 27, 2020 from 1:00- 3:00 p.m. EST at the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The objective of the public meeting was to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States (U.S.) positions to be discussed at the 52nd Session of the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues (CCPR) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, in Guangzhou, People's Republic of China, originally planned for March 30- April 4, 2020. The U.S. Codex Office is publishing this notice to announce that the 52nd Session of the CCPR has been postponed due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and that the public meeting to provide information and receive public comments will be rescheduled at a later date. Please note that the documents related to the 52nd Session of the CCPR remain accessible via the internet at the following address: www.codexalimentarius.org/ meetings-reports/en.

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 renewal of the approved information collection regarding the procedures for notifying the Agency about new technology and requests for waivers. There are no changes to the existing information collection. The approval for this information collection will expire on May 31, 2020.

We are amending the regulations governing the National Veterinary Accreditation Program by clarifying the veterinary programs for which accredited veterinarians are authorized to perform duties under the Animal Health Protection Act. We are also adding and revising certain definitions and terms used in the regulations. These changes will update the program regulations.

The Southern Montana Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Big Timber, Montana. 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 website: https:// www.fs.usda.gov/main/custergallatin/workingtogether/advisoryc ommittees.

The Humboldt Nevada Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Winnemucca, Nevada. 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 website: https://fs.usda.gov/ goto/htnf/rac.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS) invites comments on this information collection for which approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will be requested. The intention is to request a revision for a currently approved information collection in support of the program for Voluntary Labeling Program for Biobased Products.

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 create a new information collection regarding the voluntary destruction of imported meat, poultry, and egg products. This is a new information collection with an estimated burden of 17,818 hours.

The U.S Codex Office is sponsoring a public meeting on April 16, 2020. 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 41th Session of the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis (CCMAS) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, in Budapest, Hungary, May 11-15, 2020. The U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius and the Under Secretary, Office of Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs, recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 40th Session of the CCMAS and to address items on the agenda.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Canyon Country District Office and United States Forest Service (USFS) Manti-La Sal National Forest announce the availability of the Records of Decision (RODs) for the Approved Monument Management Plans (MMPs) for the Bears Ears National Monument (BENM) Indian Creek and Shash J[aacute]a Units.

This notice helps to improve applicants' awareness of the Guarantee Fee rates for Guaranteed Loans for fiscal year (FY) 2020, the Maximum Portion of Guarantee Authority Available for FY 2020, and the Annual Renewal Fee for FY 2020 when applying for guaranteed loans under the Business and Industry (B&I) Guaranteed Loan Program. The Agency has the authority to charge a guarantee fee and an annual renewal fee for loans made under the B&I Guaranteed Loan Program. Pursuant to that authority, and subject to the current appropriated authority, the Agency is establishing an initial guarantee fee rate of 3 percent and an annual renewal fee rate of one-half of 1 percent for the B&I Guaranteed Loan Program. The initial guarantee fee is paid at the time the Loan Note Guarantee is issued. The annual renewal fee is paid by the lender to the Agency once a year. Payment of the annual renewal fee is required in order to maintain the enforceability of the guarantee.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) is requesting comments from all interested individuals and organizations on the four Farm Loan Programs' information collection requests. The four collection requests in the Farm Loan Programs are: Inventory Property Management, Direct Loan ServicingRegular, Guaranteed Farm Loan Program and General Program Administration. In the Inventory Property Management, the collected information is used to evaluate applicant requests to purchase inventory property, determine eligibility to lease or purchase inventory property, and ensure the payment of the lease amount or purchase amount associated with the acquisition of inventory property. In the Direct Loan ServicingRegular, the information is used to determine borrower compliance with loan agreements, assist the borrower in achieving business goals, and regular servicing of the loan account such as graduation, subordination, partial release, and use of proceeds. In the General Program Administration, the information collected is used to ensure that applicants meet statutory eligibility requirements, loan funds are used for authorized purposes, and the Government's interest in security is adequately protected. In the Guaranteed Farm Loan Program, the collected information is needed to make and service loans guaranteed by FSA to eligible farmers and ranchers by commercial lenders and nontraditional lenders.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces and requests comments on the intention of the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) to request approval for the continuation of and changes to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Registration Form to Request Electronic Access Code information collection to allow USDA customers to securely and confidently share data and receive services electronically.

This proposed rule would establish regulations for fish and shellfish seasons, harvest limits, methods, and means related to taking of fish and shellfish for subsistence uses during the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 regulatory years. The Federal Subsistence Board (Board) is on a schedule of completing the process of revising subsistence taking of fish and shellfish regulations in odd-numbered years and subsistence taking of wildlife regulations in even-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 cycle. When final, the resulting rulemaking will replace the existing subsistence fish and shellfish taking regulations. This proposed rule could also amend the general regulations on subsistence taking of fish and wildlife.

This notice announces a public comment period on the information collection requests (ICRs) associated with the Subpart U Ineligibility for Programs under the Federal Crop Insurance Act.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) proposes to amend regulations on Quality Systems Verification Programs (QSVP) to clarify that all voluntary, user-fee services under this part are applicable to all commodities covered by the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (Act), as amended. Further, AMS proposes to broaden the scope of services to include all current and future AMS voluntary, user-fee audit verification and accreditation programs and services. AMS will also harmonize administrative procedures governing these services and make conforming changes as necessary in other parts of our regulations.