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

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA or Department), is adopting a final rule to exempt the Tongass National Forest from the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule (2001 Roadless Rule), which prohibits timber harvest and road construction/reconstruction with limited exceptions within designated inventoried roadless areas. In addition, the rule directs an administrative change to the timber suitability of lands deemed unsuitable, solely due to the application of the 2001 Roadless Rule, in the 2016 Tongass National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Tongass Forest Plan or Forest Plan), Appendix A. The rule does not authorize any ground-disturbing activities, nor does it increase the overall amount of timber harvested from the Tongass National Forest.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request a revision to and extension of approval of an information collection associated with the regulations permitting applicants to self-certify certain medical statements when applying for positions with the Federal Government.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is amending the egg products inspection regulations to require official plants that process egg products (herein also referred to as ``egg products plants'' or ``plants'') to develop and implement Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Systems and Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (Sanitation SOPs) and to meet other sanitation requirements consistent with FSIS's meat and poultry regulations.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) proposes to terminate the following 10 U.S. Consumer Standards: The U.S. Consumer Standards for Italian Sprouting Broccoli, U.S. Consumer Standards for Fresh Carrots, U.S. Consumer Standards for Celery Stalks, U.S. Consumer Standards for Husked Corn on the Cob, U.S. Consumer Standards for Fresh Kale, U.S. Consumer Standards for Fresh Spinach Leaves, U.S. Consumer Standards for Brussels Sprouts, U.S. Consumer Standards for Fresh Parsnips, U.S. Consumer Standards for Fresh Turnips, and U.S. Consumer Standards for Beet Greens. This proposed action is part of USDA's work to eliminate regulations that are outdated, unnecessary, ineffective, or impose costs that exceed benefits.

In accordance with Section 743, Division C of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2010, the Department of Agriculture is publishing this notice to advise the public of access to the FY 2018 Service Contract Inventory.

This document directs that a referendum be conducted among eligible growers of avocados grown in South Florida to determine whether they favor continuance of the marketing order regulating the handling of avocados produced in the production area.

This notice announces the transfer of amounts for certain dairy articles from the historical license category (Appendix 1) to the lottery (nonhistorical) license category (Appendix 2) pursuant to the Dairy Tariff-Rate Quota Import Licensing regulations, 7 CFR part 6, for the 2020 quota year.

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), a Rural Development agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is confirming the final rule published in the Federal Register on April 2, 2020 to establish the Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP) as authorized by Section 6407 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, as amended. This document also provides the Agency an opportunity to acknowledge public comments received on the final rule.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) is soliciting comments on its proposal to revise the U.S. Standards for Grades of Frozen Corn on the Cob (July 27, 1970). AMS is proposing to replace the two-term grading system (dual nomenclature) with a single term to describe each quality level in the grade standards. Terms using the letter grade would be retained and the descriptive term would be eliminated. Editorial changes would also be made to the grade standards that conform to recent changes made in other grade standards, returning previously omitted headers and language, and adding language to bring the standards up to date with current industry practices. These changes would bring the grade standards in line with the present quality levels being marketed today and provide guidance in the effective use of these products.

This decision proposes amendments to Marketing Order No. 984 (Order), which regulates the handling of walnuts grown in California and provides growers with the opportunity to vote in a referendum to determine if they favor the changes. The California Walnut Board (Board), which locally administers the Order, recommended proposed amendments that would add authority for the Board to provide credit for certain market promotion expenses paid by handlers against their annual assessments due under the Order and establish requirements to effectuate the new authority. In addition, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) proposed to make any such changes as may be necessary to conform to any amendment that may result from the public hearing.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) invites public comments about our intention to request Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for a new information collection to collect data on hemp production through a producer survey. This survey is necessary to identify data in the emerging hemp industry and for administering the domestic hemp program.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), United States Forest Service (Forest Service), is revising directives related to timber management, timber sale administration and timber sale debarment and suspension procedures.

This document revises the delegations of authority from the Secretary of Agriculture and general officers of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to reflect changes and additions to the delegations required by the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 and for other purposes, as summarized below.

This proposed rule invites comments on a recommendation from the State of Washington Potato Committee (Committee) to suspend the reporting and assessment requirements prescribed under the marketing order regulating Irish Potatoes grown in Washington (Order). In a separate action, the Committee also unanimously recommended terminating Marketing Order No. 946. This rule would indefinitely suspend the reporting and assessment requirements of the Order during the period that USDA is processing the termination request.

This final rule adopts, with minor changes, an interim rule published in the Federal Register on November 12, 2019. The interim rule implemented changes to CSP that were necessitated by enactment of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) or that were required to implement administrative improvements and clarifications. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) received input from 110 commenters who provided 615 comments in response to the interim rule. This final rule makes permanent those changes appearing in the interim rule, responds to comments, and makes further adjustments in response to some of the comments received. In addition, the rule makes some minor technical corrections.

We are advising the public of our decision to revise the import requirements for the importation of fresh blueberries from Chile into the United States by removing the methyl bromide fumigation requirement for blueberries from Regions VIII and XVI of Chile. Based on the findings of our commodity import evaluation, which we made available to the public for review and comment through a previous notice, we have determined that the application of the designated phytosanitary measures will be sufficient to mitigate the risks of introducing or disseminating plant pests via the importation of blueberries from Chile.

The Ketchikan Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will hold a virtual meeting. 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/pts.

This document directs that a referendum be conducted among eligible producers of oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, and pummelos grown in Florida to determine whether they favor continuance of the marketing order regulating the handling of oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, and pummelos produced in the production area.

This final rule adjusts representation on the American Egg Board (Board), and outlines changes to geographic areas based on sustained changes in egg production in several States. The Egg Research and Promotion Order (Order) establishes a Board composed of 18 members. Currently, the 48 contiguous States are divided into six areas with three members representing each area. This final rule reduces the number of geographic areas from six to three. The number of Board members representing each geographic area changes to six. The total Board membership remains at 18.