Department of Agriculture 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is announcing the 2020 fee schedule for official inspection and weighing services performed under the USGSA, as amended, in order to comply with agency regulations and the Agriculture Reauthorizations Act of 2015. This action publishes the annual review of Schedule A fees calculation and the resulting fees.

This interim rule with request for public comment adds a new part to our regulations to implement the Regioinal Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). RCPP enhances conservation and promotes coordination between NRCS and its partners to help producers and landowners increase the restoration and sustainable use of soil, water, and wildlife on a regional or watershed scale. NRCS, an agency of the USDA, administers RCPP, which is funded through CCC. RCCP is reauthorized by the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (the 2018 Farm Bill), which streamlined RCPP administration, including elimination of ``covered program'' financial transfers and replacement of covered program contracts with RCPP contracts and programmatic partnership agreements. Section 2504 of the 2018 Farm Bill authorizes NRCS to implement RCPP through an Availability of Program Funding (APF) announcement in FY 2019 without issuing a regulation. This interim administration authority expired September 30, 2019, and section 1271E(e) of the RCPP statute, as amended, requires NRCS to administer RCPP through a regulation going forward. Therefore, NRCS is publishing this interim rule to incorporate the 2018 Farm Bill changes to RCPP program administration.

On September 25, 2019, the Food and Nutrition Service published meal pattern tables in Agency rules. This document corrects the presentation of tables in the final rule.

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 nutrition labeling of the major cuts of single-ingredient raw meat or poultry products and ground or chopped meat and poultry products. There are no changes to the existing information collection. The approval for this information collection will expire on May 31, 2020.

The Umatilla National Forest, Columbia County Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Dayton, Washington. 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. The meeting is open to the public. The purpose of the meeting is to conduct general business and review proposed projects.

Notice is hereby given of a public hearing to receive evidence on proposed amendments to Federal Marketing Order No. 984 (Order) regulating the handling of walnuts grown in California. 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) proposes to make changes to the Order as may be necessary to conform to any amendment that may result from the hearing.

The Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is seeking nominations for individuals to serve on the USDA Grain Inspection Advisory Committee (Advisory Committee). The Advisory Committee meets no less than once annually to advise AMS on the programs and services it delivers under the U.S. Grain Standards Act (USGSA). Recommendations by the Advisory Committee help AMS better meet the needs of its customers who operate in a dynamic and changing marketplace.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the U.S. Forest Service (Forest Service) Idaho Panhandle National Forests announce the availability of the Bog Creek Road Project Final Records of Decision (ROD). The CBP ROD addresses the decision to approve the funding for and implement the repair and maintenance of Bog Creek Road. The Forest Service ROD addresses the decisions to: Approve CBP's repair and maintenance of Bog Creek Road for administrative use; and, implement actions to establish grizzly bear core area habitat within the Blue- Grass Bear Management Unit and to meet the objectives of the Land Management Plan for the Idaho Panhandle National Forests (Forest Plan) for Motorized Access Management within the Selkirk and Cabinet-Yaak Grizzly Bear Recovery Zones.

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 new collection for recognizing program sponsors' nutrition efforts in the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) or the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Seamless Summer Option (SSO).

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 revision of a currently approved collection for awarding local agencies for excellence in WIC breastfeeding services and support. Section 231 of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, Public Law 111-296, requires that the Department of Agriculture (USDA) establish a program to recognize WIC local agencies and clinics that demonstrate exemplary breastfeeding promotion and support activities.

This final rule makes amendments to regulations for the Pima Agriculture Cotton Trust Fund (Agriculture Pima Trust Fund) and the Agriculture Wool Apparel Manufacturers Trust Fund (Wool Trust Fund) programs. This final rule makes minor changes to the Department of Agriculture's administration of the Wool Trust Fund, required by section 12603 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018. Statutory changes were made with respect to two of the four types of payments available under the Wool Trust Fund, the Refund of Duties Paid on Imports of Certain Wool Products (Wool Duty Refund program) and the Payments to Manufacturers of Certain Worsted Wool Fabrics (Wool Grant program). In addition, new regulatory language is required to update the payment expiration calendar year and for submission of affidavits that apply to all four payments made available under the Wool Trust Fund. This final rule also makes minor changes to the Department of Agriculture's administration of the Agriculture Pima Trust Fund per section 12602 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018. New regulatory language is required for updating the payment expiration calendar year and to include information in the required affidavit of yarn spinners.

This document directs that a referendum be conducted among eligible growers and processors of tart cherries grown in the States of Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin to determine whether they favor continuance of the marketing order regulating the handling of tart cherries produced in the production area.

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is announcing full implementation of the APHIS Core Message Set in the Automated Commercial Environment/International Trade Data System (ACE/ ITDS) for the electronic submission of data required by APHIS Animal Care, Biotechnology Regulatory Services, Plant Protection and Quarantine, and Veterinary Services. APHIS intends to begin applying Harmonized Tariff Schedule flags, which will alert filers who opted to submit electronically using ACE. Full implementation of the message set will bring APHIS into compliance with the mandates of the Security and Accountability For Every Port Act of 2006 and Executive Order 13659. The information collected will enhance APHIS' ability to make data-driven policy decisions, improve risk analysis/assessments, and enhance ability to respond to changing pest/ disease conditions.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) is soliciting comments and feedback on draft instructions on testing methods as it pertains to the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard (Standard).

We are advising the public of our decision to revise the import requirements for the importation of fresh Unshu oranges from Japan into the United States and to allow Unshu oranges from the island of Kyushu to be imported into any port of entry in the United States, excluding territories. We are also removing the fumigation requirement for Unshu oranges from the islands of Honshu and Shikoku. Based on the findings of our commodity import evaluations, which we made available to the public to review and comment through a previous notice, we have concluded that the application of one or more designated phytosanitary measures will be sufficient to mitigate the risks of introducing or disseminating plant pests or noxious weeds via the importation of fresh Unshu oranges into the United States from Japan, including the island of Kyushu.

This notice advises the public of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's record of decision for the final environmental impact statement titled Record of Decision for the Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the Rangeland Grasshopper and Mormon Cricket Suppression Program.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC Program or WIC) is issuing this Request for Information to obtain input from WIC State agencies, authorized vendors, food manufacturers, technology partners, and other interested stakeholders regarding the direction of the National Universal Product Code (NUPC) database. The NUPC database can be used by WIC State agencies delivering benefits via Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) to develop, update and maintain their Authorized Product Lists (APLs). FNS is specifically interested in obtaining stakeholder perspectives on the role of the NUPC database to the program community, and different options for operating, maintaining, and/or enhancing the database. FNS welcomes comments from all interested stakeholders.

This notice informs the public of the annual adjustments to the reimbursement rates for meals served in the Summer Food Service Program for Children. These adjustments address changes in the Consumer Price Index, as required under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act. The 2020 reimbursement rates are presented as a combined set of rates to highlight simplified cost accounting procedures. The 2020 rates are also presented individually, as separate operating and administrative rates of reimbursement, to show the effect of the Consumer Price Index adjustment on each rate.

The Ketchikan Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Ketchikan, Alaska. 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.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) proposes to revise the U.S. Standards for Grades of Topped Carrots, U.S. Standards for Grades of Bunched Carrots, and U.S. Standards for Grades of Carrots with Short Trimmed Tops. AMS is proposing to add more U.S. No. 1 grades to accommodate carrots of colors other than orange, orange red, and orange scarlet. The current U.S. No. 1 grades would remain unchanged. In addition, AMS is proposing to remove the Unclassified section and renumber sections due to the additional grades.