Department of Agriculture 2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Office of the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (the Secretary) is providing notice of an increase in the fiscal year (FY) 2021 specialty sugar tariff-rate quota (TRQ) of 40,000 metric tons raw value (MTRV).

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), a Rural Development agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is revising several regulations to streamline its procedures for Electric Program borrowers, including its loan application requirements, approval of construction work plans, contract bidding procedures, contact approval procedures, system operation and maintenance reviews, long-range engineering plans and system design procedures. Additionally, unnecessary sections in the regulations will be removed.

The Payette National Forest is proposing to charge a new fee at four cabins including Paddy Flat, Burgdorf, Warren Bunkhouse, and Warren Ranger cabins. These units are currently not in use by the public. Rentals of other cabins on the Payette National Forest have shown people appreciate and enjoy the availability of rental cabins.

This notice announces the annual adjustments to the national average payment rates for meals and snacks served in child care centers, outside-school-hours care centers, at-risk afterschool care centers, and adult day care centers; the food service payment rates for meals and snacks served in day care homes; and the administrative reimbursement rates for sponsoring organizations of day care homes, to reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index. Further adjustments are made to these rates to reflect the higher costs of providing meals in Alaska and Hawaii. The adjustments contained in this notice are made on an annual basis each July, as required by the laws and regulations governing the Child and Adult Care Food Program.

The U.S Codex Office is sponsoring a public meeting on September 1, 2021. 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 46th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Labelling (CCFL) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, to be held virtually, September 27-October 1, 2021 with the report adoption on October 7, 2021. The U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius and the Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 46th Session of the CCFL and to address items on the agenda.

This document reopens the voting period for the referendum being conducted among eligible growers of pecans grown in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas to determine whether they favor continuance of the marketing order regulating the handling of pecans produced in the production area. The voting period has been reopened for an additional 25 days from June 29, 2021, to July 23, 2021.

In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular No. A-108, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA or Department) proposes to modify the current system of records entitled ``Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, FS- 33Law Enforcement and Investigative Records'' (LEIRS). This system allows Law Enforcement and Investigations to record claims and criminal activities in the National Forests which include verified violations of criminal statutes and/or Agency policy, as well as situations that may result in civil claims for or against the government. This information helps the Agency meet its objective of contributing to Officers, Forest Service employees, and National Forest visitor safety.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and organizations on the renewal of a currently approved information collection, Pesticide-Use Proposal.

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS), Rural Housing Service (RHS), and the Rural Utilities Service (RUS), agencies of the Rural Development mission area within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), hereinafter collectively referred to as the Agency, offer loan guarantees through four programs: Community Facilities (CF) administered by RHS; Water and Waste Disposal (WWD) administered by the RUS; and Business and Industry (B&I) and Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) administered by the RBCS. This notice provides applicants with the Guarantee Fee rates, Guarantee percent for Guaranteed Loans, the Periodic Retention Fee, and Fee for Issuance of the Loan Note Guarantee Prior to Construction Completion for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022, to be used when applying for guaranteed loans under the aforementioned guaranteed loan types. This notice is being published prior to the passage of a FY 2022 appropriation. Should the fees need to be adjusted after passage of the FY 2022 appropriation bill, the agency will publish a subsequent notice in the Federal Register.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the intention of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) to seek approval to conduct a new information collection to gather data related to the motivations of targeted operators to adopt conservation practices.

Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, notice is hereby given that the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) intends to reestablish the National Wildlife Services Advisory Committee (the Committee) for a 2-year period. The Secretary has determined that the Committee is necessary and in the public interest.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the USDA Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and organizations on the renewal of a currently approved information collection, Forest Service Law Enforcement & Investigations Ride-Along Program.

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has received a request from Okanagan Specialty Fruits Inc. (OSF) to extend our determination of nonregulated status of GD743 apple and GS784 apple to PG451 apple which has been developed using genetic engineering to resist browning. We are making the OSF extension request, the preliminary determination, and the draft plant pest risk similarity assessment available for public comment.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) is requesting comments from all interested individuals and organizations on an extension of a currently approved information collection that supports Direct Loan ServicingSpecial. The information is used in eligibility and feasibility determinations on borrower requests for disaster set-aside, primary loan servicing, buyout at market value, and homestead protection, as well as liquidation of security.

The El Dorado County 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 the Act. RAC information can be found at the following website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/eldorado/ workingtogether/advisorycommittees.

The Ketchikan Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will hold a virtual meeting by phone and/or video conference. 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 as well as make recommendations on recreation fee proposals for sites on the Tongass National Forest, within Ketchikan Borough, consistent with the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act.

This proposed rule would adjust the number of member seats apportioned to each district represented on the Florida Tomato Committee (Committee). The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is taking this action based on an amendatory change to the marketing order for tomatoes grown in Florida, which reduced the size of the Committee from 12 members to 10. This action would reduce the member seats in each of the two districts from six members and their alternates to five members and their alternates.

The Eastern Idaho Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will hold a virtual meeting by phone and/or video conference. 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 as well as make recommendations on recreation fee proposals for sites on the Caribou-Targhee National Forest within Bannack, Bear Lake, Bonneville, Caribou, Clark, Franklin, Fremont, Madison, 0neida, and Teton County, consistent with the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act. RAC information and virtual meeting information can be found at the following website: https:// www.fs.usda.gov/main/ctnf/workingtogether/advisorycommittees.

This action is being taken under the authority of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, as amended (AMA). The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is revising the method of interpretation for the determination of ``sample grade criteria'' in the Bean Inspection Handbook, pertaining to the class ``Blackeye beans'' in the U.S. Standards for Beans. Stakeholders in the dry bean processing/handling industry requested that AMS amend the definition of sample grade in the Blackeye bean inspection instructions by revising the unit of measurement for the factor ``Insect Webbing or Filth'' (IWOF) and removing ``Clean-Cut Weevil-Bore'' (CCWB) as a sample grade factor. As a result of this action Clean-Cut Weevil-Bore is considered a damage factor only.

The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (2002 Farm Bill) requires the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) to establish a Peanut Standards Board (Board) for the purpose of advising the Secretary on quality and handling standards for domestically produced and imported peanuts. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking nominations for individuals to be considered for selection as Board members for a term of office ending June 30, 2024. Meetings are held virtually or in a hybrid style with participants having a choice whether to attend in person or virtually.

The Shasta County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet virtually via Microsoft Teams. 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/stnf/workingtogether/advisorycommittees.

We are advising the public that a final environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact have been prepared by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service for the importation of plants in approved growing media. The environmental assessment documents our review and analysis of the environmental impacts associated with, and alternatives to, the importation of plants in approved growing media. Based on its finding of no significant impact, we have determined that an environmental impact statement need not be prepared.

The Department of Agriculture (Department) is adopting, as a final rule with minor changes, an interim final rule that amends the Mango Promotion, Research and Information Order (Order) by removing the provisions of frozen mangos as a covered commodity. The Order is administered by the National Mango Board (Board) with oversight by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). In a referendum, first handlers and importers voted to remove frozen mangos as a covered commodity under the Order. This rule will remove frozen mangos as a covered commodity, discontinue the collection of assessments on frozen mangos, remove frozen mango entity representation on the Board, and make necessary conforming changes.